An Analysis of “Singing to Wolves”
The poem, “Singing to Wolves” is a modern poem, that tries to explain to the reader how wonderful solitude is, but also considers it’s negative side, with the example of a lonely girl. The poem starts off with a brief encounter into the history of Wales, and talks about the Llanthony monks, who the reader is told were unloved by the Welsh, and thus driven to a lonely life in the wilderness. By reading this poem, it seems as though being unloved is a popular reason for solitude. After this brief insight into Wales’ history the reader is then taken back to the realms of modern day living.
“Why should we stay here singing to wolves?”
This opening sentence seems to act as a kind of question, which is answered in the course of the poem. At first it sounds like a stupid thing to do, but eventually the reader realises that the wolves become very symbolic in the poem. Wolves are thought of as being ruthless hunters of the wilderness, and one could hardly imagine them being impressed by the singing of any person.
For the monks the Wolves were those that despised them (the Welsh), and by “singing” to them, they were actually trying to convince them of their belief etc. And seeing as no-one ever listened to them, they may as well sing to the wolves, as they take just as much notice of them.
However the wolves also have another interesting metaphorical meaning in the poem. These days they no longer roam Britain, and have all died out,&nb...
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...flowers…”
Another interesting thing that the poet makes use of is semicolons. These are used throughout the three stanza’s. The point of these semicolons is to make the sentences seem longer, and bring a certain amount of continuity to it.
“…said Llanthony monks; and left for soft living…”
Once one has recognised the ideas behind the text, one realises that the poem tries to make the reader think about the world he lives in, and maybe even prompt him into looking more deeply into his way of life, and try not to simply follow the pattern that everybody else makes. The poet has don this by using the example of the monks in the past years, and the little girl in our modern world. Maybe he wants the reader to find a medium between becoming a statistic, and singing to wolves.
First of alll, the poem is divided into nine stanzas, where each one has four lines. In addition to that, one can spot a few enjambements for instance (l.9-10). This stylistic device has the function to support the flow of the poem. Furthermore, it is crucial to take a look at the choice of words, when analysing the language.
mentioned in Judith, with, “…The lean wolf rejoiced/ in the forest, as did the dark raven, / a
The Roman Army was a masterpiece in itself. There was no other army like it, and was impenentrable. This was probably because of the extreme patriotism and pride in battling for Rome, and maintaining their superiority. Gladiator, "RomanArmy.com", and The History of the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire all portray this patriotism in many aspects.
...otter, disturbing high pitched sounf of the oystercatcher, the cormorant, and the heron all connote the idea of an overwhelming chaotic nature of the world. The first two lines of the second stanza justify this view because we find that the speaker has gone through a personal experience of facing death. However, in the majority of the second stanza, the speaker finds a more peaceful underlying order in the next few images he sees. The butterfly, a couple quietly speaking, and the soothing warmth of nature all appeal to an underlying order, filled with peacefulness and serenity. From the different perspectives of a single experience of the speaker, the author is able to create a world where although chaos can be present through personal experience, the underlying order is still intact, as long as one is able to look at it from a more calm and peaceful vantage point.
It has been said that the wolf is one of the most voracious and horrifying animals that exist in nature today. But, in all reality, is that actually true? One is unable to make an assumption such as this without a firsthand experience, or so that is expressed in In The Shadow of a Rainbow and Never Cry Wolf. Authors Robert Franklin Leslie and Farley Mowat make every attempt to convey the true nature of the wolf throughout their journeys, as they prove claims falsely accusing wolves, with documented evidence of complete vigilance. These works of literary nonfiction effectively refute anti-wolf claims made within them through being dangerous to the wildlife, dangerous to humans, and viciousness.
The truth is the battle is about far more than wolves; it is about a lack of discussion and understanding between two entities, both with strong convictions about what is right - for themselves, their families, their communities, and for the wolves. Considering the battle fought over one Wolf and Coyote Derby, that conversation is nowhere near happening.
