The poem discusses the color red and its associations. Red is seen in sunsets, which are described as blazing and bright. The sun can cause a red sunburn on one's nose. Red is linked with feelings like bravery, shyness, and anger. In entertainment, the sound of a band and trimming of a circus cart are described as red. The color may be showy, but the persona finds it hard to imagine living without red.

1. WHAT IS RED
The persona of the poem writes about red colour as
seen in certain things natural and manmade. The
sunset is describe as blazing and bright. The sun
can cause a red sunburn on one’s nose. Red is
associated with the feelings of being brave, shy
and anger. In entertainment world, the sound of a
band and trimming of a circus cart are describe as
red. It maybe a colour of show off but it’s hard t
imagine living without it.

2. THEMES
• Alertness and keen observation of surroundings
• The persona could relate his or her surroundings with the colour
of red and appreciate them.
• Taking things for granted
• Topic related with colour might look petty, but people could never
imagine the world with the absence of certain colours in their
lives.
• Appreciating similarities among people irrespective of their
race and religion
• Like colours, people have their own similarities, differences and
uniqueness. We have to learn to embrace and appreciate each
other.

3. THEMES
• Realising that something or a person is indispensable
• Like the colour of red, every individual or thing is important and
we must never downgrade things or people around us.
• Interdependence of nature, people and objects
• In our lives, we always depends on each other. One can never live
on his or her own.

4. MORAL VALUES
• We should be alert of our surroundings and
what it offers
• We should value nature as a source of our
needs
• We should not take for granted what is
obvious
• People may come from different cultural
backgrounds but the same thing runs in their
body- blood that is red.
• We should not be arrogant even of we are
important.

5. LITERARY DEVICES
• IMAGERY
• Red is sunset, blazing and bright – give an image of fiery
and striking
• Red is the giantest- red is widely used and seen that
wherever you turn, you will always see red
• SYMBOL
• Red- things in nature and things people
use and human feelings

6. LITERARY DEVICES
• RHETORICAL QUESTION
• But can you imagine,
Living without it?
• PERSONIFICATION
• Red squiggles out is like someone who is hidden squeezes
out of his hiding place as it flows out when one cuts one’s
hand
• Red runs through your head personifies the feeling of
anger like a person runs around

7. LITERARY DEVICES
• REPETITION
• The word red is repeated throughout the poem
• IRONY
• The colour of red is full of contrast and challenging but it
has to be valued as we cannot do without it.
• Metaphor
• Red is hotness, You get inside, When you’re
embarrassed, And want to hide-
When you feel shy, you hope other people would
not notice it but the redness on your face shows it

8. LITERARY DEVICES
•ALLITERATION
• A red red rose
• A circus cart
•ASSONANCE
• Spot on your nose
• No doubt about it
• Living without it

9. Let’s Try The Questions!
1. What is likely to happen to our nose and face if we
stand under the hot sun for some time?
2. Which colour of the rose is normally used to show
love?
3. What literary device is related with the expression
‘red squiggles out’? Explain.
4. The expression ‘fire-flicker red’ refers to the colour
of fire. Do you think it is a good comparison? Why?
Name another item that has fire and is also red.
(HOTS)

10. Let’s Try The Questions!
5. Which natural phenomenon is describe as red?
6. Warning signs, ‘Watch out!’ placed at stretches of roads
where there may be dangers are usually written in red.
Why is this so? (HOTS)
7. What happen if someone is too angry or embarrass?
8. What do you feel about the poem? Do you agree with the
persona that we cannot live without the colour of red?
Give a reason for your answer. (HOTS)

11. Prepared by,
Miss Nor Farhana (2017)
Sources:
- Selected Poems, Short Story &
Drama Form 2 (Pelangi Publisher)
- Pictures from Google Images