Where the Sidewalk Ends

"Where the Sidewalk Ends"

There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.

Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.

Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.

-Shel Silverstein

Sheldon Silverstein, born September 25, 1930, is an American poet famous for writing children’s books and poems. One of his most famous works, “Where the Sidewalk Ends” contrasts the dreariness and negativity of adult life to the blissful innocence and happiness of childhood. The first stanza of the poem introduces us to childhood. It is the “place where the sidewalk ends.” The poem, as a whole, advocates for  a return to a simpler state of childhood from the darkness of adulthood. Sidewalks are restricting and are reminiscent of a busy, crowded city. The image of the sidewalk ending into “soft” grass and “peppermint winds” portrays the return to childhood as being a form of release and peace. It is a place where a bird can “rest from his flight,” much like it is a place where adults can retreat and rest from the worries of life.

The second stanza presents Silverstein’s view of adulthood in the context of this poem. This section is predominantly negative. Adulthood is a “place where the smoke blows black.” Smoke is not only toxic, but it also obscures one’s vision. The phrase illustrates how toxic and hurtful adult life is to us, yet we are unable to see through the black screen of smoke. Unlike the previous “place where the sidewalk ends,” the streets here are dark and full of bends. While the dark gives the street its negative connotation, the bends and winds represent how slow and confusing life becomes as an over-thinking adult. Yet despite all this, “we shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow” “to the place where the sidewalk ends”.

The third stanza concludes the poem by reiterating its main ideas. The first line repeats the slow and measured aspect of the walk to “the place where the sidewalks end.” The “we” in the line is meant to represent adults, whose walks are representative of their “slow” and “measured” lives. Live is repeatedly, metaphorically compared to a street whose white arrows lead to the “place where the sidewalks end.” This conveys the idea that reversal to childhood is recommended, if not inevitable. According to Silverstein, children “know” where the place is; they “mark” the arrows. Adults must follow children to reach a simpler, happier life.

Age of Innocence Analysis Review

As AP Exams fast approach, I find it helpful to review the works that I remember least, one of which is Age of Innocence. What I remember as being the most striking aspect of the novel is the level of intricacy with which Wharton is able to represent 19^th century New York and its societal norms and expectations. The first clear aspect represented is the fear for one’s reputation. Despite the failure of her marriage, and her escape to the United States, Ellen’s family is reluctant to let her follow through with a divorce because it would draw attention and cause a “scandal” if her husband decides to fight the divorce. The strength and depth of societal standards become apparent when Archer cannot honestly speak his mind to Ellen because her divorce could potentially cause Archer his job. The relationship between Archer and Ellen quickly become the center of the plot. The scene that struck Archer in the theater (kissing of the ribbon) is representative of his relationship with Ellen. The woman not realizing them man kissed her ribbon represents Archer’s inability to fully reach Ellen with his emotions. Meanwhile, Archer is pleasantly surprised when May implies that she is aware of his affection for another woman because it reminds him of Ellen’s fiery nature, but is quickly disappointed to find out that May simply did so out of societal norms that dictate that a man’s happiness comes before a woman’s. Archer’s relationship with Ellen makes a drastic change when he openly announces his love for her. This declaration contrasts the previously subtle, implied, and hidden expressions of emotion in the novel. The remainder of the novel primarily deals with the crucial conflict of the individual versus the many. Archer realizes that he has been left out of his family’s conversations regarding Ellen, due to his feelings for her. This exclusion illustrates how easily (and quickly) one can be excluded from the group for having a different opinion. In this case, Archer represents the individual while society (and its standards) represents the many. The same conflict is found in Ellen’s exclusion from the family and its social interactions. Gender roles are also ever-present in the last few chapters of the novel. For instance, it is clear that the Mingott family controls Ellen’s financial situation. Because of her upper-class status, it is viewed as wrong for Ellen to make her own living; she is entirely dependent on the Mingotts. Ellen is given a large trust fund by Mrs. Mingott; portraying her as a child receiving an allowance. May’s decision to let archer go to Washington D.C. despite her knowledge of his affair is the second clear display of gender roles. Like Mrs. Beaufort, May does not question social norms and embraces that her role is simply to care for the home and children.

How To Tell a True War Story

Written by Tim O’Brien, The Things They Carried attempts to convey an authentic war story as opposed to a true one. The novel is composed of a multitude of interrelated short stories. Each story contributes to the complete understanding of war by those who did not experience it in the flesh. “The Things They Carried” first addresses the physical and emotional items carried by soldiers into the battlefield. These items come to define the men and cover their human individuality. When Lavender is killed, other members of his squad focus more on his drug use than the death of an individual. “Love” skips to many years after the war and conveys the challenges of a returning veteran as he begins to deal with the guilt of war. “Spin” then beings the plot back into the war and illustrates the day to day life of soldiers as opposed to dramatized media coverage. The killing of the dog (by Azar) also reminds us of the personal conflicts soldiers have to deal with in addition to the battlefield; Azar’s being immaturity. “On The Rainy River” addresses the pivotal conflict between the individual and society as Tim struggles to decide whether it is preferable to fight a war he does not understand, or to escape to Canada and face shame. The next three stories (“Friends,” “Enemies,” and “How to Tell a True War Story”) all primarily deal with the distortion of traditional values in war. “Enemies” and “Friends” work in tandem to provide insight in the distortion of moral codes and values as conflict settlements drastically change and soldiers prefer death to suffering. “How to Tell a True War Story” illustrates the shift in perception as the beauty of the explosion becomes paramount in contrast to Lemmons’s body being blown into a tree. “Sweetheart of Son Tra Bong” demonstrates the impact that the environment has upon the individual as Mary falls victim to her surroundings and begins to embrace the violence of the war. “The Man I Killed” placed an emphasis on the difficulties soldiers have in rationalizing death. O’Brien copes with his action by creating a identity for the man and making him “real.”  “Ambush,” which describes the death from the previous story, aims at conveying the everlasting aspect of war. Years later, O’Brien still sees the Vietnamese soldier coming towards the fog. “Speaking of Courage,” “Notes,” and “In the Field” each address the death of Kiowa from different perspective. The purpose behind this is to show the many ways men rationalized the death of a friend or comrade. Bowker is grief struck, O’Brien deals through storytelling, and Azar attempts to distance himself through humor. “Good Form” and “Field Trip” worked together to give the audience awareness of the accuracy of O’Brien’s war story, despite its historical inaccuracies. We find ourselves able to connect to the war better than Kathleen, who physically visited the site of the war. The last few stories lightly retouch the different points made in all the stories prior. The novel concludes with the rationalization that the dead are never truly dead as they live forever in stories and memories.