Filling Station Literary Devices

The speaker of Elizabeth Bishop's "Filling Station" describes a seemingly disgusting gas station and the dirty, "greasy" family running it. Although the speaker is judgmental at first and is stunned by the station's state, the speaker soon begins to notice the homey and thoughtful details that suggest that the family lives there. This realization pushes the speaker to reflect on the idea that love is everywhere. Elizabeth Bishop uses literary techniques to argue that even though first impressions may be negative, a place can be filled with love. The narrator of the poem enters the filling station and is aghast at what they see. This reaction is a juxtaposition of their emotions at the end of the poem. Bishop uses hyperbole to demonstrate the

The speaker is still shocked by their first impression; they can’t see past the surface of the filling station. Instead of thinking people immediately who run appearance. Filling station, the narrator's father begins to comment on its a symbol The speaker continues to describe the family working in the filling station by mentioning the family's workwear, a monkeysuit that “cuts him under his arm.” (9) The mention of how the suit fits him acts as the of the illfitting economic state. No worksuit is clothing, meaning they can afford proper money or new suits as they grow older. The money from the line shows how the narrator has more than the family, so they can look down on them. Although the family may not have a lot, they are still able to make ends meet and have a loving home. After seeing the inside of the home, the narrator's perspective begins to shift and attempts to understand why the family sees the filling station as home. The “dirty dog” that the narrator sees on the cement porch symbolizes the family as it lathes in filth but is still “quite comfy” (20). Just like the dog, the father and son are dirty and greasy, but they can still find comfort in their

However, they still have objects like the doils, taboret, and begonia that help create a sense of home. The poem ends with the narrator finally understanding the love that exists in the poem, their tone stitching from judgmental to empathetic. Bishop uses repetition again to mirror the questioning form before; the speaker answers their own question, saying, “Somboyd waters the plants, or oils them, maybe.” (35) By answering their own questions, the narrator finally understands that the first station was not what it seemed to be at first glance. Love does not come from the action specifically, but from the thought and care that goes into it. Someone went out of the way to take care of the plants. As the speakers final ephifany occurs when they say, “Sombody loves us all.” (40) This is a subtle tone switch from the pessimistic and negative perspective of the filling station to an empathic, understanding view of the hidden love beneath the