To What Extent Is a Focus on Metaphor and Symbol Central...

To what extent is a focus on metaphor and symbol central to an analysis and understanding of Douglas Dunn’s poetry? (The Kaleidoscope/Sandra’s Mobile/Second Opinion) It is considered more difficult for a poet to grab the attention and imagination of an audience than it is for an author. The use of metaphor and symbol in poetry means that the poet can say one thing and invoke a whole range of possibilities, be it love, anger, jealousy or envy; an old memory or a new wish. The use of metaphors and symbols enables the audience to see what they believe Dunn meant, by imaging his true meaning of a word. The three poems I have chosen to study are: ‘’The Kaleidoscope’’, ‘’Sandra’s Mobile’’ and ‘’Second Opinion’’. These are all part of the†¦show more content†¦Throughout the poem, Dunn recollects and remembers the memories, however, the use of the word ‘’wait’’ could symbolise the wait involved in grieving, finally accepting that your loved one is gone and beginning to piece your life back together. The repetition of ‘waitâ €™ in line 13, in reference to an absurd forgiveness shows us that Dunn blames himself for his Wife’s death, and it symbolises the amount of guilt he is carrying, especially when combined with the line above in which Dunn begins to resort to desperation through the use of the verb ‘offering me’ followed by the triad ‘my flesh, my soul, my skin’ which could symbolise the ultimate sacrifice. In line 7, ‘A symmetry of husbands, each redesigned’ shows the imperfections that Dunn believes he has, not even symmetry, the idea of an exactness to two halves, could stop Dunn being redesigned. It could also symbolise, through the idea of husbands, the huge workload that was placed on one man. This links with the triads placed in the poem, the idea of constant simultaneous actions, ‘stand, and wait, and cry’, ‘foresight, prayer and hope’, having to juggle the knowledge of The ‘tray’ mentioned in line 1 and line 10, could symbolise the idea of slavery, to be carrying a tray, responding to every movement and request, and yet, the reader can see that Dunn does what he does out of love, he puts himself through unimaginable turmoil to prolong the time