Cre in Which About Hw Gwendolyn Brooks Answers Question

Jaclyn Ramirez

Carton E316K

TTh 9:30-10:45am

Critical Reading Exercise #1 (CRE)

Prompt:

Write a CRE in which you make an argument about how Gwendolyn Brooks answers this question. What kind of thing is a “dream” in this poem, and can it be sustained and have any effect in the lives of the residents of this environment?

Response:

 “Kitchenette Building” is a poem in which there is a group of people living together in this building when the unfamiliar idea of a “dream” imposes on their everyday life. Gwendolyn Brooks uses detailed adjectives and personification in the poem to reinforce the concept that this “dream” is an invader.

The “dream” is introduced into an environment that appears hostile and unsuitable for such a delicate entity. Gwendolyn Brooks utilizes every negative adjective in this poem to support the idea of how scary and unreal this “dream” is to these people. The “dream” is talked about in stanza three as if it were a chore, stating that it would only prosper if these characters “Had time to warm it, keep it very clean, Anticipate a message…” These people are described as being unfamiliar with the fantasy of a “dream”, that they don’t even know how to respond or how to explore their own thoughts to think about actually letting this “dream” take its course in their lives.

When it comes to the question of whether or not this “dream” could even be sustained within this unprepared building, the answer is definitely no. Brooks specifically states at the beginning on stanza three that “Even if we were willing to let it in,” as if to confess to the idea that these people haven’t opened up their own hearts to the “dream”; clearly stating that all of the possibilities of the “dream” being able to survive within their antagonistic environment is all a hypothetical situation that they’re simply toying with.  The  “dream” is also under minded when Brooks questions the “dream’s” feat over “onion fumes…fried potatoes, and garbage ripening…” in stanza two.  The obstacles being used to describe the strength of the “dream” are just stenches in the air. This “dream” has no effect in the lives of the resident, seen from the relationship between the opening and closing lines of the poem. The poem opens with their everyday life, discusses the idea of the “dream”, and ends the poem with them wanting to use the lukewarm water before it’s too late.

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