In the ending section of the poem, we can read “Entering the whirlpool/ Gentile or Jew” (Eliot, 7-8) which unfolds many images of water, as well as allusions to water. Firstly, the word “whirlpool” is a direct reference to water, as a whirlpool is when two conflicting currents collide with each other and create a chaos of waves. This word is also key when reading into the context of “Gentile or Jew”. Non-Jew or Jew introduces the allusion to Moses, who lead the Jewish out of slavery, by parting the Red Sea. This allusion makes reference to water, but also contrasts with the word “whirlpool” because as defined above, the whirlpool is where two currents meet. Moses, in contrast, parted two currents to make way for the Israelites. This opposition
