• Burning deck
• Description of the boy
• Flames making their way to the boy
• Call for fathers response
• Flames eventually destroying the ship
• The boy perishing

 In the poem, “Casabianca” by Felicia Dorthea Hemans there are two main images that contribute to the poem’s interpretation as a whole. The images are that of the flames or fire and of the boy himself.

Since the very beginning of the poem, the author jumps straight to the tragic scene. There is a boy in a terrifying, deadly situation that seems to have no solution. The author describes the boy as, “beautiful and bright” and even compares him to a hero. This gives the reader a perspective of the boy’s inner characteristic, which includes strength and endurance. The description can also represent the boy being surrounded by light, thus in need of illumination. This is seen when the boy is calling out to his father for help or guidance, which emphasizes his innocence. The boy does not dare move unless he hears his father’s voice of approval, which unfortunately doesn’t occur. This leads to the imagery of how the boy is standing there facing the fire and allows the reader to make assumptions of what will happen at the end. In other words, by the author giving clues of the outcome she creates a visual image of the boy being alone and courageously waiting while the flames get closer and closer.

The image of the flames is important because it contributes to the plot of the poem. In many ways the flames are the boy’s enemy and can be viewed as the villain. This is so because the boy is helpless and alone, but it does not stop the fire from working its way all over the ship. Hemans image of the flames taking over the ship was that, “they wrapt the ship in splendor wild…” This emphasizes how there was no mercy for the boy, which gives the reader a mental image of how the flames eventually devoured the ship along with the boy.

The two images of the boy and the fire work together to get the reader involved with the scenario. The images portrayed in the poem invite the reader to picture themselves in the same situation. There is a sense of understanding and pity for the tragedy that happens to the boy, which makes the situation so real. Therefore, the reader can interpret the poem in a relatable way and truly interact with the author.

Why Interpreting Literature?

Ever since literature existed, there have always been different perspectives of what it truly means. To me literature does not have a specific meaning, but instead represents an idea that is much deeper and ambiguous. This can be seen through the various types of genres, which involve mood, tone, diction, setting, plot, and so on. These devices play an important role in gathering up facts, which eventually lead to the analysis of the text. However, the analysis of the text has many different outcomes because of various points of views.

Every individual has a different mentality of what should and should not qualify as a work of literature. People in general are always debating which books qualify as authentic and educational readings. It is clear to me that there can be many different interpretations of literature as a whole, which results in a never ending debate among individuals. It is important to ask the question, "what defines literature?" or even more precisely "who defines literature?" These two questions can be the fundamental base of how literature is either approved or set aside. Thus, the reason for my blog being titled "Interpreting Literature" is because in order to understand and have knowledge about the context one has to take the initiative to interpret the literature.