The transition from childhood to adulthood is a major part of our lives and for many people it can be a daunting experience. The poem “Black Box,” by John McAuliffe, describes this change from the perspective of an individual resisting development from childhood to maturity. This essay will critically examine how this interpretation is formed following the model established by IARichards and New School critics. The goal of this model is to construct an understanding of a text “by isolating the text from history and context.” (Barry, 2009, p.15) In terms of poetry, the model focuses on how literary techniques, structure, and form contribute to the meaning of a poem. This essay is divided into three sections; In the first section, I will focus on how literary techniques, such as language, syntax, and symbolism, reinforce the meaning of the poem. The second section will evaluate how the poet embodies the transition in the structure of the poem. In the final section, I will analyze how the form of the poem increases the speaker's attitude toward the issue of transition. The poet uses literary techniques to support the meaning of the poem. These techniques include language, syntax and symbolism. The way that language reinforces the subject of the poem is that the poet reveals the speaker's attitude toward transition through the use of concrete words. Literally, concrete poetry is when “meaning or effect is conveyed…by visual means.” (Oxford Dictionaries, 2010) An example of this is in the second stanza when the speaker mentions “the muddy gravel of the wet yard” (11). The gravel is wet and muddy, probably from rain or a liquid substance on the gravel. However, on a literal level, the gravel... middle of paper ...... to practice forming the interpretation that the poem is about an individual resisting the transition from childhood to adolescence. The model provides the basic methods for devising an interpretation from a poem; however, this does not mean that all interpretations will be the same. Indeed, the way an individual understands a poem will result in varied responses and interpretations. Therefore, the model simply provides an overview of what to consider when forming an interpretation. Works Cited Barry, P. (2009) Theory before “theory” – liberal humanism. In: (3rd ed.) Beginning Theory: An Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory. Manchester: Manchester University Press. P15.Oxford Dictionaries (2010) concrete poetry. Available at: http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/concrete%2Bpoetry?q=concrete+poetry (Accessed December 22 2011)