Essay Questions

Why does Lawrence draw numerous connections to and use the repeated imagery of flame in “Submergence”?

From the beginning of his poem, Lawrence uses flame to establish the purpose and tone of her poetry. Lawrence views flame and fire as the perfect visual metaphor for humanity. Just as our lives grow and develop before flickering out, so too does a candle begin its life tall and strong, before melting into oblivion. The flickers of flames against the wall can often distract or mesmerize us and the same is true for humans. Just like a flame will flicker on a wall and distract us, humans around us can distract and mesmerize us. Additionally, flames are inherently associated with power and tenacity. To survive in this world, humans must themselves be powerful, confident, and tenacious. Just as the flame must resist the wind when blown against it, so too must humans resist the numerous pressures and stressors of our daily lives. In this way, it is clear that Lawrence included so much fire/flame imagery in this poem to establish the tone and exemplify the incredible strength and beauty of humanity.

Why does the narrator of “Beautiful Old Age” conclude that to grow old and wrinkled would be lovely?

The narrator of this poem clearly understands the value and importance of wisdom and old age. When one is blessed enough to have lived a long life and to have survived to an old age, it is clear that this person has experienced much in life. The narrator suggests that it is in our old age that we are most able to reflect upon and appreciate our youth. There is is a certain ironic beauty in this reflection, as it is only when our youth has passed that we are able to appreciate it. The prospect of death is no longer frightening to those who find old age beautiful, for death signifies the end of a meaningful, well-lived life. To the narrator, old age is lovely and beautiful because it is physical proof that one has lived and experienced greatness and beauty. Clearly, the narrator concludes that growing old is a privilege, because not everyone has the opportunity to live long enough to experience it. Old age must be treasured, for it is during this short period of life that one’s actions, beliefs, and experiences become genuinely meaningful.

Why does Lawrence capture the simplistic beauty of snakes in her poem, “Snake”?

In this poem, Lawrence carefully and meticulously describes the daily activities of a snake. He explains how a snake once came up to his water trough on a hot day to drink a bit of water. Lawrence, as the narrator, had watched as the snake’s body slithered over the rocks and rested its neck against the water trough, as its small, thin tongue darted in and out of the water. Lawrence compares the snake’s lazy interest in him to a cow’s similarly uninterested gaze as it would drink from a water trough. From this, the narrator is able to conclude that—despite their reputation—snakes are no different than any other animal; they are simple moving their way through the world, guided by a need for survival. The narrator makes such an effort to describe the lazy, uneventful encounter with the snake to make a point that society often conditions us to feel and believe certain ways about certain types of people or objects. Though his instincts told him to kill the snake and discard it, he couldn’t help but wonder why—when all it was doing was drinking lazily from her water trough. Therefore, the narrator dedicates such time and literature to describing the snake’s features to show that it is nothing more than an animal, whose goal is not to harm or taunt humans, but rather to simply survive in this treacherous world.