The parable of the blind. The Parable of the Blind Opening Activity: What details do you see in the painting that were not mentioned in the poem? Why.

The parable of the The parable of the blind blind

The Parable of the Blind

Opening Activity: What details do you see in the painting that were not mentioned in the poem? Why do you think Williams’ omitted this? (class discussion)

THE PARABLE OF THE BLIND

THESIS: Williams’ use of a biblical allegory and negative imagery/ diction to show how the painting, The Blind Leading the Blind, depicts ignorant people

leading more ignorant people into a path they think is the path to God.

Senses: Meaning and Language

8 “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.9 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’”…13 He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. 14 Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”

Matthew 15: 8-9, 13

Interpretation

•Modern- Ignorant person following another = Disaster

•Religious-False teachings lead to blindness

Sense: Meaning & LanguageArchetype: Beggars

-Poor

-Deceiving

Allegory: Basin

-Religious symbol for purity

Irony

“ This horrible but superb painting”

Connotation“Diagonally Downward”-Misguided

Tone: Descriptive Mood: Sad

Senses: Meaning and Language

Understanding the parable = Word of God

Those who don’t = ignorant

The Purpose of Parables

Mark 4:10-12 But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. 11 And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, 12 so that ‘Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them.’”

Sense: Meaning & LanguageMotif : Religion

-Basin

-Church spire

-Light

Speaker

-Admiring

Theme

- Deception

POV

3RD Person

Allusion

“Parable of the blind”

Matthew 15: 1-16

Senses: Imagery & Symbols

Basin:

Represents place where water is held

Water is used by church to cleanse sin

Instead leading into dirty bog

Basin:

Represents place where water is held

Water is used by church to cleanse sin

Instead leading into dirty bog

Light

God

Blind:

Not literally

Blind in the heart

Intentions lead to believe they are going in the path towards God

Color

“without a red”

Color-blind

Structure: Form, Organization , Pattern

Enjambment

- All

Pattern-3 lines

8 Stanzas

Repetition-Composition 2x

Syntax

- No period

Style: Poetry Techniques

Juxtaposition – used to emphasize the main meaning of the poem through contradictions

Ex. Stanza 1

This horrible but superb paintingthe parable of the blindwithout a redEx. Stanza 8

to the composition onefollows the others stick inhand triumphant to disaster

Metaphor – to make a reference to God

Ex. the faces are raisedas toward the lightthere is no detail extraneous

Other Poetry Techniques

• Oxymoron:

•This horrible but superb paintingthe parable of the blindwithout a red

• to the composition onefollows the others stick inhand triumphant to disaster

Sound: Musicality & Auditory Techniques

Alliteration – used in 3 stanzas to emphasize the main points of the poemEx. Stanza 1

This horrible but superb paintingthe parable of the blindwithout a red

Ex. Stanza 2 in the composition shows a groupof beggars leadingeach other diagonally downward

Ex. Stanza 6

pitiful possessions a basinto wash in a peasantcottage is seen and a church spire

• No repetition of vowels & No repetition of vowels & consonants consonants

• Free Verse Free Verse (no meter, (no meter, some type of rhythm but some type of rhythm but no specific rhythm)no specific rhythm)

Sound Continued

This horrible but superb paintingthe parable of the blindwithout a red

in the composition shows a groupof beggars leadingeach other diagonally downward

across the canvasfrom one sideto stumble finally into a bog

where the pictureand the composition ends backof which no seeing man

is represented the unshavenfeatures of the des-titute with their few

pitiful possessions a basinto wash in a peasantcottage is seen and a church spire

the faces are raisedas toward the lightthere is no detail extraneous

to the composition onefollows the others stick inhand triumphant to disaster

Enjambment Enjambment – used to connect – used to connect ideas freely to the next stanzaideas freely to the next stanza

Connection to Other Works by Williams Main focus on the poor and all based on a paintings by Brueghel

Landscape With the Fall of Icarus Peasant Wedding

Closing Activity.

What are some events in history or in your life in which you think the idea of The Blind Leading the Blind relates to?

CONCLUSION

Williams’ use of a biblical allegory and negative imagery/ diction to show how the painting, The Blind Leading the Blind, depicts ignorant people leading more ignorant people into a path they think is the path to God.