tpcastt

Zimmer's Head THudding against the Blackboard
Paul Zimmer
At the blackboard I had missed
Firve number problems in a row,
And was about to foul a sixth,
When the old, exasperated nun
Began to pound my head agianst
My six mistakes. When I cried,
She threw me back into my seat,
Where I hid my head and wore
That very day I'd be a poet,
And curse her yellow teeth with this.
TPCASTT Analysis
T- title: the title of this poem "Zimmer's Head Thudding against the Blackboard" means he hits his head on the blackboard which forshadows that he is going to have some failures in the class.
P- paraphrase: In the class, I missed a lot of problems and in the sixth problem the old teacher stroke my head. I cried and I hated her and I decided to be a poet.
C- connnotation: Imagery, at the very last line when he said "curse her YELLOW teeth", this indicates that not only she is old but also indicates that he hates her and that's why he used the color yellow which make people to think dirty and disgusting.
A- attitude : the author's tone is somehow hatred. He talks how his teacher treated him and he got upset because of her.
S- shifts : in this poem, the word swore and curse make it clear about Zimmer's future and his career. That two words enabled him to be a poet.
T-title (re-evaluation): the title means his failures during his class time which he missed many problems and the teacher kind of insulted him in a way.
T- Theme: I believe there is no real theme of this poem because this poem is the story of Paul Zimmer. However, in this poem I can see some motivation because of the teacher's hatred toward Zimmer. No matter how his teacher tortured him physically and mentally, he did not let himself feel down but chose his career and worked harder. As I read this poem, the famous phrase came up in my mind which is " No pain, No gain".