Conformity In Dara Weir's 'Stargazer'

Many people have heard the old phrase “if one jumped off a cliff, would you follow them?” that concerns conforming into society and following other people’s actions. In “Stargazer”, by Dara Weir, being a conformist is seen to be a negative way of life for one to pursue. Upon initially reading “Stargazer”, I was overwhelmed with the depth of the poem. I had a strong sense of the poem being about society, but I had it had taken a few readings to get a stronger background of the meaning. After doing so, I felt more positive emotions throughout the poem, as it thoroughly describes opportunity that an individual is given throughout their life. With this, though, conformity can be a factor that may affect the opportunities one receives. Although

This theme that Wier explored is explained through the literary element of symbols. “You think because one dies then to die must be a good idea” (Wier 2) is the phrase that provides the biggest impact to set the tone for the poem. This expression begins to develop the theme in the poem by explaining to the reader that following the crowd may not always lead to favorable outcomes. The usage of symbols is used throughout the entire poem and is the basis of understanding the poem entirely. This type of literary element is one that is meant to make the reader think about a deeper meaning, rather than just the single, obvious meaning. “You were on the end of the ladder in a blue sky filled with litter” shows the reader that one who becomes a conformist in society is at the beginning of a road that is full of opportunities that can be given on the way, but the chances will never be received if one decides to follow other’s actions (Wier 8). “Stargazer” is a poem that is a symbol itself- a stargazer could be considered one who looks out at the opportunities they have at hand and takes their dreams to the next level of accomplishing

I found that using these literary elements gave the poem a deeper meaning while also allowing the reader to create the storyline based on their own experience. The poem emphasizes that being a one-of-a-kind individual is not a bad thing, but rather what one must do in order to truly live. I had to read the poem a few times to completely understand the meaning, along with comprehending how the author uses literary elements to make the purpose come to life. Initially, I felt a negative emotion when reading this poem. Once I began to think of the meaning and point out the elements involved in the poem, I got a different reaction that was composed of positive emotions. In “Stargazer”, Wier discovers and analyzes a theme of becoming a unique individual who goes against conforming to society by using the literary elements of symbols and a bold, central