1. “Look, stranger, at this island now” Written by W.H. Auden
Juli G, Corinne K, Jack Z A3

2. In “Look, stranger, at this island now,” Auden explores the value of life and human significance by placing importance upon observing and appreciating one’s surroundings.
Thesis

3. “Look, stranger, at this island now” (1)
The speaker addresses a “stranger” in the first line of the poem. This stranger remains unknown, and is addressed directly.
“Here at the small field’s ending pause.” (8)
Addressing an unknown stranger allows the reader to feel as though they are being spoken to directly, and makes them consider their place in the world.
Speaker and Audience
Auden uses the speaker to address the audience, which allows for the message to be easily internalized.

4. Stanza One: Realization
Recognize you are in a different place
Speaker tells the stranger to pause and take a moment to themselves
Stanza Two: Observation
What is happening? Why?
Stranger is contemplating and observing different actions (waves flowing, animals moving, etc)
Stanza Three: Reflection
Reflect on observations
Did you see things that were similar/different to where you are from?
Auden wants readers to realize how small we are in the hugeness of the world
“And the full view / may indeed enter” (16-17)
Recognize you’re important in the big picture
Help you value your life & what you do with it
Stanza Divisions
Each stanza represents a key idea that relates to the message of the poem.

5. Enjambment “Oppose the pluck / And knock of the tide,” (10-11)
Enjambment occurs in the middle of each stanza.
Slows the reader down without ending or pausing a sentence.
“And the full view / Indeed may enter” (17-18)
The message of the poem is to slow down and appreciate your position in the universe, and your surroundings. Enjambment makes the reader do this while reading the poem.
Enjambment
Auden uses enjambment to emphasize the poem’s message by slowing the reader down, and making them appreciate the poem and their surroundings.

6. Natural Imagery “Look, stranger, at this island now” (1)
Islands are separated from the mainland, where most people live.
Nature vs society
“and the gull lodges / A moment on its sheer side.” (13-14)
No matter what happens in our lives, the big picture doesn’t change.
This mindset puts life and human existence into perspective.
Natural Imagery
Auden highlights the societal idea that society and nature are separate, but in actuality they are connected.

7. Chremamorphism: giving characteristics of an object to a person.
“That through the channels of the ear / May wander like a river / The swaying sound of the sea” (5-7).
Channels are another water feature
The outline of the land around a strait or a river
Water flows through channel
Sound travels through ear canal
Using imagery to connect humans to nature
Closing the gap between natural experiences and human experiences
Chremamorphism:
giving characteristics of an object to a person.
Auden highlights the importance of the societal idea that humans and nature are separated, when in actuality, everything is connected.

8. Imagery and Alliteration
“The leaping light for your delight discovers,” (2)
Phonetics: “leap” and “light” are lighter sounds, their intonation is higher, as opposed to “low” and “la”
Light leaping across water as they look out from the island over the ocean
Purpose:
To draw attention to one’s surroundings
Appreciation for one’s environment
Life is beautiful if you take the time to discover it
Imagery and Alliteration
Auden’s use of alliteration creates a lilting rhythm that mimics the imagery it proposes.

9. Author’s Choice: Adjectives & Tone
“Diverge on urgent voluntary errands;” (16)
Contrast between connotations of “urgent” and “voluntary”
the things they think they have to do aren’t necessarily the things they need to do
Many things are considered important in their lives, but are actually useless
“And the full view / Indeed may enter” (17-18)
This line explains that the future, past, and present cannot all be seen at the same time.
To enjoy life, you need to appreciate where you are right now.
If the societal perspective is ignored, then living in the present and appreciating life is easier.
Author’s Choice:
Adjectives & Tone
Auden uses adjectives with contrasting connotations and a reflective tone to emphasize the small role humans play in the universe.

10. Author’s Choice: Descriptive Verbs
In this poem, the speaker tells the stranger to “stand stable here / and silent be.” (3/4)
Rest of the poem addresses movement in surroundings (with descriptive verbs)
“Chalk wall falls to the foam” (9)
“And the shingle scrambles after the suck- / ing surf, and the gull lodges / A moment on its sheer side” (12-14)
Express franticness, naturalness, or calmness
Emphasizes this idea...
if we stop what we are doing, even for a moment, the world won’t stop moving around us
Paying attention to how the natural and unnatural world moves —> learn how to operate more fluidly in our lives
Author’s Choice: Descriptive Verbs
Auden uses verbs in a tactful way to describe surroundings, specifically what is moving around the stranger & speaker in the poem.

11. Size & purpose of ships — compared to seeds
Far off in distance — small like seeds
Visual perspective
Purpose
Seeds = spreading life, new beginnings, growth
Ships = spread life —> ideas, art, wealth, & literal people
Early civilizations ships = new beginnings (colonization)
Growth — transport people
Connects to human significance
Is it our job as humans to seek knowledge? What do we do with it once we obtain knowledge?
Legacies
Simile
The simile “Far off like floating seeds the ships…” (14) conveys not only perspective, but also a larger, more central idea.

12. Conclusion
Auden places importance upon observing and appreciating one’s surrounding in “Look, stranger, at this island now” in order to explore the value of life and human significance.
Speaker & Audience
Stanza Divisions
Enjambment
Natural Imagery
Adjectives
Tone
Descriptive Verbs
Simile
Imagery & Alliteration
Chremamorphism