Sound and Sense

-"Siren Song" by Margaret Atwood
342-343

The speaker in Atwood's "Siren Song" uses an allusion to Greek mythology. According to legend, three Sirens were creatures that were half women and half bird. These Sirens' songs lured countless mariners to  their island, but the alluring tunes only brought the mariners to their death from the island's rocky coast. Atwood uses this allusion to create a foundation for the story of the poem, making the Siren seem distressed and sad, so it requires help. The Siren then lures the mariner by appearing to need assistance. She tries to lure by singling out the man by saying, "Help me! Only you, only you can, you are unique," (Atwood 19-21). The other prominent technique used by Atwood is the secretive tone. The sirens attempt to draw the listener of their song in, so they can eventually be killed. They use phrases like, "the song nobody knows" (Atwood 7), and "I will tell the secret to you, to you, only to you. Come closer" (Atwood 19-21), to draw the man in with temptation, curiosity, and secrecy.
I believe this poem exhibited a bit of humor in its display of irony; especially when the Siren pretends to be in distress saying, "This song is a cry for help: Help me!" (Atwood 21-22). Here she appears to be the one who needs saving while the mariner is the real one in danger. I truly enjoyed the whole ironic aspect as well as the emphasis of the small-mindedness of men. While the Siren states, "it is a boring song but it works every time" (Atwood 26-27). The Siren is bored with her singing, but she continues because it never ceases to be entertaining and effective. All listener's of this song inevitably come to their demise and they have no control over the matter, making this poem so interesting while at the same time, so humorous.


"Sign for My Father, Who Stressed the Bunt" by David Bottoms
347

In David Bottoms' "Sign for My Father, Who Stressed the Bunt," the speaker uses symbolism throughout the poem when introducing the art of the sacrifice bunt. Bunting is a symbol for a life lesson taught by the speakers father. He always stresses the importance of practicing bunts."I admired your style, but not enough to take my eyes off the bank that served as our center-field fence" (Bottoms 9-11) . All the speaker wanted to do was hit the ball over the fence; it was the only thought that crossed his mind. The lesson that was being stressed was that when a situation presents itself in which sacrifices have to be made to win the game, someone has to not be a hero and lay down a bunt. This can be applied to everyday life and the speaker finally understands his father's lesson as he grows older and matures. While baseball ended long ago, he can take the lesson of the sacrifice bunt and use it in real-life situations.
Bottoms also uses simile to emphasize the importance of the lesson his father taught the speaker. When he said, "Like a hand brushed across the bill of a cap, let this be the sign I'm getting a grip on the sacrifice" (Bottoms 21-23), the speaker referred to when a sign for a bunt is given from a coach to the batter. In baseball this is normally a simple sign like the hand brushing against the bill of the cap, but Bottoms uses simile to give it a deeper meaning. He uses the sign to show that he is learning the real meaning of sacrifice. In baseball, he has to sacrifice the chance of hitting a homer or getting himself out, for the advancement of one of his teammates. In life, it contributes to the idea that a sacrifice for the greater good triumphs over the fame and bragging rights.
This whole poem brought up a coming of age theme, using sacrifice bunting as a life lesson. The idea of sacrificing an out or a deep shot to the outfield for a teammate to get into scoring position gives the speaker a lesson in teamwork, trust, and selflessness. One player cannot win a game alone, so they must trust in each other to make the correct decisions and handle the ball properly. This lesson applies in life when referring to a job, schoolwork, or everyday situations. The father is not only a coach of baseball to his son, but a coach of morals and ethics as well.