In the poetry Digging by Seamus Heaney, the whole poem creates an image of a shovel, being used as a tool to dig. “Digging” in this poem does not only represent the act of creating a hole on the ground; it also represents progress, a job required to survive. More importantly, “Digging,” represent purpose.
In the beginning of the poem,
“Between my finger and my thumb
The squat pen rests; snug as a gun.”
I believe that the author uses “gun” because it represents readiness, power; capable of accomplishing something that is in a far away distance. However, gun is useless if there is no intuition in using it. The next part of the poem describes how he envies his father and grandfather; digging, to make sure that the family would survive the day. And at the end, the last three lines say:
“Between my finger and my thumb
The squat pen rests.
I’ll dig with it.”
My conclusion of the meaning of the poem the first time reading it, is that in the beginning the author believes that he is much capable of doing anything; however, he is still confused on what he should do. After he sees his father and grandfather digging for the sake of the family, he finally decided to help out to dig for his own goal. Granted with the skill of words, he writes in the pursued of fulfilling his life’s goal and be valuable to his family.
4 comments:
I agree with your statement that the digging represents progress and a necessary job to survive. However,I do not believe that he necessarily envies his father and grandfather. I think that he has great admiration for them and is hoping that one day his work will inspire someone as theirs has inspired him.
I like how you use the gun to symbolize the power and readiness of the narrator to do work. I agree with Bethany in how the narrator does not envies his father and grandfather but is impressed with their hard work. The he wants to be as good as them in what he enjoys.
I like your explanation of the stanza
“Between my finger and my thumb The squat pen rests; snug as a gun.” I never payed much mind to the word gun, but your right it can mean accomplishing things from a great distance. But a gun can also lead to complications like fatality. So the pen can be his success in getting things done or it can be his end (like failing in becoming a good writer).
i liked how you talked about his use of gun in the poem because in class i felt the meaning was different compaired to what you said. i agree with you aswell. it adds even more to the point he is trying to make which is that writing is his power and hard work. his way of survival just like digging was for his father and grandfather.
Post a Comment