Help with figures of speech!

sundaydrive, Welcome to A2K.

The first one is a simile. Do you understand how similes work?

The entire poem is a direct metaphor which implies that Lincoln is a tree

I will await your response to go further into the poem.

firstly, thanks

yes I have the whole simile/the whole poem being a metaphor
I have some personification too

but there are others that i don't understand such as
"Until at last one mad stray bolt from the zenith
Shall strike it in an instant down to earth."

My teacher said something about that line and I don't understand it

It's late here, and I am a bit tired, but think, if you will, what "bolt" struck down that tree? I am certain you know the answer.

Tomorrow, young student. <smile>

It's the comparison to his assassination, right?

I don't understand themes either
I know there are themes like, power and nature, but I don't know how to expand on that

Thank you so much for helping me!

sundaydrive, that's what I think, at least, and a more direct answer might be John Wilkes Booth. A theme is just what you believe to be the overall message that the poem implies, honey. What do you think the poet is trying to get the reader to see about Lincoln? After you have arrived at your conclusion, put it in a well constructed sentence, and you have a "stated theme."

Let's use another poetic example:

Fire and Ice


Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

Robert Frost


What is Frost's message to the reader?

"Eventually, the world will be done in, not by mother nature, but by man's excessive passion and hate."

Thank you very much. Just one more thing, is this an okay theme statement?

Nature is very powerful and people can be compared to nature when they are born leaders. This is shown with Abraham Lincoln, a natural born leader who was independant and powerful. Although nature is prevailing, other aspects of nature can conqure over others.

sunday drive, you are on the right track, honey, but you need to refine your sentence a bit. Keep the tree in your theme. That is imperative.

also, vary your word choices. Abraham Lincoln was the powerful tree of the Union during crucial times in America's future, etc. I hope that you have learned something of recognizing figures of speech and their importance in writing, but often, the terms can overshadow the creativity. Don't let that happen to you. Have a talk with your teacher as well.

I really appreciate your gratitude. That often is not expressed when someone tries to help a student.

This may sound strange to you, but are you a young man, or a young woman?

I am a young woman and I really appreciate you helping me. It's rare to find this kind of help on forums

Does this one sound better than the last one?

Nature is very dynamic and people can be compared to nature when they are born leaders. This is shown with Abraham Lincoln, a natural born leader who was independent and powerful, being compared to a colossal tree. Although nature is prevailing, other aspects of nature can conquer over others, such as lightning striking a tree.

Much better, sundaydrive. You seem to be quite persistent in rewriting, and that is the key to becoming accomplished. The reason that I asked about your gender, is because often young men are made to feel that creative writing is not their thing. I know that I was made to feel that girls could NOT do math. How foolish are preconceived notions.

Incidentally, A2K is a unique forum as you will learn if you stick around.

Thank you very much, once again. You've helped me so much! English is one of my weaker subjects.
This does seem like an awesome forum, I may just stick around and lurk around