Poetry Outline: Chapter 2

Mirror by Sylvia Plath

Thesis:

Plath’s use of personification, syntax, and word choice illustrates the reality of physical and emotional change in one’s life.

I. Personification

            A. “Whatever I see I swallow immediately” (Plath 2). The mirror “swallows” the reflections it sees. The personification of the mirror symbolizes the opinions of humans; what you see is what you get.

            B. “I see her back, and reflect it faithfully” (Plath 13). What the mirror can “see” is representative of what it actually reflects. Unlike humans, mirrors cannot lie and therefore they reflect images “faithfully” back to the user.

II. Syntax

            A. “I am not cruel, only truthful-” (Plath 4). Because this poem is only eighteen lines and this line contains the only change in structure, it brings attention to the reader’s eye. The dash emphasizes the importance of mirrors being “truthful.” Mirrors cannot be mean; they only reflect the image given to them.

            B. “She comes and goes” (Plath 15). This poem is filled with short sentences. This sentence, in particular, demonstrates that the amount of words does not enhance the importance of an idea. “She comes and goes” signifies the every day occurrence of looking at one’s self in a mirror, just like the every day change that comes with age.

III. Word Choice

            A. “Faces and darkness separate us over and over” (Plath 9). “Darkness” is an interesting choice of diction. A mirror usually portrays happiness and light, creating an enjoyable image. Darkness associated with a mirror could stand for the distaste one sees in their own reflection as they age.

            B. “In me she has drowned a young girl” (Plath 17). “Drowned” is indicative of the mirror the lake is acting as, but it is not a delightful adjective to describe this girl’s transformation into adulthood. The word’s negative connotation suggests that her adolescence was not one of ease and comfort, but one of pain and difficulty.