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Jabberwocky Essay

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Hunter West In Jabberwocky, Lewis Carroll utilizes the structure of a ballad alongside the portmanteau language, such as “slithe,” throughout the poem to convey the theme of man versus nature. Symbolism also plays a major role in the poem as the young son, representing innocence and youth, overcomes and beheads the symbolic Jabberwock, representing a violent force of nature. Carroll’s fun, child-like poem captures all ages as his work provides an underlying theme that even captures the attention of older readers. By facing demons and overcoming them with a ‘vorpal blade,’ Carroll uses courage and humor to overcome even the most difficult of foes. The readers are taken along the ride of invented words and alliteration as the protagonist victoriously …show more content…

The poem begins and closes with the same stanza, similar to the chorus of a ballad. This stanza consists of portmanteau language that works as imagery to describe the peculiar ‘toves,’ ‘borogroves,’ and ‘raths.’ It also introduces the nature aspect of the poem that plays into the central theme. In the next stanza, the protagonist is warned about the ‘Jabberwock’, ‘Jubjub bird,’ and ‘Bandersnatch,’ and the alliterative ‘claws that catch.’ All of these names for the beasts relay an image of jabbing and snatching in the reader’s mind that makes nature appear evil and vicious, also contributing to the idea of man versus nature. The next stanza uses internal rhyme in line eleven, “So rested he by the Tumtum tree,” reflecting the lackadaisical attitude of the young boy. However, the fourth stanza immediately becomes action packed as the infamous Jabberwock makes its appearance. Its ‘eyes of flame’ emphasize the evil connotation given to nature in the poem. The repetition of line seventeen, ‘One, two One two And through and through,’ adds to the quick pace of the next stanza. The boy uses his weapon to kill off the beast as Carroll uses the onomatopoeia ‘snicker-snack’ to describe the swift sound of the

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