At six o'clock we were waiting for coffee,
waiting for coffee and the charitable crumb that was going to be served from a certain balcony --like kings of old, or like a miracle. It was still dark. One foot of the sun steadied itself on a long ripple in the river. The first ferry of the day had just crossed the river. It was so cold we hoped that the coffee would be very hot, seeing that the sun was not going to warm us; and that the crumb would be a loaf each, buttered, by a miracle. At seven a man stepped out on the balcony. He stood for a minute alone on the balcony looking over our heads toward the river. A servant handed him the makings of a miracle, consisting of one lone cup of coffee and one roll, which he proceeded to crumb, his head, so to speak, in the clouds--along with the sun. Was the man crazy? What under the sun was he trying to do, up there on his balcony! Each man received one rather hard crumb, which some flicked scornfully into the river, and, in a cup, one drop of the coffee. Some of us stood around, waiting for the miracle.
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"A Miracle for Breakfast" by Elizabeth Bishop identifies an important aspect from the perspective of a poor person. It brings out a specific struggle and how they get through it: hope. Narrating the story is a young woman who is poor. She, along with other poor citizens, gets up everyday at 6 o clock to receive leftovers from a very wealthy man. The title gets its name from the fact that the woman and her fellow friends stand under the rich man's balcony hoping to receive a different breakfast everyday. The character is perceived as a woman of hope.
From the beginning of the poem to a split second of the end, the character tone changes. She gives a brief detail about her everyday routine. In lines 8-11, her tone is optimistic. She talks about how she believes that one day instead of receiving crumbs from the man, he will be eager and kind enough to give out loaves of bread. Her positive voice is carried out the poem until she imagines her life being different. In her imagination, she speaks as if she's the author of her own life. She now is controlling and places herself in a rich person's shoes. Going into depth within the poem, you discover a new perspective of what a different type of class experience. Taking this poem as a whole, Elizabeth Bishop uses "A Miracle for Breakfast" as a way to teach others that no matter what situation they're in, they should keep believing and keep dreaming. Throughout the poem, she shows more and more hope. She even takes the time to reminisce about how she would live her days as on top of the world. Even though she was in a messed up situation, her hope and faith remained alive. |
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