This simple image stands for the simple idea that Williams presents in "The Red Wheelbarrow". In his poem, he includes three concrete images, "wheelbarrow", "water", and "chicken" which help him develop the idea that life depends so much on labor, growth, and food.
Williams uses the wheelbarrow to symbolize labor. A wheelbarrow is a one-wheeled, hand-propelled vehicle designed to be pushed and guided by a person. It could be used to transport food, tools, materials, etc. However, it functions only when a person puts labor into it. Without labor, the world tends toward disorder. Things become chaotic; food runs out; growth ceases. In the end, people starve.
Another essential of life is growth. Williams uses water to symbolize growth and development. Without growth, all labor is wasted. A shortage of food occurs and famine spreads.
Lastly, Williams uses a chicken to symbolize food. Without food, labor is limited. When labor is short, growth is not sustainable.
So much depends upon labor, growth and food; without one, we can't have the others. This visual has the three critical images that Williams includes in his poem. It serves as a way for readers to grab something concrete as they try to understand Williams’ abstract idea about dependency. The visual has a white chicken, a red wheelbarrow, water, and a lot of cupcakes in the wheelbarrow and on the ground as a way to amuse observers.
Similarly, when readers first look at Williams’ poem, they see it as a humorous rather than a serious poem because it is not properly punctuated and only contains sixteen words. Despite the shortness, Williams’ poem, with its images, successfully engulfs a gigantic and complex life phenomenon circulating around the idea of dependency.
I think your analysis of the poem is really good, but i also feel that you did not really connect it to the picture there was not a lot on how the pictured portrayed what you where saying. After seeing your picture I could not wait to see just how you connect a picture like that to the poem.
ReplyDeleteI am very impressed by reading your thoughts on what you had to say about "The Red Wheel Barrow." You give a good explanation on how the Red Wheel Barrow can symbolize the needs of Labor, growth, and food because without these resources people will starve and life will end. Also I liked how your ideas you used were different on what others in class thought about the Red Wheel Barrow. From reading your statement on this poem, I can tell that you worked hard for this blog because it really explains the how and the affect. Good job.
ReplyDeleteWow, your analysis is really powerful. I took the poem to be more positive than the way you portrayed it, but it is interesting to see it in another perspective. I also thought it was very effective how you showed that every aspect is not only important in itself, but is heavily reliant on the other two things. Even though it was on the short side, it was to the point, so I thought it was sufficient in length. I also liked the way you took advantage of the short length of the poem and put it at the top of the page, because, as we discussed in class, the physical structure of the lines is important. Yes, you could have actually stated how the picture related to the poem, but I almost think it is more powerful when you start with an image like that and don't overtalk it by explaining something that people can figure out. You talked about how people will starve and beg for mercy without the "red wheelbarrow," so I thought the picture was very relevant and did a lot for the blog.
ReplyDeleteI like your analysis of the red wheelbarrow. I also analysed the red wheelbarrow but i did not break the nouns up into paragraph like you did. Your perspective toward the poem makes perfect sense. The image you posted related to the poem is good but i do believe that maybe you could have posted something more relative to the poem. Overall your analysis is great i like the break down.
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