Chris Stokes - Literary Analysis

            Although they may all appear to be quite different, Kolvenbach’s The Service of Faith and the Promotion of Justice in American Jesuit Higher Education, Frost’s Mending Wall, Komunyakaa’s Slam, Dunk, & Hook, and Cofer’s Common Ground all, in a sense, have very similar themes. The theme most prevalent throughout all four of these works is definitely unity, or oneness. When broken down, each one of these works focus on coming together, whether it be a basketball team coming together to play, two neighbors coming together to discuss the fence between their two houses, the memories of a family coming tother in a woman's reflection, or even just the community coming together as men and women for others.

As Kolvenbach writes all about faith, justice, and a true Jesuit Education, it is evident that he interprets the Jesuit mission as a mission to come together as a community and serve others. He explains the importance of becoming men and women for others and learning through hands on experiences, such as serving the poor. In fact, Kolvenbach says, “Tomorrow’s whole person must have, in brief, a well-educated solidarity.”

In Komunyakaa’s poem, Slam, Dunk, & Hook, the them of unity is depicted as the team practices as one and plays as one to be the best they can be. Rather than singling out players, with one exception, Komunyakaa writes about everything from the perspective of the whole team. “We outmaneuvered the footwork.” This is just one of the many lines in which Komunyakaa uses the word we to portray the camaraderie and unity of the team.

In the poem, Common Ground, a sense of unity is expressed as Ortiz sees many of her family members when she looks into the mirror. In this poem, the unity is within Ortiz’s family the way she is able to see many of her relatives in her own reflection.

Finally, the poem, Mending Wall, expresses unity and oneness through the two neighbors. The theme of this poem is actually ironic because while the theme definitely is unity, it is portrayed by two neighbors walking along a fence that separates them. The main explanation as to why the theme is unity is that these two neighbors come together from their different houses to discuss what they are to do about the fence that separates them.