However, in 1995, a study consisting 16,625 young adults was conducted. Close to 10% of those participants admitted to using a tanning bed within the past year. Girls whose ages were between 15 and 18 were more likely to use tanning beds. The study also shows that those individuals who had friends that used tanning beds were more likely to engage in the usage of tanning beds. It can be concluded by researchers that girls do not consider the long-term effects and consequences of using a tanning bed. Various analysis proves that attitudes associated with tanning, such as the preference for tanned skin, having many friends who engage in using tanning beds, and the belief that getting sunburned is worth being able to be tan, were generally associated with inconsistent sunscreen use, more frequent sunburns, and increased use of tanning beds. The study’s findings suggest that many children are at a later risk of skin cancer because of suboptimal
Outward appearance was extremely important to the Romans and the first thing that new recruits learned was to march in perfect form. Once they knew how to march they were then assigned to the legions in which they would remain for the next 20 years of service. (the book) The legions were made up of between 5000 and 5500 men. In a legion there were 10 Cohorts and in those Cohorts there were 6 Centuries. Auxiliary troops, although not usually counted as part of a legion, were part of a legion and could raise the number of men from around 5000 to 6000. The number of legions active in the empire was consistently between 25 and 33. (internet, http://museum.simplenet.com/rome/military/military.htm) The average year for auxiliaries to serve was 25 years or less. After about 20 years in the legions they “graduated” to a veteran cohort, and continued service there for about 5 years. The soldiers who completed their 25 years of military service to Rome were given a “diploma” made of bronze. It was actually a record of their service throughout the years and a copy was kept in soldier’s files in Rome. (the book)
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In Stage 3 the epigraph describes the students are choosing to reject the host culture and choosing to keep their wolf identification because they believe that wolf culture is far superior to human culture. The epigraph says that it is “common” that during this stage the students “reject the host culture” and “wonder how the people can live like they do” (p. 244). Students “may feel that their own culture’s lifestyle and customs are far superior to those of the host country” (p. 244). The students “withdraw into themselves” because they think wolf culture is more superior to the human culture (p. 244)
In the second epigraph in the short story “St. Lucy’s Home For Girls Raised By wolves’’ by Karen Russell discusses how it’s not easy going from a wolf to being a human. The girls must work hard and try their all to make it. They feel like they don’t belong there, it’s like going from a small school to a big school. They day dream of their old way of life. They feel uncomfortable and depressed.
In the last stanza, they ask how they will live without their dog. This only reinforces the fact that they are attached to this animal i...
... taught humanity that if A loves B then B’s happiness is A’s happiness, B’s pain is A’s pain. Love is the expansion of the self to include the other. In addition, a wolf’s wisdom can help people dissolve the barrier humans have built over time that obscures the truth about humans’ interconnection with nature. In fact, when this barrier is removed, humans can begin to perceive all of nature as part of their soul family and not as something else which they can destroy at will. In the end, wolves and humans have been close to each other for tens of thousands of years in many ways. Wolves have taught early people how to survive and wolves have also taught early people what spirituality is all about. It now of humanity responsibility, using creativity, intellect, love, and awareness, the wolves gave humans, to again find the perfect place in the scheme of Great Mystery.
The first stanza directly addresses the Tyger, which is, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, “a large, carnivorous feline quadruped.” It sets up the theme of night, along with which comes darkness and evil. The third and fourth lines ask the first of many repetitive and, in a sense, unanswerable questions: what kind of creator has the ability to make something with such “fearful symmetry” (4)? The second stanza moves on to ask the same question in a different format, inquiring where the Tyger came from: heaven or hell. Starting in line 9, the speaker uses powerful imagery to ask again what God could create the Tyger. The diction portrays the Tyger as evil, with a “twist[ed]” heart (10). Lines 13-16 make up the fourth stanza and compare the creator to a blacksmith. Lines 19 and 20 ask two questions that are different from the rest: “Did he smile his work to see?/Did he who made the Lamb make thee?” These lines ask of the Tyger if his maker was happy to see what a monstrous being he had created, and if it was the same maker that made the pure and innocent Lamb. In a sense, t...
... since it deals with the growth of the mind. Therefore, the poet uses syntax and form to emphasize on the important matters that occurred in each stanza.