Week 1
Prompt 1: Do you agree with the theme of the poem discussed this week?
OR
Prompt 2: Tie in a personal childhood experience that relates to the poem discussed this week.
YES, Cite evidence. YES, back up your claim with not only evidence but a clear line of reasoning.
In my opinion the overall theme of the “Blackberry Picking” is that life is all about perspective. In the poem you can interpret it many different ways. Some see it as a metaphor for the loss of childhood innocence, other see it as an analogy for life, and some see it simply as the end of summer. When I first read the poem I strongly believed it was solely about an adult looking back on his childhood with envy and disbelief that he could be so naive. Therefore, I interpreted the poem as saying that we only have so many good “ripe” years, but after our ripe years we rot and become useless smelly objects. Though this is a quite morbid way to see life, I interpreted it this way because I only focused on the negative tone. In words such as “flesh”. “summer’s blood”, “clot”, and “hoarded”. Through these words I got the impression that once we reach a certain age and rot like the blackberries; we become worthless. However, when I read the poem a second time I found another meaning to the poem; life is precious and we need to cherish every moment no matter the curve balls life throws. Through this interpretation I focussed on the positive underlying tone within words such as “glossy”, “sweet”, and “hayfields”. All of these words give the audience a sense of joy and happiness surrounding blackberry picking. However this joy is mixed in with the imagery of hand “peppered with thorn pricks”. This imagery of battered hands serves the purpose of illustrating that despite all of best memories and moments life gives us there will always be pain and setbacks that we must overcome. I have come to the conclusion that the theme of the poem is that life is all about the way you interpret it which I agree with it. As seen in the above you can get two very polar themes, but it is all dependent on the way you look at the poem. Just how in life if you interpret a set back as a failure rather than an opportunity to grow.
ReplyDeleteCaroline Hunt^
DeleteI like your comment about the second time you read it and the positive focus of the poem as thriving for the best.
Delete^Josie Markovics
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI enjoyed reading your perspective on how many different ways to interpret this poem. I enjoyed how you found evidence to support your reasoning for the different interpretations of the poem.
Delete-Emily Ally
Personally, I think that depending on how you perceive the poem “Blackberry Picking” you could distinguish differing themes. For me, I perceived that the main theme of the poem that Seamus Heaney is trying to convey is the theme of growing up. Throughout the whole poem, Heaney utilizes an extended metaphor of blackberry picking in order to show the process of a person’s childhood innocence being undermined by the realities of life as they enter adulthood. In the first stanza, Heaney utilizes imagery, metaphors, and similes in order to convey the innocence of a child. The fact that the boys are using “milk cans, pea tins, (and) jam pots” show the innocence and naivety of the boys as they are not using correct baskets to collect the berries but rather are using anything that was available to them. This innocence is further shown through the tone of the first stanza. In the first stanza the poet establishes a tone of excitement and fervor through the usage of his sensual diction. He uses words such as “lust for picking”, “flesh was sweet”, and “glossy” in order to convey the eagerness and excitement of the boys as they are filled with desire to pick more blackberries. Heaney implements this tone of excitement in order to convey the hope and enthusiastic behavior that young kids possess and he choices to use descriptive diction in order to represent the goodness and innocence of a child. Personally, I agree that at a young age, children do possess a sort of innocence that is lost during adulthood. As a child, you are born innocent as you lack the knowledge of the harsh realities of life. In a child’s eyes, the world is perfect and there are no problems.
ReplyDeleteHowever, by the second stanza, Heaney juxtaposes the childhood innocence with the bitter realities of life that come with adulthood. In this stanza, Heaney utilizes a tone shift as his tone becomes full of disappointment and agony. He utilizes dark, gloomy diction of “smelt of rot” and “sour” to represent the loss of innocence. As the juices of the blackberry turn sour, life does too. You can see the disappointment of Heaney as he states “I always felt like crying. It wasn’t fair”. Heaney, who worked hard in the process of picking blackberries suffering from being scratched by briars and boots bleached with wet grass feels like all this work was a waste as the berries ended up rotting. In this part of the poem, Heaney conveys injustice as time to time again the berries rot after his hard work of picking them. This disappointment conveys the harsh realities of life that we realize as we grow up. I agree with Heaney’s theme of growing up. At a young age, we are naïve and full of joy but as we enter the real world with adulthood, we soon realize that life isn’t fair and sunny all the time. In fact, in reality, you may work hard and still not receive an award, or you might fail, or you will realize that life can be difficult at times. In my opinion, Heaney accurately showed the process of growing up through the metaphor of blackberry picking.
Emily Beaupre
I agree with the theme you chose about growing up because I think this poem is about more than just childhood and adulthood, it is also about the process of growing up and what happens between those to stages of life. You did such a good job at finding evidence to support your theme, and giving in depth reasoning to back it up, especially when talking about the juxtaposition in the poem. -Brynn Klaber
DeletePersonally, I see the main theme of the poem “Blackberry-Picking” as an allegory for life. I believe it is simply stating that all of us grow and mature, and yet in the end we all die. This is sort of a harsh take on the poem but it seems as though it fits so perfectly with the natural cycle of things. In the second line of the poem Heaney states, “the blackberries would ripen.” Due to the fact that this line is placed at the beginning of the poem it seems to connect with the idea that you are first born, and then mature or in this case ‘ripen’. As the poem continues it seems to me that it represents life in between maturation and death. In this case, that life is being represented as the picking of the berries. For me this seems to represent our own individual lives after maturation, the middle of our lives, and it also coincides with the middle of the poem. Then towards the end of the poem we see a shift in the tone of the poem, and references the rotting of the blackberries after picking. This dramatic shift fits perfectly with the idea of loss or death. “It wasn’t fair that all the lovely can fulls smelled of rot,” (Heaney 22-23) perfectly coincides with how every one of us will eventually perish. In summary, the whole poem is a complex development of the theme birth, life, then death.
