Read Rita Dove’s poem "Sonnet in Primary Colors,” then study Frida Kahlo’s painting Self-Portrait with Monkey and Parrot.

Question

This is for the woman with one black wing
perched over her eyes: lovely Frida, erect
among parrots, in the stern petticoats of the peasant,
who painted herself a present—
wildflowers entwining the plaster corset
her spine resides in, that flaming pillar—
this priestess in the romance of mirrors.

Each night she lay down in pain and rose
to the celluloid butterflies of her Beloved Dead,
Lenin and Marx and Stalin arrayed at the footstead.
And rose to her easel, the hundred dogs panting
like children along the graveled walks of the garden, Diego’s
love a skull in the circular window
of the thumbprint searing her immutable brow.

A painting titled Self-Portrait with Monkey and Parrot by Frida Kahlo, showing Frida posing with a dark-furred monkey and a green parrot. The multi-colored leaves of plants are in the background.

Which statements best describe differences in the style of the two works?

The painting pays attention to details of Kahlo’s physical appearance, while the poem does not.
The poem portrays the painter as serious, while the painting does not.
The poem reveals details that explain Kahlo’s facial expressions, while the painting does not.
The painting uses imagery that tells of Kahlo’s connection to nature, while the poem does not.

Answer 1

To analyze the differences between Rita Dove's poem "Sonnet in Primary Colors" and Frida Kahlo's painting Self-Portrait with Monkey and Parrot, let's consider the statements provided:

1. The painting pays attention to details of Kahlo’s physical appearance, while the poem does not.

   • This statement is accurate. Kahlo's painting emphasizes her physical features, capturing her likeness and expressing her identity, while the poem describes her in more abstract, metaphorical terms without focusing explicitly on her details.

2. The poem portrays the painter as serious, while the painting does not.

   • This statement is somewhat subjective. While the poem has a serious tone, focusing on themes of pain and identity, the painting incorporates vivid colors and playful elements (like the monkey and parrot), which may not convey a strict sense of seriousness. The difference in tone can be nuanced rather than outright contradictory.

3. The poem reveals details that explain Kahlo’s facial expressions, while the painting does not.

   • This statement is misleading. The painting visually captures Kahlo's expressions, while the poem describes her experiences and emotions through metaphor. While the poem does not provide direct explanations of her facial expressions, the painting inherently conveys them without requiring additional detail.

4. The painting uses imagery that tells of Kahlo’s connection to nature, while the poem does not.

   • This statement is inaccurate. Both the painting and the poem address Kahlo's connection to nature; the painting shows vibrant plants in the background, and the poem references "wildflowers" and "the romance of mirrors," which can also suggest a connection to the natural world.

In summary, the most accurate statement regarding the differences between the two works is the first one: The painting pays attention to details of Kahlo’s physical appearance, while the poem does not.