Group+12

**Santo- Zach and I have been on the phone together putting together this essay. Since wiki spaces only lets one person edit at a time, we found it very difficult to be productive together from home. For the most part, I modified his paragraph and he modified mine, and we talked through the intro and conclusion together. We just want to make sure that we get equal credit, regardless of what the wikispace log says. --Nicole

Through diction and point of view, Margaret Atwood creates two distinct tones in her work, the "Siren Song". Writing from the perspective of a Siren, she projects a sense of indifference. At the same time, the author carefully selects her vocabulary to convey the irresistible nature of the Siren. In this creative take on a classic fable, she uses literary prowess connect with the reader.

Atwood employs several techniques that all contribute to the description of these mythical creatures. The “birds” share the same traits with Helen from the Odyssey, who took pride in the great number of men who voluntarily died for her beauty. True to this characterization, the tone of this poem is alluring. Obviously, the plot itself contributes to this. However, Atwood’s use of imagery through diction also creates this tone. For example, even the setting, on a “picturesque and mythical” island is extremely seductive. The connotation of a beautiful, tranquil beach is the perfect setting for such a poem. Moreover, her use of juxtaposing phrases, such as “fatal and valuable”, and “feathery maniacs” create a powerfully intriguing image, from the different connotations of words. Finally, she chose words with universally positive connotations, like “irresistible” and “unique”. Although her imagery was not extensive, in few words, she conveyed a very vivid picture through her diction.

Another take on Atwood’s “Siren Song” is to read the poem from the standpoint of a disinterested Siren. Throughout the poem topics such as men jumping overboard and beached skulls are mentioned. However, the bird-monster describing the song seems more like she’s talking about the weather. Not so much as an unfortunate adjective is offered to mark these horrific events. Moreover, she describes the siren song, the song responsible for countless deaths, broken dreams, and forsaken voyages, as “boring”! For such horribly fascinating dark magic, she offers little emotion. In addition, she mentions that she does not enjoy wearing the “bird suit.” Whether the suit is literal of figurative, her feelings toward the form she has taken to lure sailors to their deaths hardly seem relevant. The Sirens are coldblooded killers, and this Siren’s callous viewpoint sets the tone for the poem.

“Siren Song” can be analyzed from many different perspectives because of the colorful language Atwood uses. The seductive tone can clearly be seen when she talks about the unbearable beauty of the Sirens and the island. On the other hand, she masterfully portrays the boredom of the creature through her lack of emotional expressions. This poem is a great example of how diction and tone define a work of literature.