Hello Day Worldwide

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Outline for a conceptual commentary This is probably the organizational method I’d choose for an essay on this poem because it is circular, always returning to the uses of the symbolism of greetings. The analysis could be presented more concisely and cohesively, especially if I broke each “concept” up into smaller paragraphs (i.e. three paragraphs on diction: one addressing the development of the first two bullets, a second addressing singular words used to describe false greetings, and the last addressing the author modified words. I could also easily transition from the last diction paragraph to the first figurative language one, the images I would analyze being dependent on those words. Etc. ------------------------------------------------- In “Hello Day – Worldwide,” the poet is responding to “a radio announcement that today is World Hello Day” with disapproval. Kobina Eyi Acquah uses diction, figurative language, and structure to question the intentions of a “Day” while advocating for a “Lifetime commitment” (line 27) to “knowing and being known” (line 22). Symbolism (the “big idea” – all other devices build on this idea) * “hello” as representative of a more considered “knowing and being known” Diction * “town” vs. “village” * “they” vs. “us/we” * Regarding “town” greetings * “offensive” * “gesture” or “token” (further developed by third stanza) * “limp” (single word line, as well) * Made-up words or hyphenates (like the falseness of simple greeting): “contrapted,” “fingers-shake,” “open-look” (might also discuss these as visual images) * “contrapted” – emphasis on “trap”? as opposed to contracted? * “fingers-shake” – only shaking the tips of fingers, not the whole hand; hyphenation emphasizes quickness of shake * “open-look” emphasizes “quick” by the visual representation of the

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