W. D. Snodgrass’s “Leaving the Motel” focuses profoundly on language, tone, and symbolism, along with other strategies to express the idea of love as fleeting, yet businesslike. The poem tells a story of the happenings between two people at a motel after a surreptitious sexual meeting. These two people are participating in a secret affair and Snodgrass’s technicality expresses the formality and routine that their connection demands. Although the encounters are businesslike, situations in the poem suggest the two share tenderness and intimacy. However, this is suppressed by the well-organized discerning thoughts and activities of the two lovers as they prepare to leave the motel.
Snodgrass presents a language in “Leaving the Motel” that is direct and concrete. The descriptions within the poem are seemingly for the speaker as well as written by the speaker, as he/she goes over a list of tasks. The task of cleaning up is written to effectively present the cautious relationship that the two share; concern of getting caught is prevalent. For example in lines 3-4 and 9-10 the speaker states, “Pick up the …show more content…
Symbols are used to characterize the encounters between the lovers. The keepsakes mentioned represent the private nature of the lover’s relationship; they represent not only a memory of the meeting, but possible unearthing of their unfathomable secret. Snodgrass writes, “We’ve nowhere we could keep a keepsake-… That sooner or later others Would accidentally find” (11, 13-14). The two cannot mention of their encounter, just as they cannot keep these momentums. flowers appear to signify the love between the two. The speaker describes them as “our lilacs” (22). They leave the flowers at the motel, although they know they can’t come back to them. This is the same suffering the two experience because they cannot relive this
Snodgrass presents a language in “Leaving the Motel” that is direct and concrete. The descriptions within the poem are seemingly for the speaker as well as written by the speaker, as he/she goes over a list of tasks. The task of cleaning up is written to effectively present the cautious relationship that the two share; concern of getting caught is prevalent. For example in lines 3-4 and 9-10 the speaker states, “Pick up the …show more content…
Symbols are used to characterize the encounters between the lovers. The keepsakes mentioned represent the private nature of the lover’s relationship; they represent not only a memory of the meeting, but possible unearthing of their unfathomable secret. Snodgrass writes, “We’ve nowhere we could keep a keepsake-… That sooner or later others Would accidentally find” (11, 13-14). The two cannot mention of their encounter, just as they cannot keep these momentums. flowers appear to signify the love between the two. The speaker describes them as “our lilacs” (22). They leave the flowers at the motel, although they know they can’t come back to them. This is the same suffering the two experience because they cannot relive this