Narrow Fellow in the Grass

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Recommended: Theme of death in dickinsons poems

The poem "A Narrow Fellow In The Grass" stems from the idea of things seeming to be one thing, but really meaning something else. Throughout the poem hints are presented through vivid descriptions. Graphic word choices also present the poems true meaning. These hints along with the poet's use of tone, title, and associations, help the reader understand the given piece. "A Narrow Fellow in The Grass" is a snake. This snake represents a warning towards the suddenness associated with death.

The narrow fellow is first described as creepily riding towards something, and suddenly being noticed. This sudden appearance associates a snake "occasionally" appearing, with the unexpectedness of death. This is because no one ever knows that death is around the corner, it suddenly appears when one is least prepared. The snake brings out the same feeling of being unprepared from its sudden appearance.

It becomes obvious that Dickinson is describing a snake as she goes on to say:

"The grass divides as with a comb

A spotted shaft is seen/

And then it closes at your feet/

And opens further on"

As a snake passes through the grass, the grass divides as would if one was to brush their hair with a comb. If I were to see grass divide, followed suddenly by a spotted shaft, I would unexpectedly encounter a snake. The closing at the feet describes the stopping of the grass dividing once the snake comes closer to you. I feel that the division of the grass by the snake is associated with the length of your life and once the snake appears at your feet, your time on earth is up. The opening to me represents once you have died, you enter into a new life after death.

I feel that the author uses imagery throughout the poem to portray the snake's presence relating to death. The snake popping up every once in a while is a metaphor. The snake is being compared to death, as death and snakes both come abruptly.

Yet when a child, and barefoot,

I more than once, at morn, /

Have passed, I thought, a whip-lash /

Unbraiding in the sun,--

When, stooping to secure it,/

It wrinkled, and was gone

This set shows the meeting between a child and the snake. I feel that the snake retreating show how death usually creeps up to an adult rather than a child.

There is a sense of hospitality brought about in the second to last stanza.

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