ReplyDeleteCharlie Jones
Jackson McGarrigan
DeleteThis presents new ideas that I have not considered yet. Thank you for your insight.
In my opinion, this poem sort of brings the theme of all good things come to an end. It shows me that even though we seem like we may live forever, in the end natural forces take over and we die. It shows that no matter how wonderful our life is or how invincible we might feel, we not live forever. The line "The sweet flesh would turn sour" (21) sort of hinted this theme for me because of its use of words. The words Sweet and Sour are contradicting in this sentence and that makes them standout. This quote to me was a wake up call to reality and let me connect the poem to the real world in the way that I stated above.~~
ReplyDeletefatima mosqueda
I didn't interpret the poem like this, but as I read more I like your points about the ending of life and good things coming to end even though we may have had a good childhood and early life. - Josie Markovics
DeleteI really enjoyed your interpretation of what Blackberry-Picking means to you. It's kinda funny how we think things last forever and when something good ends we start to crumble as a human. -Emily Ally
DeleteI think the detail about life coming to end gives a deeper meaning to how we interpret the poem.
Delete- Thomas Stewart
DeleteI liked how positive you your perspective was on the coming of age and how all good things come to an end.
DeleteThe poem "Blackberry Picking" can support several themes depending on how it is perceived. Personally, I believe that this poem is an extended metaphor of life itself with the theme being "live life to the fullest". Seamus Heaney uses this poem to convey the theme by describing the beginning of life being youthful and towards the end, the tone becomes dark. It's as if Heaney is reminiscing on his youth as an elderly and he wrote this poem to give the audience an example as to why they should live life to the fullest because at the end, we all get old. In the beginning of the poem, Heaney uses sensual word choices to describe his passion for his youth. In the poem, he states "...flesh was sweet" (Heaney 5). This could be describing the innocence that a kid has at it's youth. Heaney also uses phrases such as "Leaving stains upon the tongue and lust for Picking" (Heaney 7). Heaney uses words such as "tongue" and "lust", which are sensual, to convey the passion that he has for his youth as if he misses it. He begins to explain the imagery of a ripen blackberry which can be a metaphor to kids as they grow. Similar to a blackberry, a child can grow. As soon as it becomes an adult, it can be considered "ripe". He continues the comparison by describing the sweetness of the blackberry, similar to a kid's youth. He uses a positive tone and word choice to convey the contentment at the beginning of life. However, in the second stanza, it gets dark. He explains how a fungus got into his berries and they began to rot. This can be compared to old age. As we continue to get older, eventually our skin will get wrinkly, similar to the skin of a rotten berry. In the second stanza, he states "It wasn't fair/That all the lovely canfuls smelt of rot" (Heaney 23). Heaney explains that he felt life wasn't fair due to the fact that reality leads us to a downfall in life. At the end, we all get old and die. He then leads on to say "Each year I hoped they'd keep, knew they would not" (Heaney 24). This quote conveys his reminiscing of the youth because he knew that it wouldn't last forever. The reason why I agree with the theme of this poem is because Heaney's use of imagery contributed to the theme. By perceiving the poem as an extended a metaphor of life, it supports the imagery of comparing the blackberry as a person's youth and a person's end in life.
ReplyDelete-Thina Ksor
DeleteI agree that the poem is an extended metaphor of life itself and you provide great reasoning to support that claim- Gabriela Miranda
DeleteIn my opinion, I view the theme of the poem Blackberry- picking as a way to represent the growth from childhood innocence to the struggles of adulthood. The poem can show the idea that one’s goals and dreams as a child can change with age as you may be introduced to certain barriers and overcome with greed. This theme can be similar to the one discussed in class as a loss of beautiful and simple life from childhood to the bitterness of aging. The action of picking fresh blackberries as a child can be seen as an extended metaphor of the simplicity and innocence of being a kid to the rotting berries that represent an unexpected turn of good things coming to an end the longer you have been “free”. The writer’s use of figurative language in the poem can help visualize the beginning and new stages of growing up. At first things are seen as “a glossy purple clot” (Heaney, 3) that calls attention to the need for more to be picked. This is supported by the “hunger Sent us out with milk cans” (Heaney,8-9), and the actions of innocent children wanting more and more in life. The more berries that have been picked, the harder it is for the children to eat them all before they start to turn bad; symbolizing the weight of adult responsibilities being too much to handle. The beginning of the poem has a light and naive tone expressed by children but shifts towards the end to the dark and dissatisfaction of adulthood. This shift can be seen through the writer’s word choice of “sweet flesh would turn sour” (Heaney, 21), expressing the actions of simple beginnings to hardships and struggles. In my personal belief, Seamus Heaney wrote this poem for readers to interpret it in many different ways, one of which I believe connects “blackberry picking” to real world problems and responsibilities.
