Why are Stanzas 2, 4 and 6 given in parenthesis?
Stanzas 2, 4 and 6 are given in parenthesis because they represent Amanda's inner thoughts and imagination, not spoken dialogue. While the other stanzas contain the speaker's direct instructions and nagging, these parenthesized stanzas show Amanda escaping into her fantasy world — as a mermaid, an orphan, and Rapunzel. The parenthesis visually separates her daydreams from the real-world conversation, indicating that these are her unspoken desires for freedom and peace, contrasting with the constant nagging she faces in reality.
Explanation
The poem 'Amanda!' by Robin Klein uses parenthesis to distinguish between two voices/perspectives. The stanzas in parenthesis (2, 4, 6) represent Amanda's imaginative escape from her harsh reality of constant instructions. The parenthesis acts as a literary device to show her silent, internal world of daydreams versus the loud, external world of nagging. This visual separation helps readers understand that Amanda retreats into her imagination as a coping mechanism against the restrictions placed on her.