Dianne Williams Stepp's The Filbert Orchard portrays a uniquely

Dianne Williams Stepp's The Filbert Orchard portrays a uniquely

haunting experience.

Dianne Williams Stepp's "The Filbert Orchard" portrays a uniquely

haunting experience. The poem blaintly attempts to draw the reader in

through its critical lense and perspective. Stepp's usage of many

carefully connected literary devices creates a distinctive tone,

effect, and message that exposes the tragedy behind southern ideology

and values during the civil war. The success of "The Filbert Orchard"

can then be traced to its tight construction and use of historical

references portrayed through literary detail.

Stepp's choice of both imagery and metaphor comprise the poems

strength in terms of its overall effect and message. Stepp utilizes

imagery as a means of developing her message about southern ideology.

This can be seen at various points in the poem where emotions, sights,

sounds, objects, places, and figures are all being used to demonstrate

the purposely behind a lost generation. In that they are continuing to

fight even though family and friends may be on either sides. The

author is thus indirectly questioning the ethical and moral nature of

the south portrayed through her obvious literary judgments: "the way

they staggered in rows down the hill. In spring they sprouted sparse

flags waved them foolishly at the jays." (Stepp, lines 4-7) In this

example Stepp vividly uses the description of a tree for

representation of the lost generations pride. Their pride in the sense

of fighting a war that seems not worth fighting for both because of

the scarcity of men and their inescapable death. Stepp also

accomplishes her message through metaphorical comparisons, which aid

in expressing the south's futility: "A compa...

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... of a story. The ending changes that perspective and shifts the major

themes of loss and disullisionment towards a more local individual

level

The close attention given to literary elements ultimately enables "The

Filbert Orchard" to achieve an extreme level of insight into the

southern identity and culture during the civil war. Through its

exploration of southern values translated into a vivid storyline the

reader is blown away by its short profound thematic integration. The

poem is aided by its progressive literal development from appealing to

the general society to the localized individual. The journey becomes

compounded with introspection because of its ornate literary devices.

PS MS KASTE: Did you choose this poem because of your interest in

Faulkner and its relatable themes? What is your connection or

fascination with literature about the south?