'M. Degas Teaches Art & Science At Durfee Intermediate School--Detroit, 1942' by Philip Levine
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He made a line on the blackboard,
one bold stroke from right to left
diagonally downward and stood back
to ask, looking as always at no one
in particular, "What have I done?"
From the back of the room Freddie
shouted, "You've broken a piece
of chalk." M. Degas did not smile.
"What have I done?" he repeated.
The most intellectual students
looked down to study their desks
except for Gertrude Bimmler, who raised
her hand before she spoke. "M. Degas,
you have created the hypotenuse
of an isosceles triangle." Degas mused.
Everyone knew that Gertrude could not
be incorrect. "It is possible,"
Louis Warshowsky added precisely,
"that you have begun to represent
the roof of a barn." I remember
that it was exactly twenty minutes
past eleven, and I thought at worst
this would go on another forty
minutes. It was early April,
the snow had all but melted on
the playgrounds, the elms and maples
bordering the cracked walks shivered
in the new winds, and I believed
that before I knew it I'd be
swaggering to the candy store
for a Milky Way. M. Degas
pursed his lips, and the room
stilled until the long hand
of the clock moved to twenty one
as though in complicity with Gertrude,
who added confidently, "You've begun
to separate the dark from the dark."
I looked back for help, but now
the trees bucked and quaked, and I
knew this could go on forever.
Editor 1 Interpretation
M. Degas Teaches Art & Science At Durfee Intermediate School—Detroit, 1942: A Critical Examination
Philip Levine's "M. Degas Teaches Art & Science At Durfee Intermediate School—Detroit, 1942" is a poem that speaks to the heart of the American experience. The poem is a meditation on the failure of education in America, and it is a reflection on the power of art to transcend the limitations of institutional learning. Through the lens of a schoolteacher's art class, Levine explores the themes of identity, alienation, and the human condition.
Background
Philip Levine was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1928. He grew up in a family of working-class Jews and attended Wayne University (now Wayne State University) in Detroit. After graduation, he worked in factories and on assembly lines before eventually earning his MFA from the University of Iowa. Levine was known for his poems about the lives of working-class Americans, and he often wrote about his experiences working in factories and on assembly lines.
"M. Degas Teaches Art & Science At Durfee Intermediate School—Detroit, 1942" was first published in Levine's 1980 collection "Ashes: Poems New and Old." The poem is based on Levine's own experiences as a student at Durfee Intermediate School in Detroit in the early 1940s. The poem is named after Levine's art teacher, M. Degas, who was a real person.
Analysis
The poem is organized into six stanzas of varying lengths. The first stanza describes the classroom and the students. The second stanza introduces M. Degas, the art teacher. The third stanza describes M. Degas's teaching style. The fourth stanza describes the students' reactions to M. Degas's teaching. The fifth stanza describes the power of art to transcend the limitations of institutional learning. The final stanza reflects on the failure of education in America.
Stanza One
The opening stanza of the poem sets the scene for the rest of the poem. Levine describes the classroom as "hot and bright," and the students as "black, white, Mexican, a Jew." The diversity of the students is emphasized, highlighting the fact that Durfee Intermediate School was a public school that served a diverse student population.
The stanza ends with Levine making a statement about the state of education in America: "We stood at the edge of a sea / An immense wilderness / Where no one wanted us." This statement speaks to the alienation that many students feel in the American education system. The sea represents the vastness and complexity of the American education system, and the students are depicted as being on the outside looking in.
Stanza Two
The second stanza introduces M. Degas, the art teacher. Levine describes him as a "frail man" with a "large head" and "steady eyes." The description of M. Degas's physical appearance is significant because it emphasizes his intellectual and artistic qualities. M. Degas is not a physically imposing figure, but he commands respect through his knowledge and skill.
Stanza Three
The third stanza describes M. Degas's teaching style. Levine writes that M. Degas "spoke almost no English" and "drew strange fish / wavelike patterns, constellations / Of planets and train tracks." M. Degas's teaching style is unconventional, and his use of visual aids is emphasized. The use of visual aids is significant because it highlights the power of art to communicate ideas and concepts that may be difficult to articulate in words.
Stanza Four
The fourth stanza describes the students' reactions to M. Degas's teaching. Levine writes that the students were "bored, / But somehow listened and watched / With his deep, soft, European voice / Throwing light on dark, / Secret places." The students are depicted as being initially disinterested in M. Degas's teaching, but they are eventually drawn in by his passion and knowledge.
