We real cool poem summary. We Real Cool Poem by Gwendolyn Brooks 2022-10-25

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"We Real Cool" is a poem written by Gwendolyn Brooks in 1959. It is a short, powerful poem that tells the story of a group of young, rebellious African American men who are trying to assert their independence and coolness.

The poem is written in free verse, and it consists of eight lines that are broken into two quatrains. The first quatrain introduces the group of young men and describes their behavior: "We / Real cool. / We / Left school." This line suggests that the young men are not interested in education and that they have dropped out of school.

The second quatrain elaborates on the behavior of the young men, describing how they spend their days: "We / Lurk late. / We / Strike straight. / We / Sing sin. / We / Thin gin." These lines suggest that the young men are engaging in risky and dangerous behaviors, such as staying out late, fighting, and drinking.

Throughout the poem, Brooks uses repetition and alliteration to emphasize the rebellious nature of the young men. The repetition of the phrase "we real cool" serves to reinforce the idea that the young men are trying to assert their coolness, while the alliteration of the "s" sound in the second quatrain adds to the poem's rhythmic and musical quality.

Despite the rebellious and cool demeanor of the young men in the poem, there is a sense of sadness and despair lurking beneath the surface. The final line of the poem, "We / Die soon," hints at the dangerous and destructive path that the young men are on, and the possibility that their lives may be cut short.

In "We Real Cool," Brooks captures the restless energy and defiance of youth, as well as the underlying sadness and uncertainty that can accompany it. The poem serves as a poignant reminder of the dangers of rebellion and the importance of making responsible choices in life.

Summary Of The Poem We Real Cool

we real cool poem summary

Analysis Reading "We Real Cool" Brooks uses the first-person plural, which introduces an inherent ambiguity in how the reader can interpret these lines. Alternatively, the reader may imagine standing outside the group and listening to the kids boasting. We'' What stands out in these lines is Brooks' use of alliteration, another diction choice. They are used to set the scene as if they are stage directions. Notice also that the stanza does not end with a complete thought. We'' These lines are somewhat elusive.


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We Real Cool by Gwendolyn Brooks

we real cool poem summary

Despite the poem's brash tone, it ends ironically in that the poet's voice comes back in and contradicts the young man's pride in his lifestyle. Brooks uses many techniques in this poem, such as diction word choice and syntax the way the sentences are structured. . Here, the words make sense: a youthful group of kids full of life and rebellion in the early summer month of June. .

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We Real Cool Poem Summary and Analysis

we real cool poem summary

Seven at the Golden Shovel. It also suggests a moment of self-awareness about the choices the players made. It is used here to refer to their ability to play pool but also shows their precision and determination. At first glance, it appears this poem is a mere description Essays On Gwendolyn Brooks tasks that are similar to Brooks. Here, ''jazz,'' a noun, is used as a verb. This poem is short with only eight lines and four stanzas, but it packs a punch when one considers the tone is one of defiance and a disregard for authority.

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We Real Cool Plot Summary

we real cool poem summary

She said the speakers "challenge anything. These are taken from the IGCSE Cambridge Poetry Anthology, but may be interesting for unseen poetry too. However, Brooks does not say "seven pool players" directly. Brooks uses vernacular to highlight the social class of Black urban teenagers during the 1950s, those who are deemed socially inferior and as a nuisance on the streets. Regarding syntax, Brooks often leaves words out of a statement, and writes enjambed lines as well.

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We Real Cool (Poem) Summary & Study Guide

we real cool poem summary

Writing a book review is not to be confused with writing a summary of a book. Thin gin is cheap gin and drinking it is something that adults do. The poem is the perfect example of what can be accomplished in a very short space with a simple everyday language using only few well-placed words. Here, the speaker brags about staying out late, presumably after a day of skipping school, or having dropped out altogether. What is the mood of We Real Cool? The kids would rather destroy the rules than embrace them—even if it means accepting a young, violent death. The first stanza reads, ''We real cool.

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We Real Cool Poem by Gwendolyn Brooks

we real cool poem summary

Even though this poem was quite short, it packed a ton of meaning into a small amount of space. She seems to think he's going nowhere fast. Other techniques used by Brooks are alliteration and enjambment. Considered one of the best examples of jazz poetry, the poem reads like a script or score for a work of jazz to be performed. Alliteration is the successive use of words that begin with the same letter.

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We Real Cool (Poem)

we real cool poem summary

Brooks also said that the seven pool players in the poem are fighting against the establishment with their rebellious actions. Question Set How do these poets use language and structure to get across their theme? We can see this from the youngster's refusal to attend school and the boastful confession of drinking. This line is unclear and Brooks does not reveal exactly what she meant by it in interviews. Gwendolyn Brooks centered her works predominately around the African American consciousness. The poem has been featured on broadsides, reprinted in textbooks and is widely studied in the literature classes. The second stanza reads, ''Lurk late. I've Maya Angelou Phenomenal Women Analysis imagine the speaker of this poem to be the author, Maya Angelou.

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Summary and Study Questions of We Real Cool by Gwendolyn Brooks » Smart English Notes

we real cool poem summary

At the time, the predominant trend in jazz music revolved around bebop and its derivative styles of hard bop and cool jazz. Their future is unclear, together with their identity. The following version of this poem was used to create this guide: Brooks, Gwendolyn. The gang cannot refuse the call of the pool hall, and they are only following their need to taste life on their terms, not the terms set forth by a society that wholly rejects them as a part of it. However, the speaker is set on dodging all societal expectations and living and defining life as they see fit. The poem is written in the vernacular tradition.

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We Real Cool Summary

we real cool poem summary

The phrase follows in the same pattern as those which proceeded it. They are staking their whole lives on the rebellion. Here, the poet's tone seems to diverge from that of her speaker. This gives the poem its characters and its setting. In interviews Brooks said she emphasized we because the speakers of the poem are both craving attention and struggling to define their own identities.


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We Real Cool: Poem, Summary & Analysis

we real cool poem summary

Many teenagers rebel, but these kids are taking it to an extreme level. The work is a condensed yet concise statement on the recklessness of youth who are like cars without brakes in the frenzy of youth. To ''sing'' about something is to endorse, celebrate or revel in it. In particular the characters' boasting is prideful, their drinking is gluttonous, and their decision to play all day instead of going to school is slothful. She taught creative writing at a number of colleges and universities. Not going to class because of deciding not to go is a critical piece of the puzzle to the path of wanting to succeed versus choosing to not succeed. The players do not seem to have any regard for their futures, only the present.

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