ReplyDelete-Josie Markovics
I agree that the main focus of this poem is to emphasize our experiences as a child. Nice job at getting that point across when you talk about the simplicity and innocence of being a kid.
Delete-Thomas Stewart
I completely agree with the theme Josie chose to analyze because she is highlighting the idea that an innocent childhood eventually leads to a troubles adulthood. She did a great job at using figurative language and tone shift to back up her reasoning for the theme, and why she agreed with it.
Delete- Brynn Klaber
DeleteThank you Brynn for the feedback i'm glad you agree with my theme and we can connect by it. -Josie Markovics
DeleteBrynn Klaber Week One: Blackberry-Picking Theme
ReplyDeleteWhen reading and analyzing the poem “Blackberry-Picking” by Seamus Heaney, I thought the overall theme was that a happy childhood eventually fades into a sad adulthood. Heaney wanted to get the point across to his audience that being young doesn’t last forever, and you need to live your life to the fullest while you still can. Personally, I think the last line of the poem portrays the theme the best, stating, “Each year I hoped they’d keep, knew they would not.” This line emphasizes how badly the speaker wants time to stop, but no matter how hard he tries, he knows that he will just keep getting older and older. There’s a comparison between being young and old that is seen throughout the entire poem that highlights the overall message. The main comparisons between childhood and adulthood used in the poem are developed through the shifts in tone. The tone in the poem shifts from a positive to negative connotation. In the beginning the tone is joyful using words like “sweet” and “glossy”; however, towards the end the tone shifts to melancholy using words like “fungus” and “sour”. This shift in tone is utilized to resemble how being young doesn’t last forever, and it eventually fades away, which adds emphasis to the theme as a whole. Along with the speaker’s tone, and choice of words, the author’s style also helps to develop the theme. The rhyme scheme used in the poem is iambic pentameter and slant rhyme, using words like “clot” and “knot”. The rhyme scheme helps to create a rhythm throughout the poem in order to keep it flowing. Commas were also used alongside the rhyme scheme to keep the sentences flowing to create the illusion of life, and how it is constantly moving along. This relates back to the theme regarding how quickly life moves, so we need to cherish the moments we have because time is precious. Overall, I agree with the theme in the poem because life is shorter than we realize. You never know what is going to happen, so you need to live everyday like it's your last, and cherish memories forever.
ah yes I think this does a good job of showing the theme of blackberry picking
DeleteThank you! -Brynn Klaber
DeleteIn my opinion, the theme of “Blackberry-Picking” would be the inevitability of death for both nature and man. At first glance, the poem truly seems to be about just what the title says: blackberry picking. The author, Seamus Heaney, portrays this image of literal blackberry-picking through imagery. Within the first few lines, readers learn that it is nearing the end of August when “heavy rain and sun” have given way to the “full week” in which the blackberries ripen (1-2). The berries are on a timeline; they will grow, ripen for a week, and die; humans and every living thing follow a similar pattern of growing, maturing, and eventually returning back to the dust.
ReplyDeleteAt surface level, the poem has a nostalgic and innocent mood due to Heaney’s reminiscence of the harvest week. But, the dark underlying meaning of the poem becomes evident as Heanus uses violent figurative language to detail the blackberry-picking process. For instance, he describes the first ripe blackberry as a “glossy purple clot” whose “flesh was sweet,” containing “summer’s blood” (3, 5-6). The words “clot,” “flesh,” and “blood” give the berries human characteristics- all having to do with the mortality of man. I think Heaney wants his audience to realize that the transience of the berries is similar to their own: nature is fleeting and man’s time on earth is temporary. Death is just around the corner. Heaney describes the group’s blackberry-juice-covered hands as being “sticky as Bluebeard’s” (16). This reference to Bluebeard, a fairy tale character known for murdering his wives, signals the darker meaning behind the seemingly-commonplace activity of blackberry-picking. The berries the group picked would soon die as Bluebeard’s wives had.
The first stanza lengthily describes the black-berry picking; the brief second stanza abruptly details the rot and decay of the berries. I think this build-up to the harvest of the berries met with the let-down of their decay is purposely done by Heanus to highlight the brevity of nature. Nothing is long-lasting as we expect. Heanus utilizes imagery to illuminate the death exuding from the byre in which the berries were stored, describing the image of “a rat-grey fungus” on the berries along with their sour taste, stinking juice, and rotting stench. Hopeless, Heanus remarks how he hoped the berries would last, but “knew they would not” (24). Heanus has clearly seen this cycle of life and death play out in nature for years. Ultimately, death always comes knocking at the door. Utilizing the blackberry-picking anecdote, he demonstrates through figurative language and literal imagery the constant death ruling nature and man.
-Mary Claire Haldeman
It is very interesting to see the way you inferred this theme. It is not in similitude to the one I did but it definitely seems valid and I completely see within the context of this poem where this theme can be assumed.
Delete- Lilly Cox
Jackson McGarrigan
DeleteYou provide very good evidence here.
