The way I read the text is by focusing primarily on sections 4 and 6. Although each section is significant in its own way, 4 and 6 stand out for me. Section 4 talks about a sea- shell that withstands many of the abuses it undergoes in the ocean, while section 6 is presented from the view point of a worm which stands in contrast to the sea-shell. This is the alleged "metamorphoses" I see in the text. Both are metaphors for the human condition; going from being rigid and strong as a sea-shell, to complete vulnerability in the form of a helpless critter.
Seeing that the poem is placed within the context of WW2, maybe it's a description of the coping mechanism for those who were fortunate enough to escape with their lives. First, the rigidity is a facade of normalcy that people try to build in order to convince themselves and others that they remain unaffected by what has transpired. It is, as Victor Frankl described in his book "Man's Search for Meaning," a way of coping with an ongoing surge of pain by adopting antipathy. The sea-shell expresses its indestructability by saying "Infinite water can not crack me."(Line 112) .Second, when it becomes clear with time that human beings are not build like machines, that person becomes more attached to his/her "soft" side. The worm is "rain-swept (163) and "torn from a stem." It does what it does to survive but at the same time is aware of its finitude: "I know how the Lord God is about to manifest when I..Spin my own shroud." In other words the worm approaches the end of its life and comes face-to-face with its maker.
It's true that it might be a bit of a stretch seeing that there is a disconnect in terms of what the previous section expresses, but that is the only way I manage to make sense of it.
No comments:
Post a Comment