Symbolism In Diving Into The Wreck By Adrienne Rich

Improved Essays
Adrienne Rich 's piece, “Diving into the Wreck” published in 1973 takes readers on a journey to the seemingly complex pits of the ocean to view a vividly described shipwreck (McKay, “Adrienne Rich”). Rich paints a picture of her mysterious journey to the shipwreck and forces the audience to take a closer look at what the shipwreck as well as her overall journey are truly symbolizing. Adrienne Rich effortlessly includes several elements and vehicles of poetry within her piece such as imagery, allusions, repetition, and symbolism in order to create a piece which allows her to expose the theme of gender identity and gender roles within society as well as the overall theme of finding oneself after disaster, despair, and the recurrence of unfortunate …show more content…
This calls forth questions from the audience pertaining to what the book of myths is and more importantly who is the author of the so called book of myths. Through interpretation of the poem, one can conclude that the book of myths is the untold stories and underlying messages that society, as a general whole, shed on that of gender roles. Adrienne Rich again writes about the complex issue and call to action in regards to gender roles with the change in identity from the speaker being alone and one person to appearing the be intertwined between the two genders of both male and female. Adrienne Rich uses key word “alone” and the repeated element of feeling alone to emphasize how the journey began as one thing and then ended as another. This change in identity that Rich portrays though the speaker of the poem can be viewed as her insisting that the said myths also be changed and advanced. Adrienne Rich discusses this change in identity when she …show more content…
The additional theme that “Diving into the Wreck” sheds light on is that of self-discovery, acceptance and change. Rich gives way to the idea that one must first possess readiness and courage to make the adventure and journey to what very well may seem like the bottom of the ocean in order to make this discovery. One must also be willing and prepared to face and come to terms with whatever they may come into contact with on that journey such as memories of sore experiences and agonizing information. Lastly, you must be willing and prepared to make this journey and view the findings from the perspective of a bystander, a victim as well as a survivor in order to gain the needed knowledge to move forward and take action. Rich is eluding to the desire of change and in order for the action of change to occur the action of learning and growth must also take place. This poem can be related to many different scenarios and situations surrounding that of the human psyche such as coming to terms with a mental illness, revisiting a tragic event years later to allow for forgiveness, an individual desiring a better relationship with God after years of abandoning their given faith, and taking a look at the climax and events which may have led to the eventual termination of a marriage. Rich states that there are “tentative hunters” surrounding the

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