Bright Star- John Keats

"Bright star, would I were steadfast as thou art-" PAGE 792

The theme of the poem was to be unchanging like the star. The first line is an apostrophe in which the speaker addresses the star. The speaker wants to be like a star in that it does not change with what goes on. The speaker wants to be able to watch and experience life from afar rather than actively participate in it. Personification is used to give the star human characteristics as it watches from a distance. The speaker however, does recognize the drawbacks of being a star such as lonely. He feels that life as a star would be worth the sacrifice. I think that the speaker realizes that he cannot be like a star but still wishes to be. The fact that in the last lines he says he wants to live like a star, "or else swoon to death," to me solidifies the fact that he truly wants to live like a star. The speaker must be significantly unhappy in his current life and the changes in it or else he would not express such a desire to live alone in the distance.

Apostrophe (Brave New World)

"Ford, we are twelve; oh, make us one,

Like drops within the Social River;

Oh, make us now together run

As swiftly as thy shining Flivver."

PAGE 81

This stanza presents itself as an apostrophe. The people keep referencing Ford and how great he was. They are taking ownership of him and his ideas as they refer to him as "our Ford." This apostrophe invokes Ford to help them become one. It is effective in highlighting the importance of Ford to this society when they call upon him for help. Ford seems to be extremely important to the society and how they function. He is referred to so reverently and in a similar way to how people refer to God now. They are asking him for help and guidance as well as using his name for other phrases. We now say "Thank God (this or that)" and in this section Bernard thinks, "Thank Ford! he was not the last (page 79)." Also when it would seem appropriate that a curse word would be inserted, Bernard just says, "Ford!" which seemed a little strange. It appears that the society views Ford or who was Ford as almost a Godlike figure and places deep trust and respect in who he was. I do not yet understand why he is so important to the way they live and what his impact was that made him so revered.