TPCASTT Poetry Analysis Template

Steps of TPCASTT Poetry

Analysis

Direct statements from the text

Your interpretations

Title:

Ponder the title before reading the poem. Predict what it will be about.

Waiting on the world to change

That they can't change the world

Paraphrase:

Translate the poem into your own words. Make sure to read sentence-by-sentence, not just line-by-line.

Me and all my friends we’re all misunderstood they say we stand for nothing and there’s no way we ever could now we see everything that’s going wrong with the world and those who lead it we just feel like we don;t have the means to rise above and beat it

The poem waiting on the world, I believe the poet sets a negative view of the world. The poet goes on about how they can make a change because they don't have enough power

Connotation:

Contemplate the poem for meaning beyond the literal. Consider imagery, figures of speech, irony, diction, point of view, allusions, and sound devices. How do these devices enhance meaning and effect?

Now if we had the power to bring our neighbors home from war they would have never missed a christmas no more ribbons on their door But when you trust your television

what you get is what you got Because when they own the information, oh they can bend it all they want

This imagery is appealing to the emotions of people and allowing them to feel a connection with the song because they have had similar experiences.

Attitude:

Observe both the speaker’s and the poet’s attitude (tone). Look for the speaker’s attitude toward self, other characters, and the subject; attitudes of characters other than the speaker; and the poet’s attitude toward speaker, other characters, the subject, and the reader.

With the world and those who lead it we just feel like we don't have the means to rise above and beat it

The speaker's tone towards others is that he can't do much and is very negative. The speaker's attitude towards the subject is very hopeful that someone can realize that things are going bad

Shifts:

Note shifts in speakers and in attitudes. Look for keywords (but, yet, however, although), punctuation (dashes, periods, colons, ellipsis), stanza divisions, diction.

Waiting on the world to change waiting on the world to change waiting on the world to change waiting on the world to change

The keyword in this poem is the word change by using this word the reader is forced to think about what changes he/she needs to change

Title:

Examine the title again, this time on an interpretive level.

waiting on the world to change

That they are unable to change the world, so they want someone else to do it for them and help them make a change

Theme:

Determine what the poem is saying. What human experience, motivation, or condition is suggested by the poem? Remember that theme is stated as a complete sentence.

Me and all my friends we’re all misunderstood they say we stand for nothing and there’s no way we ever could now we see everything that’s going wrong with the world and those who lead it we just feel like we don;t have the means to rise above and beat it

The poem is saying that we as humans don't come together to make a change if it would be terrible. The person who wrote this poem has had some experience with wanting to make a change but people wont listen or care to help