In a certain period of life, growing child leaves his parents, turning his home’s safety for the uncertainty, and the life stability for hardship. Although a young person wants to have a good relationship with his parents, he also wants to be himself, and emphasize his individuality and autonomy. “Pomegranate,” a poem by Eavan Boland, draws on the Greek myth “Demeter and Persephone” to illustrates the influence of inevitable changes in human development on relationship between mother and daughter, and periodicity of human existence. To express her feelings, Bolan draws on the motifs of the myth “Demeter ( Ceres) and Persephone’, which refers to the emotion of all mothers. Boland compares her concerns and feelings to struggles of the …show more content…
mythical Ceres The author represents the entanglement of her feelings towards herself and her own daughter. All mothers, in their maternity, go through the myth of “Demeter and Persephone.” They experience love, anxiety, and fear before their children become independent. According to Greek mythology, Persephone was a daughter of Demeter ( Ceres), the goddess of the grain and the rich harvest. Hades, the god of underground kingdom, kidnapped Persephone and held her in the underworld. In her miserable grief, Ceres turned the world into winter, refusing to let anything grow. Persephone was eventually returned to her mother, however, she had to spend one third of f the year with her underworld husband, and two thirds of the year with her mother. Eavan Boland compares Ceres, who desperately searched her lost daughter, with mothers who constantly fear about their children’s future.
In the first two lines of the poem “[t]he only legend I have ever loved/ is the story of a daughter lost in hell”, Boland recalls her own experience as a young person who had to move from Ireland to England. The author identifies herself with Persephone. She fell lost and confused in a “city of fogs and strange consonants” (ln 9), and fell as “an exiled child in the crackling dusk/ of the underworld”(ln 11,12). This unpleasant experience from her early childhood is still present in her mind , therefore she “[could] enter it anywhere”(ln. 7). However, when Boland grew up, she walked out of the “ crackling dusk” into the “summer twilight” ( ln. 11,13) as Ceres, the mother, who tries to protect her daughter from the threats that lurk in the surrounding world. The author has some life knowledge and legitimate concerns, therefore she wants “to make any bargain to keep her” (ln. 16) and protect from the loss that has to come “I knew/ winter was in store of every leaf/ on every tree on that road.” ( ln. 19-21). Winter, as a cold season, indicates changes in mother daughter relationship and these changes “[are] inescapable for each one we passed./ And for me.” ( …show more content…
ln.22,23). Eavan Boland wants to protect her daughter from coming dangers, “the pomegranate! How did [she] forget it”( ln. 29). She cannot, however, prevent her from all dangers and harshness of the real life, like Demeter (Ceres) could not prevent Persephone from the consequences arising from consuming the cursed fruit .In the myth “Demeter and Persephone,” pomegranate, the fruit of enslavement, is used to keep Persephone against her will in Hades. In the poem, however, pomegranate, the fruit of maturity, represents an inevitable process of transition from innocence to an adulthood. Boland still deludes herself that she “could warn her, [and] there is still a chance” ( ln. 42) that “she could have come home and been safe”(ln. 30). However, she also knows that she must let her daughter experience life in her own way and let her face challenges by herself, even the world appears to be “…cold [and] flint-colored”(ln 43). However, her daughter’s adulthood does not need to be associated only with separation, sadness and depression.
The pomegranate, a symbol of adulthood, can also be a source of pleasure, curiosity, and fulfillment. Like Persephone who finally come to love Hades, her daughter also can eventually find her way in the adulthood. The mother knows that “if [she] defer the grief, [she will] diminish the gift” (ln. 49). Therefore, Boland “will say nothing” because the loss of innocence is an inevitable part of the cyclical nature of human life. Everyone has his own role to fulfill in life, and his own contribution to “the legend [that] will be hers as well as mine” (ln 50). Boland knows that her daughter will finally grow up and become a mother, and she will have to go through the same struggles as the author and the mythical Ceres, because the wheel of the human existence will have to reach his next
circle. Although, the uncertainty of coming changes fills mothers with fear and concern, they know that the periodicity of human life is inescapable and has to take place sooner or later. The author of the poem “Pomegranate” emphasizes the truth that growing children deliver both pain and joy for their mothers. Although, pain tries to overshadow the joy of motherhood and often requires sacrifice, parents always accept and support their children in difficult decisions.
