Use of Imagery, Situational Irony, and Structure

In The Colonel, Carolyn Forche employs a significant amount of visual imagery to introduce the brutality of the colonel and further creates a brutal scene to echo her message. Readers are exposed to a homey, cozy atmosphere in the beginning of the poem with images of “daily papers”, “pet dogs”, and “cushion”. Further, Forche portrays the “daughter filing her nails” and the “wife carrying a tray of coffee and sugar” to stress this heartwarming feeling of a normal household. Because of the significant use of visual imagery, it is impossible for the readers to ignore the relaxing surrounding created and the fact that the author intends to bring out this feeling for further purpose. The foreshadowing of brutality can be seen through the use of words like “pistol” and “cop show”. In addition, Forche establishes this shift in the atmosphere when she includes “The moon swung bare on its black cord over the house.” This example creates a harsh, dark feeling for the readers and further foreshadows the coming of the violence and brutality of the colonel. Readers are exposed to this slight change in tone and are forced to wonder what lies ahead in the poem. Forche further utilizes this effect to its full capacity by referring to “Broken bottles were embedded in the walls around the house to scoop the kneecaps from a man’s legs or cut his hands to lace.” Here, the author continuously uses harsh imagery to imply that there is some mystery hidden in the colonel’s house that has not been revealed. The use of broken bottles embedded in the walls is unusual and therefore forces readers to wonder what message Forche intends to pass to readers. Forche also intensifies this effect to its full capacity when she eventually introduces the “many human ears” like “dried peach halves.” Readers can conclude that because of “some talk of how difficult it has become to govern,” the colonel has become rather strange in a way that the author did not dare to “say anything.” Further, Forche...