Analysis Of The Poem By Rita Dove

The general muses over how her mother died and how “her walking cane” planted in her memory blossoms “each spring stolidly forming / four-star blossoms”. The general visits the room of his mother in the palace where he sees the beautiful curtains for the windows and a parrot in the brass ring. But he feels dejected because his mother is not in the room to enjoy all the luxuries of life. Rita Dove beautifully captures the mind-set of the general. He searches for a person to kill. The following lines speak how only a selected few enjoy the power and privilege in this world and the others dance to the tunes of them.

The general pulls on his boots, he stomps to her room in the palace, the one without curtains, the one with a parrot in a brass ring. As he paces he wonders
Who can I kill today. …show more content…
He lacks mercy for others but he avoids sweets from the day he saw his mother collapsed in the kitchen while baking candies. To high light the merciless temperament of the general and his relatives Rita Dove depicts that her mother baked candies in the shape of skull for the Day of the Dead. The general loves the caged parrot from his mother’s cabin which speaks volumes about his temperament. His temperament can be interpreted as he likes whatever is preferred by his mother or he allows only who are under his power like the caged parrot. The parrot is selected by him as the parrot could repeat what is pronounced and it never speaks beyond what is taught. As the parrot is obedient, he orders pastries for the bird. It shows his soft corner for his