Emily Ally Week One- Blackberry-Picking
ReplyDeleteIn “Blackberry-Picking” I interpreted the theme as exploring the dissatisfaction often involved in gaining an object of desire. Heaney is unveiling greed. The unrestrained quest for more of the same for greater amounts of fulfillment leads to the destruction of the object of desire. Life is slowly destroyed, changed beyond recognition and enjoyment by hostile forces and by time. After reading the poem a few more times I took away from the poem that there was an older man who was reminiscing his childhood. He starts jovial and light but takes a dark and sad turn towards the end of the poem. Seamus Heaney emphasizes the contentment with the innocence that is being conveyed at the beginning of the poem and towards the end, he feels regrets and dissatisfaction in life. In the first stanza, the Seamus Heaney experiences the excitement of picking the first “glossy purple clot” while patiently waiting for the others to ripen, as they were “hard as a knot”. Heaney says, “you ate the first one and its flesh was sweet like thickened wine”. The use of the simile emphasizes the sweetness and joy that came with picking blackberries, which is comparable to the wonderful taste that one has while drinking wine. The poet uses the innocence of the blackberry picking seems to signify the innocence of a child’s life as the "sweet flesh" and “summer’s blood” seems to represent life’s goodness. The second stanza is full of images that seem to resemble images of decomposition. The images of the fruit fermenting as “the sweet flesh would turn sour”, remind the reader that as berries ripen, so does one’s life as it comes to an end…death. The overall tone changes in the second stanza, as the first stanza, is full of life’s happiness and the second stanza is full of sadness as life rots. The poet comes to this realization and concludes, “each year I hoped they'd keep, knew they would not”, which suggests all good things come to an end.
I really would have never thought of it in this way! It is interesting to see your point of view on the article in the first half of your statement and I can agree with how you interpret the mood and tone by using imagery. - fatima mosqueda
DeleteThank you! I think that it is great how our minds allow us to interpret ideas differently. -Emily Ally
DeleteEmily, this is a great analysis. I find it really important to see things from other people's perspectives and I feel like I learned a lot from reading this. The textual evidence was really symbolic of the points you were trying to make.
Delete-EVA HECHT
Thank you Eva!!
DeleteGrace Dunaway Week One: Blackberry Picking
ReplyDeleteConnections to “Blackberry Picking” In My Own Life
In the poem “Blackberry Picking”, the theme that I recognized is the feelings that come along with youth, such as passion and hope, often fade as one ages. This basically means that experiences one has as a child often feel different once the person ages and matures. For me personally, I have definitely experienced moments as I’ve gotten older where I have recognized that some traditions I engaged in when I was younger don't bring me the same magical feelings as they did when I was a child. Christmas, for example, was a holiday that brought me endless excitement throughout elementary and middle school. Once November hit, there was a magical feeling in the air, as my imagination took over and the excitement of the holiday filled my days. I was young and had little to stress about, so the anticipation leading up to Christmas never left my mind. I would spend hours preparing a wish list so that I could send it off to Santa and my grandparents. On Christmas Eve, I would always struggle to fall asleep as my excitement took over my body, and I would easily wake up at 7 am to unwrap the gifts brought by Santa. As I aged, these feelings of enthusiasm faded as each year passed. The joy that the holiday brought was overpowered by personal stressors such as school and drama with friends that began once I entered high school. Once I learned that Santa was a myth, that aspect of looking forward to Christmas also ruined the vibe of the holiday as a whole. This relates to “Blackberry Picking”, because the activity that had once brought the author so much joy as a child, became less enjoyable as he grew up. For example, the author began describing his experience blackberry picking as a child by recounting the taste of the blackberries as “sweet”. As he grows up however, he states “the sweet flesh would turn sour”. This proves the theme that as one ages, experiences become less enjoyable. I believe wholeheartedly that experiences as a kid are so much different than they are as an adult is because children are carefree and have no responsibilities compared to what teenagers and adults have. Often, these points of stress in one’s life can be a constant worry in peoples’ minds and can often overpower the pure joy that an activity or tradition is supposed to bring.
I didn't view the theme the same as you did, but I agree that the excitement does lessen as you get older. -Caitlin Fleming
DeleteWeek One Thomas Stewart
ReplyDeleteConnections to “Blackberry Picking”
I’ve had multiple experiences as a child that relate to the story of this poem. I’ve been strawberry and blueberry picking with my grandparents before, but it was a very long time ago. I can very faintly remember it, but what i do remember is that life felt a lot more care-free. As a six year old, there was nothing I had to worry about. I just lived my life as a kid and went along with the flow. Those memories of being out there in those fields bring up a lot of nostalgia whenever I think about it. This leads me to reflect on my past reminisce about all of the fun experiences I had as a kid. Another example of an experience I endured as a kid was going to the pool everyday to swim. Now that I’m older, I hardly ever go, and when I do, my friends are very rarely there. When I was younger, I would go everyday and I would always have friends there to swim with. It’s somewhat of a sad feeling that I don’t get to experience that anymore. Even when I do go to the pool with a few friends now, it doesn't feel the same as when it did when I was young and had nothing to stress about.
Your experience with swimming seems very similar to mine with Christmas.- Andrew Plate
DeleteYeah that experience comes into mind as well now that you mentioned it. -Thomas
DeleteWow Thomas! I relate to your swimming experience as well and the feeling of not having friends at my practices too. This correlates to the blackberry poem because there is a feeling of loss that comes with growing up.
