A Critical Analysis of the Poem Dead Stars by H.O Santos using Formalist Approach
First and foremost, the composition is in a structure of a poem. It is a three-stanza poem consisting of four lines each. It begins with the speaker introducing the dilemma he experienced. Then, it talks about what-if possibilities if he had gone on a different path. Finally, it ends with a concluding statement stating why exactly the outcome occurred. The plot primarily involves the main character(the speaker) pondering the possibilities of a decision he did not derive before. Apparently, he feels regretful for his past actions. He believes that if he made the correct decision, he would have never experienced misery. Meanwhile, although the plot is quite a tip of an iceberg because of the structure's brevity, the message is perfectly presented as a poem as it focuses on the personal interpretation of audiences. The poem includes three main parts that relate to the message. I call them the three R's; regret, recreation, resolve. The first one involves the "regret," w...