Analysis of William Wordsworth's Poem, We are Seven

The Strength of a Family

The main character of William Wordsworth's poem, 'We are Seven'; is an eight-year girl that knows more about devotion to her family the most adults ever know. It seems that author is who comes across this child on his journeys. He takes a liking to her right away and even thought, 'Her beauty made me glad.'; I quickly find out that she is one of seven brothers and sisters and she is the only one that is alive and still at home. I say alive, because she has a brother and sister that 'in the church-yard lie';. The four others, presumably four brothers, have all grown up and moved away from home.

The entire poem is about the interactions of the man and this girl. For whatever reason, he asks her how many brothers and sisters she has. She tells him she has seven. He, of course, sees no other children running around so challenges her answer. When he finds two are dead, he insists 'then ye are only five,'; she stands firm in her belief that 'Nay, we are seven.'; Each verse goes back and forth with him trying to convince her that she is one of five and of her explaining to him why her brother and sister are still very much part of her life.

One would expect this young child to be sad and heart-broken, yet she always comes across as strong willed, happy and quite grown up for her age. Before her brother and sister died, she recalls playing and running. Now she hems kerchiefs, knits stockings and eats her supper down by h...