Delete-EVA HECHT
Week One Hank McAlister
ReplyDeleteDo I agree with the theme of the poem we discussed
I do agree with the theme that we discussed throughout the week that this poem displays. I believe the major theme we discussed was growing up. Throughout the poem the author uses his word choice to create a change in mood that shows his feelings towards growing up. Words like dark, burned, and hunger show that the author did not enjoy losing his childhood. The poem shows that while growing up is ineviatable people still reach out to try and get a piece of their childhoods back
I agree with this. It is similar to what I wrote about. -Andrew Plate
Deletegreat minds think alike andrew - hank
Delete"Blackberry Picking"
ReplyDeleteCaitlin Fleming
The theme I recognized from the poem, "Blackberry Picking" was that sometimes good things come to an end, but to not give up because they will come around again. The theme I recognized was different than the one recognized as a class. I felt this was the theme of the poem because, in the beginning of the poem, the poet was speaking about the blackberry picking season and how much he enjoyed it, but then you reach the middle of the poem and the mood starts to turn gloomy. In the last half of the poem the poet is talking about the end of blackberry season and how he hates it. The blackberries in my opinion, symbolize good moments or happy events. So when the poet talks about it being blackberry picking season this would correlate to the poet having something good happen to him. But on the contrary, when he talks about the end of blackberry season this would show that the joy he got from the special occasion has come to an end. The readers can assume that blackberry picking season comes around once a year meaning that even though good things can come to an end, they continuously come around. Personally, I can relate this to my own childhood. When I was around seven years old me and my grandma would go watch a movie and then go bowling afterwards. We would do this every Wednesday. On Tuesday nights I would be so excited to go see a movie and go bowling the next day. This resembles how the man felt at the beginning of blackberry picking season. Once Wednesday was over the excitement was gone as well which is just how the man felt when blackberry season came to an end. But even when the excitement came to an end I knew I could look forward to going the next week.
I love how your essay took a different approach on the true theme on the poem. I also enjoyed how you described the symbolism of the blackberries and related this poem back to your own life. Great essay. -Grace Dunaway
DeleteThanks Grace. I'm glad you enjoyed the way I viewed this poem.- Caitlin
DeleteJackie Denenny
ReplyDeletePrompt 2
Growing up, there was a pack of wild black berry bushes right behind my house. As a little kid I would often go black berry picking with my mom and sister. Like the speaker, this was something I enjoyed to do in my childhood. I would go out with my family and have a great time playing around without a care in the world. As I grew older I stopped picking blackberries as frequently until I stopped completely. This relates to the poem's theme about the loss of adolescence because as I aged and grew up, I began to go blackberry picking less and less.
Andrew Plate]
ReplyDeletePrompt One
"Blackberry Picking"
The theme of living life to the fullest and embracing everything you encounter in the poem "Blackberry Picking" by Seamus Heaney is something I completely agree with. It is tough to know what exactly will happen in the future. That is why it is important to be grateful for the good things in life and even embrace the things you are not so fond of. The poem also has an incredibly morbid theme that all things will eventually die and Seamus Heaney explains this through rotting berries. I also agree with this theme. It is very similar to the first theme, just twisted into a darker version. Seamus says "That all the lovely canfuls smelt of rot./ Each year I hoped they'd keep, knew they would not." He shows here that as a kid he would always hope the blackberries would stay ripe, but unfortunately they would not, and he knew that. While I have never been berry picking or done anything like that, I can still relate to this poem. While Christmas is still an exciting time of year, it has faded since I figured out Santa Claus was not real in fourth grade. In elementary school, I thought Christmas was going to be just as exciting every year. Then once I found out that someone did not climb down my chimney in the middle of the night to give me presents, the excitement wore off.
I am in full agreement with the analogy you used of Christmas. I think it is very valid to say that experiencing Christmas is extensively more fun as a child than as an adult.
Delete- Lilly Cox
Gabriela Miranda Week One: Blackberry Picking
ReplyDelete"The Theme of Blackberry Picking"
The theme of life fleeting away is consistent with the authors word choice transitions. In the beginning of the poem when he is talking about his youth he uses pleasant and positive words to describe his experience, like "sweet" and "full". As he got older and aged life was not as he expected, he transitions to darker, more unpleasant word choice like "stinking" and "rat-grey fungus".
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI agree with the quotes you used to describe the theme.
DeleteGabriela Miranda Week One: Blackberry Picking
ReplyDelete"The Theme of Blackberry Picking"
The theme of life fleeting away is consistent with the authors word choice transitions. In the beginning of the poem when he is talking about his youth he uses pleasant and positive words to describe his experience, like "sweet" and "full". As he got older and aged life was not as he expected, he transitions to darker, more unpleasant word choice like "stinking" and "rat-grey fungus".
I agree with your analysis of the diction and its transition throughout the poem
DeleteLilly Cox (Prompt 1)
ReplyDeleteAfter reading and thoroughly analyzing the poem “Blackberry Picking,” the theme of: “the innocence accompanied with childhood dies out as time progresses and one grows old,” is thoroughly evident. Prior to reading the poem multiple times, I inferred numerous themes that could be displayed. However, after seeing the way that the author initially established the pure fulfillment a child gains with blackberry picking, and then shifted the poem into the sorrow feeling accompanied by adulthood, the theme was accurately shown. Not only does the author use precise word choices to portray this theme, but a very specific type of imagery as well. When stating claims such as: “leaving stains upon the tongue and lust for picking,” this causes readers to infer that when the children taste the blackberries, their naivety is provided with the incentive to keep picking. Furthermore, when Heaney uses the phrase “big dark blobs burned like a plate of eyes,” this form of figurative language instills a very specific image of the blackberries that the children picked day in and day out. This theme is especially evident towards the very end of the poem when stated: “the fruit fermented, the sweet flesh would turn sour.” The author starts off the poem informing readers how sweet this flesh was, and in opposition tells readers at the end of the poem that the flesh is sour. This is the perfect analogy for the innocence of childhood, and the contrasting negative association with adulthood. This is a theme that I definitely agree with, and one I feel is though is applicable to any individual. I firmly believe that accompanying naivety with a childhood is inevitable, and that is mutually the same for accompanying hardships with adulthood.
