Summary Of The Poem Voice By Billy Collins

The first place that we see the word “voice” is in the third line of the poem. The word is being used in a negative way within this line. The author says, “though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice.” The author’s reaching out to the reader in this instance. In general, the author states how we are on a self-discovering journey. However, more specifically it is a journey that no one else can help us with. Those surrounding us are throwing their thoughts and advice at us. We lock our mind down and keep those words out because they will not help us on our new path in life. This word helps to further one of the multiple themes, self-discovery, because although there is a lot of outside influence, she knows it is not her path so she continues on past the negativity. This meaning depends upon similarities with other passages in order to gain meaning. …show more content…
In this context the word is being used in a desperate way. The author says, ““Mend my life!” each voice cried, but you didn’t stop.” Within this line the author is saying how others begged her to listen to their advice. I took it as them regretting parts of their lives. So in order to make up for what they hadn’t done, they tried to pass this on to the author so she could make it up for them. This word furthers the authors theme of self- discovery because it shows that no matter how hard the others begged, she continued on her own path and blocked out the others voices. This meaning depends upon similarities with other passages to gain