Literary Analysis: Constant Reminder

Constant Reminder

A Critical Analysis of a Sonnet Presented to The Faculty of Junior High School Department Asian College of Technology International Education Foundation Bulacao Talisay, Cebu City

QUIJANO, GENE MATHEW LARIOSA, VINZENT POCHY TADA, RYUTARO

S.Y. 2019-2020

Constant Reminder is a sonnet by Jeanille Cogtas, and was written on December 2, 2015.

Based on our understanding, the mother is stating how the child is struggling without having a father beside him to support him. Furthermore, the mother and the child needs their father/husband so that their family would be complete.

Our main idea of the work is that, “family should stick together no matter what” even if the problem is financially, emotionally, or a disaster. We should always be with our family, so that the bond between each other would never fade. And maybe could even solve these problems entirely.

This sonnet is about a single mother who states on how her child struggles without his father beside him and to support him. The line “In the eyes of our dear child I see thee; in absence of thy sweet caress; His move, His twinge, his steps to trudge they seem. You see”.

And “his cry for you, oh dear, reminds me though; He needs a man in sight; Tell him he's strong.

He needs his father other than me, so at times I so thought we decided wrong.” Supports that the child is struggling without his father, and that the child desperately needs his father.

The rhyme scheme of the sonnet is abab-cdcd-efef-gg, a format created by William Shakespeare, consisting of Exposition (abab), Metaphor (cdcd), Twist (efef), and the Couplet (gg). And the meter in the sonnet is Iambic pentameter. The speaker in the sonnet is the mother, and her tone in the piece is sympathetic for her child because of the separation of his father.

The exposition in the sonnet states that the father is absent in his family, and the title “constant reminder” shows that the mother and their child are reminding the father that they need him. In the Metaphor the sonnet confirms that the father is not with his family. But, in memory they feel that he is around, like he never left in the first place. The symbolism in the sonnet is about the family remembering their loved one in heart like he never left.

In the sonnet there is a twist from dark to light (negative to positive). Because in the sonnet the mother is thinking about her child needing his father other than her. To tell his child to be strong.

In the couplet we come to two conclusions, one targeting the husband and the second is to the child. The first one was targeted to the father because of the word “Dear” and thought that this was targeted to the husband. The second is targeted to the child. Because the word “dear” and the mother talking to the child that even though life may not be in his favour, but his parents loved him and to be proud.

In the sonnet, the thing that I like about this sonnet is that it is really sad in my opinion, only through the understanding of the story makes me cry. Because the stories have deeper meanings like on how the father left his family and the mother thinking that their child needs his father to be beside him, makes me sad. Why? Because the details can be found within these lines.

“In the eyes of our dear child I see thee; in absence of thy sweet caress; His move, His twinge, his steps to trudge they seem. You see”. And “his cry for you, oh dear, reminds me though; He needs a man in sight; Tell him he's strong. He needs his father other than me, so at times I so thought we decided wrong.”

The only thing that I dislike about this sonnet is that it is somewhat vague in my opinion.

Because the sonnet is hard to understand at first glance, only through thorough reading can a person understand the poem. In addition, the number of words used supports this statement, such as thee, thy, twinge, trudge, and many more.

The line “in the eyes of our dear child I see thee” the literacy used in the sentence is Formalism, since only through close reading you would understand the text. Based on our understanding of the text. It means that the mothers sees her husband in the eyes of their child, because of the word “thee”. When translated it means “you”.

The line “In absence of thy sweet caress; his move, his twinge, his steps to trudge they seem.

You see.” The text states how the mother misses the father so much. She is also describing the characteristics of the husband. In this text the literacy used is psychoanalytical.

The line “he goes where I wipe my tears, say, my love!” In this line it states how even the child shows how much he misses his own father. And that for me I’m sure even the father did not want to depart or leave his family behind. The theory of literacy used is Readers Response Line 5 “I now, in truth, know you did not depart.” shows that it’s not the text alone, but on how we read it or how we understand the line. Or even the way it was constructed. This line shows Structuralism in it, because the line's meaning doesn’t come naturally on the text but on how it was constructed. The definition of the text is that the mother knew that the father never left. So, enforcing that the father is maybe ignoring his family or losing the father that he used to.

Line 6 & 7 “you linger in my very soul. Know this, forever you're here though we're set apart.`` This line is labelled as a Reader’s response since this line has many meanings or depending on what the readers experience based on the text.

The line “the life we chose to live, miles from your kiss. Shows that the line “The life we choose, mile from your kiss” is labelled as formalism. Because the father strays away from his family, away from his child and wife. It is also understandable when reading it closely and carefully. Furthermore, the meaning can only be attained through close reading.

The line “His cry for you, oh dear, reminds me though; he needs a man in sight; Tell him he's strong. He needs his father other than me, so at times I so thought we decided wrong”. Is classified as a biographical criticism. Since this line has close ties with the writer itself. The writer told us that “she fears that her child would think less of his father since he is not around”.

Line 13 & 14 “dear, hear me out! Life maybe tough and loud; It's not wrong 'coz we cried.

We loved, be proud!” States that these two lines are considered as a Psychoanalytical, because it works well as analysing the works and actions of the characters in the sonnet, there are 2 conclusions both are the same, but the motivations is the same because even if life is hard there is always someone there to help you.

To sum it up, we believe that “sticking with your family no matter what” is a phrase that we would definitely agree with. Since then, the sonnet has shown us the importance of family.

Because no one would love you unconditionally other than your family.

In this sonnet the main idea is about issues within the family. This argument is proven or identified in the summary and analysis. Showing that the mother is concerned of her child since he is not around with them. And this also further expressed with the writer having the same problem as the mother in the story.

To those who read the sonnet and can relate to this sonnet, do cherish your family while they're still around. And to say that they are important to you and would not risk losing them from you. Lastly, always know the importance of family within you.

References: Cogtas, J. B. (2017, December 3). How to Write a Critical Analysis of a Sonnet. Retrieved January 9, 2020, from https://jeanillec.blogspot.com/2017/12/how-to-write-criticalanalysis-of-sonnet.html.

- - - (2017, November 20). Components of a Sonnet. Retrieved January 9, 2020, from https://jeanillec.blogspot.com/2017/11/components-of-sonnet.html.

- - - (2019, December 9). THEORIES OF LITERARY ANALYSIS. Retrieved January 9, 2020, from https://jeanillec.blogspot.com/2019/12/theories-of-literary-analysis.html.

- - - (2018, November 8). SIJO 2018. Retrieved January 9, 2020, from https://jeanillec.blogspot.com/2018/11/sijo-2018.html.