In "Blackberry Picking," the theme of the innocence of childhood being perverted throughout the march of time is clearly displayed. I have a personal experience that ties into this quite clearly. There are a multitude of children's movies that I loved to watch while I was younger. They hold a deep sentimental place in my heart due to my experience's enjoying them. A good example, though one that is much newer than others, is the Angry Birds movie. However, as I have rewatched these movies with age, I see hidden sorrow, anger, and adult themes that pervert the previously innocent and enjoyable films. For example, the innocence of the aforementioned movie displayed to a child shows a group of friends overcoming their difficulties and working together to defeat a common foe. It is a story of perseverance and growth that makes a young heart smile. However, having rewatched it in my older age, I see clear themes of hate, class division, and sexual remarkings running through the very fabric of the film. It changes the perspective I had on a childhood film, and makes it rot away, much like the blackberries in the poem. Both my experience and the poem account a pleasant memory formed as a young child, and how age and time have come along to pollute the idea I had of the experience to one of a more negative, condescending thought process. It truly does alter my idea of certain times and memories, and the passage of time is the main culprit in the situation.
ReplyDeleteI've noticed the same thing, this was well thought out- Gabriela Miranda
DeleteThe above comment was Jackson McGarrigan Week 1 Prompt 1
ReplyDeleteBooks Farabow
ReplyDeleteI did not appreciate the theme and tones of the poem "Blackberry-Picking" because as an artist myself I am keenly aware of artist's need for and modes of expression when they do not care about how their art is percieved. I have never been a fan of poetry, just because of how formulaic it feels to read. My take on the actual poem is that it is the theme (while very relevant to most human lives of people who grow up to what they would call adulthood) leaves out possible positives to entering adulthood. It feels pessimistic. Though wise, the poem at times reads as close minded. It seems to be written in a time in the authors life when they weren't fully able to portray two sides of the coin. I feel like I have entered adulthood head on, more so than I would think my friends have just because of experiences I endured and while I do understand and relate to the negative aspects of this poem to a pretty understanding degree I am also aware of the positives that come with being the most able version of myself (as compared to the simpler times that were my childhood.)
I agree with your view that the poem seems too pessimistic. Adulthood has negatives, but is also filled with positives.
DeleteEva Grace Hecht
ReplyDelete- Week One Prompt One
In “Blackberry Picking”, by Seamus Heaney, I felt that his prevalent theme of utilizing all that life has to offer and how maturation can foster physical and mental growth was extremely valid. Like Heaney, I believe it is important to remain optimistic, despite the hardships that so consistently hit us head on. His diction regarding this perspective was very ambiguous and difficult to interpret, however, when discovered, the words were filled with a persona of what it means to truly make the most out of the growth you experience in your daily lives. He uses words such as “ripen”, “sweet”, and “hunger” to encapsulate that feeling of squeezing the imaginary juice out of each occurrence that comes our way, whether it be a good one or a really awful one. Heaney’s approach to this symbolizes that the way we look at things is really important and truly makes the world of difference in the effect it has on our maturity. The last sentence of the poem is directly symbolic of the poet’s approach to not only the literal harvesting of the berries, but the metaphorical relationship that embodied the timely growth of human beings. Heaney is hopeful in saying “Each year I hoped they’d keep, but I knew they would not.” Depicting such hope for the preservation of the berries, we can also conclude that he is hoping for the preservation of the positive values of the human race. I agree with Heaney completely in hoping that someday, there will be change and people will learn to put aside their rotting portions of themselves, and grow where they are planted.
Many themes can be drawn from the poem blackberry picking, but to me one main theme stands out. When reading blackberry picking I noticed a main theme of life and death. Everything from the symbols being used, to the styles of the poem calls your attention to the contrasting theme of life and death which is so prevalent throughout the story. Lines like one and two draw your attention to the life part of the poem. “Late August, given heavy rain and sun For a full week, the blackberries would ripen.” These lines use bubbly language and feel slow and relaxed. Most of the first part of the poem is filled with lines like these but some of these cheerful lines are interrupted by wording like “flesh” and “summers blood”. Lines like nineteen and twenty use grosser language and depict rotting berries which makes the reader think of death and decay. These lines read “A rat grey fungus, glutting on our cache. The juice was stinking too.” Most of the poem holds these lines which hold either a life theme or death theme but some, like lines 17-18. These lines read “We hoarded the fresh berries in the byre. But when the bath was filled we found a fur”. These lines are intertwined with both allusions of life (fresh berries) and death (found a fur). Some other themes I noticed throughout the poem were maturation and decay, greed, and childhood. -Winston Eskridge
ReplyDeletePrompt 1
ReplyDeleteIn many ways I do agree with the theme of “Blackberry Picking” by Seamus Heaney; as young children, we are not entirely aware of the way the world works, especially the more negative things happening, and as we grow up and gain perspective many things lose their magic. This is just as Heaney initially sees blackberry picking as something incredible and “sweet” before the blackberries start to “rot” and “stink”. I would compare this to the way in which when we are younger we often can’t wait to grow up. I can remember wishing to be a teenager and able to drive around when I was younger and now that I am at that point in my life I know that it is not as perfect as I had expected it to be. That is not to say that there are no positive aspects to it, and I think that is a point in the theme that Heaney may have missed and as a result the poem comes across as being quite morbid. Though yes, many of our expectations as a child are not met by reality, and as a result many experiences lose their sense of magic and endearment, there are still many things that are great and not everything comes to the same rotten end as the blackberries in the poem.
