Activity 4a- Provide a SPECS and SLIMS Analysis of the Given Poem

Activity 4a- Provide a SPECS and SLIMS Analysis of the Given Poem

The subject matter of this poem is about a boy and his family who are being sorted into queues by race and ethnic background.

I believe the poet is trying to communicate to readers about the confusion and emotions of children who have to choose which race they belong to, as they are of a mixed race.

In the Terminal, the poet mainly describes the confusion of the boy as he decides which ethnic race he belongs to. The confusion, perhaps caused by the tiredness the boy is experiencing, grows as his parents part ways and join different queues/ races.

The poet uses rhyming and present tense to create the atmosphere of the young boy's confusion.

The syllable structure in this poem is varied to include the present tense narrating of the boy's ordeal. The three stanzas are also different from each other, beginning with a small description of the boy, followed by a long stanza of his parents joining their nationality queues and the boy's thoughts as he is deciding. The third and final stanza concludes the poem with a statement that prompts the reader to decide the series of events that follow afterwards.

There is evidence of similes used by the poet. The second stanza likens the sorting as a sports game, with the boy having to choose which 'team' to join.

In personal opinion, I enjoyed reading this poem because the poem takes you into the perspective of a four year old boy, with the reader being able to feel the growing emotions of the young character. The poet conveyed their message very clearly and has achieved their overall purpose.