TP-CASTT “Nothing Gold Can Stay” by Robert Frost

T = Title (before we read) Title: Nothing can stay forever, nothing good ever lasts, money doesn’t grow on trees

Read the poem Nature's first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leafs a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay.

P = Paraphrase (literal meaning) Nature's first green is gold, = nature in spring gives the brightest green Her hardest hue to hold. = this green doesn’t stay green for long Her early leafs a flower; = spring gives us flowers first But only so an hour. = but not for very long

Paraphrase, cont’d. Then leaf subsides to leaf. = then leaves merely stay leaves So Eden sank to grief, = just like Eden was overcome with sadness So dawn goes down to day. = just like the sunrise merely becomes a day Nothing gold can stay. = nothing amazing can last

connotation Alliteration – Ex) “her hardest hue to hold” Effect: catches your attention, gives vivid description, rhythmic flow. Personification – Ex) “nature…her”, “Eden sank” Effect: adds detail, makes interesting, helps us visualize nature as a person with feelings/weaknesses. Rhyme – Ex) leaf/grief, day/stay, flower/hour Effect: rhythmic flow, organizes poem, completes the line, more fun to read, gives more life Imagery – Ex) green, gold, leaf, flower, dawn, day, Eden, sank, early, hour Effect: helps paint a picture in mind, helps you understand it, emotions become concrete, adds supporting details

Attitude (tone) Save for “Shaping Sheet”

Shifts (how the poem changes) 1. “But…” – We may see beauty BUT it only lasts a short while. 2. “Then…” – shows time passing 3. “So…” – shows effect

Title (interpret) “Nothing Gold Can Stay” – meaning is… seasons changing, beauty/time changes form, beauty can’t stay forever, seasons change just like peoples’ idea of beauty

Theme (message of poem) What the poem might be about… Be thankful for what you have; it won’t last long. Some moments in our lives have beauty, while others are dull. Like the seasons, beauty will come and go.

Shaping sheet – poetry analysis You will create a shaping sheet for an analysis of the tone of “Nothing Gold Can Stay” A shaping sheet is a prewriting graphic organizer that arranges the major parts of an essay You will NOT be writing an essay, just planning one!

Thesis statement A thesis is a general sentence with a subject and an opinion (also called commentary). Example: In the poem “Dreams,” Langston Hughes creates an urgent tone through the use of metaphor.

Thesis statement Use this stem: In the poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay,” Robert Frost creates a _________ tone through the use of _____________ . (think about imagery, word choice, alliteration, metaphor, rhyming words, etc.)

Concrete detail & Commentary This is the backbone of the body paragraphs. Concrete Detail - Use quotes from the poem as evidence to support your opinion. Commentary – This explains how the Concrete Detail relates to your thesis. It explains why the quote is so important and how it supports your argument.

Example: I. Thesis statement: In the poem “Dreams,” Langston Hughes creates an urgent tone through the use of metaphor. II. Body Paragraph: Concrete Detail #1: “life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly” Commentary 1:The comparison of a life and a bird unable to fly creates the idea that if we do not remember our dreams, then our lives will cease to become what we want them to become. Commentary 2: This metaphor creates a sense of urgency for the reader in remembering his/her own dreams, and not forgetting what he/she wants to become.