1. A Poetic View of Humanity:
Ted Kooser’s “A Death in the Office” and John Keats’ “The Human Season”

2. “A Death in the Office,” page 1337 “The Human Seasons,” page 1335
First, let’s read. . ..

3. Both “The Human Seasons,” by John Keats and “A Death in the Office,” by Ted Kooser remind the reader that we all will die one day. For Kooser, death is an automatic, almost mechanical process, while Keats sees it as only one of the four stages of life.
The word “death” doesn’t appear in either poem.
Thesis Statement

4. Thematically similar:
Ultimately, no one can halt the passing of time or avoid the approaching grave. It is human nature to devote only a passing interest to the death of someone you don’t know well.
Thematically similar:

5. Contrasting Tones Kooser – apathetic, distracted tone
Keats – contemplative, almost informative
Contrasting Tones

6. Kooser – casual, with lots of prepositions: - “desk to desk,” “pass on,” “boxed up,” “each of us,” “in her desk” Keats - formal, with more complex use of prepositions: - “the measure of the year,” “in the mind of man,” “they come to be part of himself”
Contrasting Diction:

7. Kooser – Words that denote objects: - “desk,” “boxed up,” “nameplate,’ “Midol,” “pens” cold and apathetic Keats - more “judgmental” adjectives: “lusty,” “fancy,” “easy,” “fair,” “content,” “unheeded” almost moralizing
Contrasting Diction:

8. Kooser – only three polysyllabic words: “management,” “wherever,” “calendar” mostly monosyllabic – ticking of time: “The news goes desk to desk” Keats - many disyllabic words” - “summer,” “autumn,” “beauty,” “winter,” “threshold,” mortal” - a lilting, iambic rhythm
Contrasting Diction:

9. Kooser – cold, unemotional language = life goes on
Keats – formal, almost didactic language = death is only one small part of life
The Effect of Diction:

10. Similar Figurative Language
Both use similes and metaphors:
Kooser – “like a memo,” “flashbulb eyes,” “buried,” “boxed up” – a disposable life
Keats – “spring,” summer,” “autumn,” “winter”
- “chews. . his cud,” “tired wings folded up”
- a naturally changing life
Similar Figurative Language

11. To continue – I’d need to:
Explain the effect of the figurative language;
Connect the figurative language to theme and/or tone;
Provide some more examples.

12. Also, after all devices are discussed, there should be some kind of CONCLUDING SLIDE.
This is a time, too, to ask it there are any more questions.