Analysis Of Kevin Halligan s The Cockroach - 1975 Words

This essay examines the question ‘To what extent does the use of diction highlight significant themes of self-realization and existentialism in Kevin Halligan’s The Cockroach?† The essay first off addresses the influences on the poet, Halligan himself, which would have led him to encounter trials and tribulations in his life. The idea of a journey, a process of learning is established further on. The concept of self-realization is then linked into how this poem is a perfect mirror of the real life situations that every individual encounters on a day-to-day basis. The theme of existentialism is latter put to question and its correlation to the life of Halligan himself is discussed. The essay then continues to talk about how the diction of the poem is hugely detrimental to the way in which the message is decoded or perceived by the person who reads the poem. A first read analysis then discusses the most important structural aspects of the poem and talks about how it is influential to the tone as well as the language present. Specifically detailed analysis is provided regarding the usage of diction along with the mirroring themes of existentialism and self-realization. Comparisons between a regular individual’s life and that of the mere cockroach from the poem itself are drawn. The next part of the essay discusses how a metaphoric usage of words has given new meaning and changed the way in which a simple sonnet such as The Cockroach itself is perceived. Towards the end of the