Mirror Flashcards
(25 cards)
Poem Title & Author
“Mirror” by Sylvia Plath
Central Theme 1
The harsh, objective truth of self-perception and aging. The mirror presents reality without flattery.
Central Theme 2
The human struggle with identity, particularly for women, in the face of time and societal expectations.
Central Theme 3
The mirror as a sentient, perhaps even judgmental, entity.
Poetic Form
Free verse. No strict rhyme scheme or meter, allowing for a natural, conversational tone.
Point of View (Stanza 1)
First-person, from the perspective of the mirror itself. “I am silver and exact.”
Point of View (Stanza 2)
Remains first-person, but the mirror describes its relationship with the woman.
Literary Device: Personification (Example 1)
“I am not cruel, only truthful.”
The mirror has human qualities like intention.
Literary Device: Personification (Example 2)
“The eye of a little god, four-cornered.”
The mirror is likened to a deity with perfect vision.
Literary Device: Metaphor (Example 1)
“The eye of a little god, four-cornered.”
The mirror is directly compared to an all-seeing eye.
Literary Device: Metaphor (Example 2)
“A lake, and over it bends a woman…”
The mirror in the second stanza is a lake, suggesting depth and reflection.
Why does the mirror claim it is “not cruel, only truthful”?
It presents an unvarnished reality without emotion or bias, unlike people who might flatter or lie.
What does the mirror reflect “faithfully”?
Whatever stands in front of it, without prejudice or love/dislike.
What does the mirror not reflect?
Opinions, biases, emotions, or deceptive appearances.
Description of the woman’s reaction to her reflection (Stanza 2)
She “turns to those liars, the candles or the moon.” She seeks softer, more forgiving light.
Significance of “liars, the candles or the moon”
They offer a softer, flattering light that distorts reality, unlike the mirror’s brutal honesty. They represent comforting illusions.
What does the woman search for in the mirror “each morning”?
Her “true self” or perhaps a younger, more idealized version of herself.
Literary Device: Simile
“Like a terrible fish”
The woman’s reflection, especially as she ages, is described in a grotesque, unsettling way.
Symbolism: The “old woman”
Represents the inevitable aging process and the woman’s fear and acceptance of her changing self.
The “terrible fish” imagery suggests…
The shocking, perhaps ugly, reality of aging and the loss of youth. It also evokes a primal, unsettling image.
What does the mirror do “faithfully” at night?
Meditates on the “pink mottled wall,” reflecting the interior and its solitude.
The woman’s “tears and agitation” show…
Her distress and struggle with the aging process and the unflattering truth revealed by the mirror.
How does the poem create a sense of discomfort?
Through the mirror’s detached objectivity, the stark descriptions of aging, and the woman’s emotional turmoil.
Plath’s broader message about truth
Truth, while perhaps harsh, is inescapable. Illusions offer temporary comfort but cannot alter reality.
