The Thought-Fox Essay Questions

How is the image of a fox creeping through the forest like an idea forming in a poet's head?

First, the speaker's intuition that "Something else is alive" and "near" in stanzas 1 and 2 suggests the vague outline of the idea developing in his mind, while also foreshadowing that some creature will soon emerge from the "darkness" outside of his window. The fox is described through the animal's actions and features—its nose sniffing a twig, its paw prints neatly measured in the snow, its shadow lagging by stump—which allows us to form a complete picture of the fox by filling in the gaps in the information the speaker presents to us. This strategy corresponds to the manner in which an idea for a poem takes shape as a writer ruminates on an image or figure. The fox, like an idea, emerges slowly, then suddenly: finally, when the light bulb goes off, all the writer needs to do is put pen to page.

How does the poet establish tone and mood in the first two stanzas of "The Thought-Fox"?

First, the speaker builds the poem's setting: we know that the poem takes place at midnight, that the speaker is alone, and that the speaker is trying to write a poem. The starless sky adds to the poem's dark, lonely atmosphere. Then, the vague language of stanzas 1 and 2 creates a sense of unease: the speaker senses that "Something else is alive" and "near," even if he can't say what exactly this "something" is. The repetition of long vowels and "s" sounds, combined with the use of stressed syllables, creates a slow, steady pace. The speaker's emotions are also ambiguous: judging from the poem's diction, pace, and setting, is the speaker eager, anxious, afraid, or some combination of the above? Combined, these elements create a lonely, pensive tone, and an edgy, sinister mood: the speaker, deep in thought, hints at the way he feels about his situation, but ultimately his ambiguity puts the reader on edge, unsure of what will emerge from the darkness.