Discussion Topic
Analysis of Metaphors, Personification, Tone, and Mood in Robinson Jeffers' "Wise Men in Their Bad Hours" and Their Reflection of Chris McCandless' Motivations
Summary:
In "Wise Men in Their Bad Hours," Jeffers uses metaphors and personification to depict wisdom and despair. The tone is contemplative, and the mood is somber. These elements reflect Chris McCandless' motivations by highlighting his search for deeper meaning and understanding in life, even at the cost of personal hardship and isolation.
Identify the metaphors and personification in Robinson Jeffers' "Wise Men in Their Bad Hours." What tones and mood do they convey? How might Chris McCandless' choice to include this poem in his journal reflect his motivations and desired judgments?
Metaphors are comparisons not using the words "like" or "as." Metaphors in this poems include comparing death to a "fierce meadowlark"—something strong that sings. In another metaphor, mountains are compared to dead stones. These metaphors convey a tone of defiance, communicated in words like "fierce" and "stone". You can live and die well and leave something of yourself behind that is strong and solid.
Personification gives animals or objects human traits. Here, the mountains are personified as having, like humans, "insolent quietness." Again, the tone is one of defiance, conveyed in the word insolent.
It makes sense that Chris would put this poem about death in his journal before dying. It articulates his sense of defiance—he was a person who took risks and defied norms. He is communicating that he lived with strength, like the mountains, and because of how he lived, he will leave something of himself behind.
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It makes sense that Chris would put this poem about death in his journal before dying. It articulates his sense of defiance—he was a person who took risks and defied norms. He is communicating that he lived with strength, like the mountains, and because of how he lived, he will leave something of himself behind.
For questions 1 and 2 please see the following eNotes post:
http://www.enotes.com/homework-help/an-enotes-literature-expert-ready-answer-your-477261
A discussion of question 3 follows here:
John Krakauer'sInto the Wild tells the story of Chris McCandless, who tragically tries to survive in the Alaskan Wilderness. He is confident, but unprepared, and meets with a difficult end.
McCandless leaves the poetic excerpt among his belongings to be found when his body is discovered. It is appropriate to the situation because it relates the power of nature (meadowlark, mountains, stone) to man's place in the natural world. We see that nature is indifferent to man in the words "their insolent quietness" which characterize the mountains as apart from man and unconcerned with him.
McCandless might have been trying to say that the natural world is bigger than any of us, and it is not possible for one man to survive in an inhospitable environment if he is not fully prepared, and as it turns out McCandless is not prepared, although he probably thought he was beforehand. He probably wanted to be seen as brave and adventurous and part of the grandeur that is the natural world.
The following two lines might reflect his last thoughts:
The mountains are not softened or troubled
And a few dead men’s thoughts have the same temper.”
If McCandless was fully aware of his impending death, he might have wanted to communicate that he was one of the "few men" who could leave life, like the mountains, unsoftened and untroubled.
What metaphors and personification can be found in Jeffers' "Wise Men in Their Bad Hours," and what tone and mood do they convey?
This question refers to the poem "Wise Men in Their Bad Hours" by Robinson Jeffers.
John Krakauer's Into the Wild tells the story of Chris McCandless, who tragically tries to survive in the Alaskan Wilderness. He is confident, but unprepared, and has a difficult end.
Metaphor: Death's a fierce meadowlark.
The tone could be considered reverent. To compare death to a bird is to acknowledge its rightful place in nature. To call it fierce, which is surprising for a meadowlark, is to say that regardless of its natural importance, it can be terrifying.
Metaphor: The mountains are dead stone.
Actually this one is debatable. One might say that this is not a metaphor because mountains really are composed of dead stone, therefore it’s a literal statement. However, I have included it here because Jeffers follows this line with some personification involving the mountains, which turns the whole idea into a metaphor. The tone here could be considered awe, or amazement. Mountains are an intimidating sight, especially if you are associating them with death, as this poem does.
Personification: . . . in their insolent quietness
These words refer to the mountains, and ascribe to them a certain attitude. The word “insolent” communicates the idea that the mountains really don’t care much about what happens to man, they are a part of nature, a quiet part, which is indifferent to humanity.
This personification creates a mood of . . . ? This is a subjective question. Ten different people might give ten different, but defensible, answers. I would say it creates, or at least supports, a mood of foreboding about the inevitability of man’s eventual decline. Sooner or later, nature will reclaim the Earth, and there will not be anything that man can do about it. Others may not agree with this mood, but we can interpret things in different ways as long as we can reasonably support why.