Prompt 1:
ReplyDeleteI agree with the theme of this week’s poem, Blueberry Picking by Seamus Heaney. In this poem, Heaney laments the impermanence of youth and the joys it may bring. When you are younger, you see the world through a more colorful lens, and are naturally more hopeful and naïve, untouched by the world’s cruelties. Part of getting older is learning that life is much sourer than you grew up believing it to be, and you can only hope that things will remain as you remember them. In this poem, the author is at the stage in his life where he is beginning to learn the true, harsh nature of the world. He explains these feelings through a childhood memory of a field of blackberries. He describes how excited he is every year to pick the fresh, sweet berries, and enjoy each one that he has harvested, only to be crushed every year with the realization that the “sweet flesh would turn sour” (3), despite forcing himself to believe that there is a sliver of a chance that maybe this would be the year that they would last. The readers are meant to relate to Heaney’s childlike feelings of grief, and even apply them to their own lives. What, in our own experience, sharpened our innocent focus in order to bring the real world into view? I agree with Heaney’s theme especially because it is universally relatable. Like him, I believe there is a specific event in everyone’s lives that made life’s purpose more clear; if we don’t grow up, we will be left behind. (Regan Allen)
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ReplyDeleteRaneem Al-Habsha
ReplyDeleteWeek One Prompt 1
The theme in Blackberry Picking is childhood innocence, throughout the poem Heaney references a depicting childhood memory from an adult's perspective. These memories remind Heaney that as you grow up you can't avoid life disappointments but lose your innocence. Heaney is positive in the beginning as he talks about his summers as a young boy, the blackberries were "sweet like thickened wine" as he picked them before they became rotten. Heaney uses imagery to demonstrate this. "a rat-grey fungus" represents a negative tone. The blackberries were rotting is a vivid illustration of that innocence being lost and the passing of time is shown as "flickering lights". Heaney says "it isn't fair" (blackberries rotting), exemplifying the coming of age and getting older, no one wants to but you can't stop it, it's inevitable. However, we do see the Heaney learns to accept the facts even though it's bittersweet, he makes the best of it because it's the reality of life. I agree with Heaney on this theme, time does pass and there is not really much we can do except to accept it and move on.
Great response and you explained the theme very well -Carissa Boddie
DeletePrompt 1: Taylor Harris
ReplyDeleteI do agree with this week’s theme that is discussed in the poem “Blackberry Picking” by Seamus Heaney. As people grow up small things can stay as remnants of what their childhood was like or is able to remind them of a time that was way sweeter. The theme really draws on this idea of loss of evidence. This loss of evidence is seen when people grow due to being caught up in new experiences and life hitting them that causes them to realize the world is no longer made of up of castle knights and those who are the hero of every story. The realization of how hard life hits is depicted through the imagery of the ending of summer and how it felt while picking these blackberries. “Leaving stains upon the tongue and lust for picking, through the eyes of a child things are sweet. The berries left a long-winded expression of wanting more and craving for more. Through the colorful eyes of the child everything is worth running after. The theme is more amplified at the end ‘…the sweet flesh would turn sour. I always felt like crying” the is the ending of something the author was hoping to hold on to forever and one day have something just as sweet compare life too. The fact that he describes it as “rot” and how he was so hopeful they would “keep” but didn’t he know there was no hope in the end. The theme was well compared and could be vividly seen. It is best that we make good of all the good moments as much as possible. There is though one thing to remember that life as an adult is not as bad as it seems as long as everyone attempts to try and find joy in everything.
Week 1 prompt 1
ReplyDeleteLuke Rascoe
I do agree with the theme of "Blackberry Picking" by Seamus Heaney. When a person begins their journey through life you see the world in the most innocent light as possible because you know no better. However the more you grow up the more you notice how the world truly is and you start to realize the true colors of the people and things around you. This is shown in the quote “leaving stains upon the tongue and lust for picking,” this clearly shows the stain that grown up leaves on your subconscious self. When you grow up you begin to realize all of the hurt there is to be found in the world leaving a clear separation between you and your childhood self. Towards the end of the poem is where the author really raps up one's life by saying “It wasn’t fair that all the lovely can fulls smelled of rot,” (Heaney 22-23). This shows a journey from infancy to mid-life then to later life. That the farther you go the less "sweet" the world will be.
great response luke
Deletelily perry
ReplyDeleteprompt 2
I feel like this poem really relates to most peoples childhood because my interpretation of this poem is that there is a loss of innocence's and the mood change really exemplifies that. When I was a kid I didn't have a care in the world the only thing I was worried about was if I was going to be able to go outside and play. I had an amazing childhood everything was great. When I was a kid I was so excited to grow up and be one of the big kids ,but now that I am a "big kid" I wish I could just go back to being little and not having to worry about expectations and stress. The responsivity that comes with being older can make people crazy. Just thinking about what colleges to apply for is scaring me. When the poem gets more mobbed and sad that when I believe the kid is growing up.
