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Diving into the Wreck

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Diving into the Wreck by Adrienne Rich is a piece rich with symbolism. It is helpful to know about Rich’s background as a feminist and voice for women writers in order to interpret this piece. A shipwreck is a common symbol for things or ideas that have faded away, or in this case, have been hidden but not forgotten. Women have not always had the opportunity to express themselves through literature. This poem can be interpreted as exploring the process of searching for the work of female writers that history has quieted but not forgotten completely.

The narrator of this poem represents anyone who desires to search for the work of women of the past. Rich writes, “I am she: I am he” to show that discovering the actual work of these women can be done by anybody. It is important to note that the narrator seeks the work of these women and the work alone. Rich makes it a point to say, “the thing I came for: the wreck and not the story of the wreck” in order to show that the narrator wants to see and read the work without the bias and distraction of the views of others. The narrator is inspired by what he/she has read about the topic of women’s literature but seeks to develop his/her own opinion on the matter as shown through the first two lines of the poem, “First having read the book of myths, and loaded the camera.” In order to see the work of these women in their full authenticity, the narrator must be prepared to protect his/herself from being influenced by any other opinions and also cut away what is deemed as unnecessary. This is skillfully illustrated by the armor and knife that are taken down to see the wreck. As one seeks the truth, it is easy to be sidetracked. Rich likens this to the difficulty of breathing the further one goes down into the depths. What is important is that a seeker of the wreck takes the first step to explore and stays focused along the way. Rich shows that as long as one starts down the ladder and remembers the purpose for doing so, it is always possible to discover and explore for oneself the wreck that has sunken but has not been forgotten.

Chike’s School Days

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Chinua Achebe’s “Chike’s School Days” has a title that is misleading, but this title effectively draws attention to some of the realities of the effects of the West on the lives of Afticans. The story tells of a Chike, an only son, who was raised “in the ways of the white man.” Raised as a Christian, Chike has the opportunity to go to school to learn subjects such as arithmetic and English. He grows fond of English and admits that some English words “simply filled him with elation.” Chike’s exposure to a new language and culture has stretched his imagination and filled him with possibilities that he would not have considered had he grown up in the same way as his ancestors had for generations. As far as Chike is concerned, his Western education has been mostly positive and admittedly saw the stories and literature as he said as “a window through which he saw the distance in a strange, magical world. And he was happy.” What Chike does not understand is what he loses as a result of the Christian influence on his culture. While the title of this story is “Chike’s School Days,” Achebe wisely pays attention to the causes of Chike’s unique childhood. Achebe tells of an instance where Chike refuses the food of a neighbor because she is a “heathen.” Chike belongs to the lowest class of his community but Christianity has given him the feeling of superiority to his neighbor. Achebe also focuses on the chain of events that have led Chike’s father to this social class and acknowledges that he has wandered away from the main idea of the story. I believe that Achebe deliberately gave his short story a misleading title and deviated from the “main story” in order to make the reader question the influence of Christianity on Africans. An account of the different experiences that Chike had as a child would have little meaning without a background to his situation. This story calls attention to the changes that communities such as Chike’s were experiencing as a result of Christian influence and gives the reader the opportunity to understand the pros and cons of this influence. Whether these changes are positive or negative remain to be seen but the structure of this story hints at the author’s attitude towards the situation.

The World is Too Much with Us

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With all of the sensory bombardment we experience on a day to day basis, there is little time left for us to just be one with ourselves and nature. I think that Wordsworth is trying to make the point that human beings are out of touch with the world and miss out on the true pleasures that surround us. In line 2 he says, “Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers.” He seems to think that we have the potential to appease our desires and be happy without being materialistic. In line 3 Wordsworth says, “Little we see in Nature that is ours.” Our natural state is just to exist without desire and attachment to material things that fade. The author’s capitalization of “Sea” in line 5 shows the importance of nature rather than worldly things that people seem to be attached to in this day and age.

 

Modernism has made our lives more comfortable but also left us wanting more since gratification is fleeting. This piece can be considered timeless because the message rings true in the present day just as much as it did when it was first written. We as human beings have increasingly complicated our lives as we seem to have sacrificed peace and enlightenment with pleasure and excitement. Wordsworth desires a simpler time but it seems that the problems he speaks of have always been present. The saying, “the grass is always greener on the other side” comes to mind because people today would long for Wordsworth’s time while he would desire a time before his. Ultimately, I believe that human beings are to blame not because of the inventions and distractions that they have created, but because of their attitudes towards them. Technology has helped humans but many have been excessive with its use. As with most things, balance and moderation is key and will allow more meaningful things to enter into our lives.