Modern society believes in the difficult yet essential nature of coming of age. Adolescents must face difficult obstacles in life, whether it be familial, academic, or fiscal obstacles. In the House on Mango Street, Esperanza longs for a life where she will no longer be chained to Mango Street and aspires to escape. As Esperanza grows up on Mango Street, she witnesses the effect of poverty, violence, and loss of dreams on her friends and family, leading her to feel confused and broken, clinging to the dream of leaving Mango Street. Cisneros uses a reflective tone to argue that a change in one’s identity is inevitable, but ultimately for the worst.
In modern society, both the abstract and concrete representations of children are intertwined with the themes associated with happiness, innocence, ignorance, gullibility, and the allure of youth. But, if I may for a moment mimic Caroline Vout’s presentation of her arguments by asking, how does today’s current view of children differ from the non-linguistic representations of children in ancient times? If one was to rewind time while focusing solely on the exemplification of children in ancient Greek and Rome, they would discover that presumably there is a degradation of the importance of the child in society. The previously mentioned Caroline Vout supplies the fact that the great philosopher Aristotle believed that “[children were] virtually denied human status on the grounds of their diminished faculty of deliberation.” This thought process is obviously contradictory to the widely accepted opinion of children in today’s modern society. With the assistance of multiple sculptures, frescos, and drawings, Vout utilizes rhetorical questions to engage the reader in her arguments concerning the portrayal of children during the Hellenistic period.
Through her use of the words “dreamed”, “sweet women”, “blossoms” and the Mythology of “Elysian fields” in lines one through three, she leads the reader to the assumption that this is a calm, graceful poem, perhaps about a dream or love. Within the first quatrain, line four (“I wove a garland for your living head”) serves to emphasise two things: it continues to demonstrate the ethereal diction and carefree tone, but it also leads the reader to the easy assumption that the subject of this poem is the lover of the speaker. Danae is belittled as an object and claimed by Jove, while Jove remains “golden” and godly. In lines seven and eight, “Jove the Bull” “bore away” at “Europa”. “Bore”, meaning to make a hole in something, emphasises the violent sexual imagery perpetrated in this poem.
Parent/Child relationships are very hard to establish among individuals. This particular relationship is very important for the child from birth because it helps the child to be able to understand moral and values of life that should be taught by the parent(s). In the short story “Teenage Wasteland”, Daisy (mother) fails to provide the proper love and care that should be given to her children. Daisy is an unfit parent that allows herself to manipulated by lacking self confidence, communication, and patience.
The majority of the occasions occur in the month of December, which implies it is winter time, at least in most places. The poem depicts a scene that is loaded with darkness that is just intensified by the season, seeing as how the winter season is chilly, and can be somewhat grim and dim. The poem additionally has a component of unhappiness which winter can furthermore
The process of becoming an adult takes more time for children who enjoy freedom. When the kid is still young, one’s parents or guardians would not mind whatever the child does. But when one grows up, one’s hobby and attitude has to change according to one’s age. The Fall of a City is a short story written by Alden Nowlan to illustrate the forced maturation of the 11-year-old child under the influence of his relatives. It is a piece of writing full of pathos, where the protagonist ends up destroying the creation of his childish imagination because of his uncle and aunt’s judgment. Once they discovered what Teddy has been doing up in the attic, he decides to follow the course of his fate. He leaves his imaginary world, where he is the almighty king, to face the much more challenging real world. The Fall of a City is written by Alden Nowlan in order to express his vision of the transition from youth to manhood because of societal pressure, and the hardship is shown through the critique of Teddy’ uncle and aunt about their nephew’s character traits and the diverse conflicts which the protagonist faces within the story.