I agree, it is so cool to look back and see ourselves as we would have as kids!-maggie
DeleteI agree! I love thinking back on childhood memories!!-Carissa Boddie
DeleteJohn Biesecker- Prompt 1
ReplyDeleteThroughout the poem, "Blackberry Picking", multiple themes are evident. The most clear and concise theme is the loss of innocence and childhood. As people grow up, their perspective of their world changes. We lose our child-like energy and innocence. This is characterized in the poem by the decaying of the blackberries. "The fruit fermented, the sweet flesh would turn sour.
I always felt like crying. It wasn't fair" The sweetness of the blackberries is a metaphor for childhood innocence. The decaying of the berries symbolizes a loss of this innocence. The author uses these symbols to craft a poem that is about much more than blackberry picking. Due to the theme and overall message of the poem, the author conveys a tone that sounds somber and signifies loss. The theme changes the entire poem, and gives it a much more important meaning>
I, too, relate to the themes you found in the poem. -maggie
DeleteThe poem Blackberry Picking by Phillip Hobsaum reminds me of my childhood as every year my family would go strawberry picking in May. As a kid I never really liked strawberries but I loved to pick them! That is why our trips to the strawberry farm were so special to me because even though I didn’t like to eat them the experience is special to me. In the poem the author said, “We trekked and picked until the cans were full,” I feel as I most relate to this quote because my most vivid memories of strawberry picking were running through the long fields just to find the best berries. Like the author, I worked as hard as possible to get the best of the best out of my time there. As me, and the author look back on our childhoods it's hard to believe all of this time has passed. When I look back on those blissful days picking berries I am sad to know that part of my life is in the past but also makes me happy just imagining the day. The author of this poem perfectly articulated the rush of emotions that come from remembering the past as we feel happy and sad in one fall swoop. It is overwhelming in a good way that makes us treasure our childhood forever and to always smile as we look back at blissful days when all that mattered was the adventure in front of us, blackberry picking. -Maggie Heckman
ReplyDeleteCarissa Boddie
ReplyDeletePrompt 2
Blackberry Picking reminds me a lot of my childhood. My family and I would go strawberry picking and also apple picking every year. We would also go to the pumpkin patch during the fall and get prepared for Halloween. I loved doing these as a kid and was always so excited whenever we would go. The author says in the poem "Where briars scratched and wet grass bleached our boots. Round hayfields, cornfields and potato-drills, We trekked and picked until the cans were full" and I can relate to this because I can remember when I was younger I would love to go strawberry picking and stay there as long as possible and would be so upset whenever it was time to leave and go home. These simple days we make me so excited but now those simple time are over. At least now I know whenever things in my life get too stressful I can think back upon these happy memories of when life was so simple.
Madeline Guyer
ReplyDeletePrompt 2
Blackberry Picking reminds me of times when I was a child. I sometimes wish I could go back to being five, playing pretend with my friends and breezing through kindergarten. Those times were filled with a playfulness and innocence that I didn't fully appreciate. Where I differ from the poem, though, is my view on the present and the future. I do not believe them to be 'rotting'. I believe I will enjoy my life even when I'm old and achey. The perspective that your best days are behind you is the view of a pessimist. I acknowledge the joyous simplicity of my younger years, but I can also appreciate all of the other moments that make living a full life great. It's important to keep in mind that your life will only rot if you let it.
Week One :
ReplyDeleteThe poem “Blackberry Picking” managed to develop the theme of loss of childhood innocence with its very detailed imagery, and Seamus Heaney’s writing is something I can support. This theme of the loss of childhood innocence as you age is very present in most of the activities we do and are still currently doing to this day. For example, as little kids school used to be something that we found enjoyable due to the teacher’s fun activities and the recess we were allowed to have. But now we are met with multiple class periods a day, multiple assignments, a short 30 minute lunch break, and the lack of fun or engaging activities in most of the classes we are enrolled in. Now school just seems like a daily chore, and instead of waking up excited about a field trip or a holiday party, we are forced to roll out of bed and attend class knowing we did not get the right amount of sleep due to the amount of assignments we are having to complete each night. As we get older, these activities become less and less fun, and seem to lose their magic they had over us. The author makes it very apparent in his writing that it’s better to live your life and do as much as you can while you still have the magic, and even then try and make it enjoyable.
- Hailey Trulove
Week One :
ReplyDeleteThe poem “Blackberry Picking” managed to develop the theme of loss of childhood innocence with its very detailed imagery, and Seamus Heaney’s writing is something I can support. This theme of the loss of childhood innocence as you age is very present in most of the activities we do and are still currently doing to this day. For example, as little kids school used to be something that we found enjoyable due to the teacher’s fun activities and the recess we were allowed to have. But now we are met with multiple class periods a day, multiple assignments, a short 30 minute lunch break, and the lack of fun or engaging activities in most of the classes we are enrolled in. Now school just seems like a daily chore, and instead of waking up excited about a field trip or a holiday party, we are forced to roll out of bed and attend class knowing we did not get the right amount of sleep due to the amount of assignments we are having to complete each night. As we get older, these activities become less and less fun, and seem to lose their magic they had over us. The author makes it very apparent in his writing that it’s better to live your life and do as much as you can while you still have the magic, and even then try and make it enjoyable.
-Hailey Trulove