What is SOAPST? Another look at explicating a poem S 1. What is the Subject? (What) In a few words or phrases, identify the general topic, content, and Ideas. The subject is about her descending to her end. O 2. What is the Occasion? (When/Where) Identify the time and place of the poem: the poet’s “current” situation. What is the context that encouraged the writing to happen? It's in a room and she is laying down in her bed. A 3. Who is the Audience? (Whom) Identify the group of readers to whom the poem is directed. The audience may be one person, a small group, or a large group; it may be a certain person or certain people. Remember that the writer always writes for someone! The group of readers is probably for the elder because it talks about death. P 4. What is the Purpose? (Why) Identify the reason that the poet is writing. The reason why this poem is written S 5. Who is the Speaker? (Who) What voice tells the story? The poet may write from a different perspective or viewpoint than his or her own. Consider age, gender, ethnicity, social class, etc. when identifying the speaker. She the speaker is probaly a girl , shes maybe in her 90s because of the death thing. Everybody i guess and social class probably everybody. T 6. What is the Tone? (How) Identify the poet’s attitude toward the subject and the mood it sets for the reader. Is it happy, angry, sad, bitter, weary, encouraging, etc.? Does it lecture or inform? The mood of the story was annoyed because of the fly For each of the above items, make sure that you are using specific examples of lines from the poem in order to support your explications!

5 I HEARD A FLY BUZZ WHEN I DIED 7 Emily Dickinson I heard a Fly buzz-when I died- The Stillness in the Room Was like the Stillness in the Air- Between the Heaves of Storm- 5 The Eyes around-had wrung them dry- And Breaths were gathering firm For that last Onset-when the King Be witnessed in the Room- I willed my Keepsakes-Signed away 10 What portion of me be Assignable and then it was There interposed a Fly- With Blue-uncertain stumbling Buzz- Between the light-and me- 15 And then the Windows failed and then I could not see to see- 8 LSSS W