Rhetorical Form Analysis
Human memory is an important element that shapes and develops one’s life. It makes humans improve their lives. Human memory allows humans to remember events, incidents, knowledge, and information. It is a kind of remembrance of life events. The selected works for this paper include “The Black Walnut Tree” by Mary Oliver and The Writer by Richard Wilbur. Wilbur and Oliver use several literary techniques to show the importance of memory, and the defined characters of the poems represent some important aspects of memory as it is a process to remember life events and store the different important memories that occurred in one’s life.
Both poems are based on different aspects and perspectives and represent different themes in life scenarios. “The Writer” story is based on a life scenario of a person who is a father and handling the days of distress due to his daughter. Another poem, “The Black Walnut Tree” is based on a story of a family which is representing the strong bonding of family relationships and need to select money or their honor. Oliver represents his interest in family life by showing the deep, hidden meaning of family in the poem. He chooses a family that is suffering from some issues and needs money. They have an option to get money by tearing down the black walnut tree that is considered part of their family. The mother and daughter are deeply connected with the tree as their so many memories are linked with its existence. The family is attached to the tree as it represents their family’s love and values.
Their love for the tree is precious enough that they are not able to tear it down even in the worst financial scenarios of their lives. Throughout the poem, the family expresses their love and important memories regarding the tree. With the idea that “an edge” emerges that is “sharp and quick as a trowel / that wants us to dig and sow,” Oliver uses different figurative language and imagery aspects to explain the constant care that is required by the tree (Oliver 17-19). Another important point here is that there were several dangers linked with the existence of a tree, as it could fall off the house, and its fruits are very difficult to collect. However, due to the linked memories, the family is not able to tear down their tree as it is a part of their lives, and they do not want to become the ones who prefer money over their honour and memories.
In the other poem, The Writer, the father used the memory aspect to show his love towards his daughter. In the poem, Wilbur uses several literary techniques to show his love towards his daughter and express his selfishness as a father. The poet shows that a father needs to develop the character and personality of his daughter positively. “Young as she is, the stuff/Of her life is a great cargo, and some of it heavy:/I wish her a lucky passage.” (7-9). It shows and represents the good feelings of the father towards her daughter and wishes that show he loves his daughter. He wants his daughter to explore her abilities and learn to live her life with freedom.
Wilbur and Oliver use several literary techniques to show the importance of memory, and the defined characters of the poems represent some important aspects of memory as it is a process to remember life events and store the different important memories that occurred in one’s life.
Works Cited
“A Look At ‘The Writer’ | The Poetry Of Richard Wilbur.” Curranheng5.edublogs.org. N.p., 2010. Web. 15 Apr. 2018.
“Mary Oliver – The Black Walnut Tree.” Genius. N.p., 2018. Web. 15 Apr. 2018.
