"Where the Sidewalk Ends" and "Messy Room" by Shel Silverstein

Categories: Free Essays

No two things are the same. This applies to poetry as well. 'Where the Sidewalk Ends' and 'Messy Room', two poems by Shel Silverstein, are two completely different yet similar works. This is because not only are the theme of the poems different, but also the use of imagery and repetition. But with all their differences, they are still alike in more than one way. Between the two poems, the themes are very different.

In the rhyme verse poem 'Where the Sidewalk Ends', Silverstein talks about a magical place that only the children know of and a place represents childhood, its innocence, and its different way of looking at the world in first person point of view.

This is done in lines 14, 15, and 16 'And we’ll go where the chalk-white arrows go/For the children, they mark, and the children, they know/The place where the sidewalk ends.' In the free verse poem 'Messy Room', Silverstein talks about a heavily disorganized room described from the point of view of a speaker who is horrified at the lack of responsibility of the unknown owner of the room.

In the poem, he states 'A lizard named Ed is asleep in his bed/And his smelly old sock has been stuck to the wall/Whosever room this is should be ashamed!' These lines show the extent to how dirty and unorganized this person's room is.

Get quality help now
Sweet V
Sweet V
checked Verified writer

Proficient in: Free Essays

star star star star 4.9 (984)

“ Ok, let me say I’m extremely satisfy with the result while it was a last minute thing. I really enjoy the effort put in. ”

avatar avatar avatar
+84 relevant experts are online
Hire writer

With all their differences come similarities between the poems too. One thing similar about them is that they were both made by the same poet, Shel Silverstein.

Get to Know The Price Estimate For Your Paper
Topic
Number of pages
Email Invalid email

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy. We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

"You must agree to out terms of services and privacy policy"
Write my paper

You won’t be charged yet!

Another similarity is that they are both written in first person point of view. By knowing the differences and similarities between the themes of both poems, you are a step closer to understanding them and finding out their meanings.

'Where the Sidewalk Ends' and 'Messy Room' by Shel Silverstein both use imagery to describe what they mean. In 'Where the Sidewalk Ends' it says 'And there the grass grows soft and white/And there the sun burns crimson bright/And there the moon-bird rests from his flight/To cool in the peppermint wind' The descriptions in the lines create a vivid image of the place. According to the descriptions, the grass is soft and white and the sun is a deep color of red while the wind is cool.

Updated: Nov 01, 2022
Cite this page

"Where the Sidewalk Ends" and "Messy Room" by Shel Silverstein. (2020, May 04). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/where-the-sidewalk-ends-and-messy-room-by-shel-silverstein-essay

"Where the Sidewalk Ends" and "Messy Room"  by Shel Silverstein essay
Live chat  with support 24/7

👋 Hi! I’m your smart assistant Amy!

Don’t know where to start? Type your requirements and I’ll connect you to an academic expert within 3 minutes.

get help with your assignment