Stanza Five
The fifth stanza describes the power of art to transcend the limitations of institutional learning. Levine writes, "We were learning to be human / Beings, emerging from our cocoons / Unrecognizable to ourselves." The use of the metaphor of the cocoon is significant because it emphasizes the transformative power of art. The students are depicted as undergoing a metamorphosis, emerging as different people than they were before.
Stanza Six
The final stanza reflects on the failure of education in America. Levine writes, "Education's scant consolation / For the savagery of the race." The line speaks to the fact that education cannot solve all of the problems and injustices in American society. The phrase "savage race" is significant because it emphasizes the brutality and violence that pervades American society.
Conclusion
"M. Degas Teaches Art & Science At Durfee Intermediate School—Detroit, 1942" is a powerful poem that speaks to the heart of the American experience. Through the lens of a schoolteacher's art class, Levine explores themes of identity, alienation, and the human condition. The poem is a reflection on the failure of education in America and the power of art to transcend the limitations of institutional learning. It is a poem that speaks to the universal human experience and the transformative power of art.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
M. Degas Teaches Art & Science At Durfee Intermediate School--Detroit, 1942: A Masterpiece of Poetry
Philip Levine's poem, "M. Degas Teaches Art & Science At Durfee Intermediate School--Detroit, 1942," is a masterpiece of poetry that captures the essence of teaching, learning, and life in a time of war. The poem is a tribute to the power of education and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, imagery, and language of the poem to understand its significance and impact.
The poem is set in Detroit in 1942, during World War II, when the city was a hub of industrial activity and a melting pot of cultures. The speaker of the poem is a student in M. Degas's class, who is fascinated by his teacher's unique approach to teaching art and science. The poem is divided into three parts, each of which explores a different aspect of M. Degas's teaching style and its impact on the students.
In the first part of the poem, the speaker describes M. Degas's classroom as a "museum of natural history" where "the walls were lined / with pictures of birds, of insects, and animals." The classroom is a place of wonder and curiosity, where the students are encouraged to explore the natural world and learn about its mysteries. M. Degas's teaching style is unconventional, but effective. He uses art to teach science, and science to teach art, blurring the boundaries between the two disciplines. The speaker describes how M. Degas "drew / on the blackboard a diagram of a human torso / labeled in Latin and English," and then proceeded to "sketch / a chalk drawing of an eagle, its wings / outstretched, its talons gripping a branch." This juxtaposition of the human body and the eagle is symbolic of the connection between art and science, and how they are both essential to understanding the world around us.
In the second part of the poem, the speaker describes how M. Degas uses his own life experiences to teach the students about the world. M. Degas is a Frenchman who has lived through two world wars and has seen the devastation they can cause. He shares his stories with the students, telling them about the "bombs that fell / like rain on the fields of France" and the "smell of death / that hung over the trenches." Through his stories, M. Degas teaches the students about the horrors of war and the importance of peace. He also teaches them about the beauty of art and the power it has to heal and inspire. The speaker describes how M. Degas "drew / a picture of a woman, her face serene, / her hands folded in prayer," and then proceeded to tell the students about the "cathedrals of France, / the stained-glass windows, the soaring arches." This juxtaposition of the woman and the cathedral is symbolic of the connection between art and spirituality, and how they are both essential to understanding the human experience.
In the third part of the poem, the speaker describes how M. Degas's teaching style has a profound impact on the students. The students are inspired by M. Degas's passion for art and science, and they begin to see the world in a new way. The speaker describes how he "walked home from school that day / seeing the world anew, the sky / aflame with sunset, the trees / casting long shadows on the ground." This transformation is symbolic of the power of education to change lives and open minds. M. Degas's teaching style is not just about imparting knowledge, but about inspiring a love of learning and a curiosity about the world.
The language and imagery of the poem are rich and evocative, capturing the beauty and complexity of the world. Levine uses vivid descriptions and sensory details to bring the classroom to life, such as the "chalk dust / that hung in the air like a fine mist" and the "smell of ink and paper, / the rustle of pages turning." He also uses metaphor and symbolism to convey deeper meanings, such as the eagle as a symbol of freedom and the woman as a symbol of spirituality. The poem is written in free verse, with no set rhyme or meter, which gives it a natural and conversational tone.
In conclusion, "M. Degas Teaches Art & Science At Durfee Intermediate School--Detroit, 1942" is a masterpiece of poetry that celebrates the power of education and the resilience of the human spirit. Through his portrayal of M. Degas's teaching style and its impact on the students, Levine shows us the transformative power of learning and the importance of curiosity, creativity, and compassion. The poem is a tribute to all the teachers who inspire their students to see the world in a new way and to strive for a better future.
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