Through love we can see that an everlasting relationship can be built. While reading this poem, the reader starts to feel a growing connection to the mother, father, and child line by line. By the end of it, one may feel as though they are so closely connected, that they can see themselves as the characters in the story. This poem speaks the truth about a relationship that is universal for any human
In the essay: “ ‘Cinderella’: A Story of Sibling Rivalry and Oedipal Conflicts”’, Bruno Bettelheim discusses how Cinderella is a story about the difficulties of sibling rivalry and the degraded heroine ending up on top of the siblings that oppressed her. Bettelheim argues that sibling rivalry is created when a child feels that they cannot win their parents love and esteem in comparison to his brothers or sisters. In addition he argues that every child feels that they deserve to be degraded at some point in their life. The concept of Oedipal guilt, his last point, has some intriguing details included in it, concepts of which could be disputed. However, the main focus of this essay is on how children justify the idea that they should be degraded, and because of the hardships they have faced, risen up and exalted like Cinderella was. He states that Cinderella relates very closely to the youth because they feel like they can relate to her situation more than the majority of people could.
The focus of the poem is on the feelings of a female narrator that is waiting for her unborn baby. As previously stated, men were jealous of women because of their recreation power; during the era, recreation was a main focus of many writers. Moreover, Anna Barbauld validates in her poem just how the female narrator having the power to recreate a human being conveys hope and contentment. I will prove this contentment that the narrator has in the poem through Barbauld’s diction, female perspective, and nature as a metaphor.
Bearing a child is the biggest responsibility that will happen in life. Providing time and protection of the child is a major part. But the most important thing is that they do not become lonely and forgotten. When being a parent, this is their job, to keep them welcomed and to never forget about them. In the fragment titled, “The Virgin,” Sappho uses vivid imagery to show how an apple tree has a relationship like mother and child. How the tree would be the mother, and the child would be the apple. Like a mother and child, it is the responsibility of the tree to hold on to the apple and make sure it gets taken care of, no matter what.
It is inferred that the parents should take care of their children and have their best interest at heart. This however, is not the case in Greek and Roman mythology. The killing of ones own children, or filicide, was not viewed as negative upon in their era. The contemporary times contrast with the ancient Greek and Roman’s because it was justified to use any means necessary to obtain a higher status. The Greeks and Romans valued keeping a high social reputation and having respect for those of great power. The motherly union between their children conflict with the reality that the father strives to retain or gain control. These circumstances cause a tense bond between the members of the family. The strained parent to child relationship in Greco-Roman myths is prevalent in the fact that the parents are fearful of being overtaken by their children, and endeavor to limit their upbringing.
...rance of success in the wicked, though it quickly proves that temporary pleasure will never compare to the eternal happiness only God can provide. The loss of his position and fame has left Boethius depressed, but the Lady reminds him of his successes and his ultimate reward.
When we were children, we were very idealistic. Most of us saw life as black and white and see the path as straight and predictable. It is why the kids in the elementary school will still want to become a scientist, he or she cannot see the reasons why and they will not be dissuaded. The optimism and vivacity of youth is what keeps one going at that time. In the essay “Who Ate the Plums” by David Seadaris. The author writes about the time he was little boy and always thought he knew the type of poems he wanted to write. The author’s persona is that he has a comfortable adulthood, but he still looks back to his childhood with a reminder of regret.
The author uses imagery, contrasting diction, tones, and symbols in the poem to show two very different sides of the parent-child relationship. The poem’s theme is that even though parents and teenagers may have their disagreements, there is still an underlying love that binds the family together and helps them bridge their gap that is between them.
Utilizing case of demonstrating how it can rationally influence a woman for a lifetime because of the certainty of required a moms care and love. Likewise demonstrating how it influences a child’s way in turning into a mother themselves. I agree with the author and his points throughout the article, demonstrating a motherless child is obscure of the untrue love that is originated from men, in both the period of the composed play furthermore present. The article and composed play successfully go together hand in hand as an inseparable unit demonstrating points of interest on how it is ideal to have a mother in a child’s