In order to interpret and deconstruct this poem I would begin by highlighting any important words and sentences. Then, I would observe the structure and its shape. For example this poem has 14 lines. Whilst paying attention the lines I would also look at the rhythm, if there is any. I this case the structure helps me analyze another aspect of the poem, setting. In this first stanza we are give one location and in the fourth one we are given another. Consequently, after each location we are presented with an action. Lastly, before starting the actual analysis of the poem, there is one last step to deconstructing it: diction. Words play a vital role in this poem and by analyzing them the reader can acknowledge what the author is trying to convey to the audience. The poem ends with Splash ! which is an example of a mimesis. Moreover, it is evident that every noun is preceded by an adjective, indicating that this poem is extremely descriptive. In the fourth stanza of the poem the author uses two words that contradict each other, he says, “Biggest little pond.” As to why that is, is unclear to me at this point in time. After revising the poem multiple times, it seems as though to give an accurate analysis of the poem I must focus on speaker, form, and diction.
The speaker of the poem studies the actions that take place at the lake. He says:
“After all day scrambling on the peaks,
A naked bug
With a white body and brown hair
Dives in the water”
The speaker is monitoring the activities that happen at the lake in order to understand it better. He begins by giving the reader the setting of the poem and then follows it with the action that takes place. Moreover, Diction plays a vital role in this poem as the last word of the poem has a major influence on the reader’s last thoughts and analysis. It feels as though the word expresses a sense of freedom, with all the worries that leaded up to the day, they all vanish when the naked bug makes contact with the water. Splash!
This was an extremely hard poem, which I believe to have done a horrible job at deconstructing. Hopefully, after careful revision and some more time with the poem I will understand its meaning and purpose.
After having read an analysis based on the “old pond” I realized that a couple of my ideas were quite accurate while others were way off. For starters, I emphasized a great deal on the fact that a description was followed up by an action. Paglia seems to agree with my statement she says, “ ‘Old pond’ move from admiration of the luminous beauty of a mountain snowscape to the quick impulse and impact of dive into a glacial lake.” Just as I thought, Synder gives the description of a beautiful place and then tell the reader what its purpose; what it’s used for. Although, there were a couple of lines that I understood, there were many that left me clueless. For example, I didn’t understand what Synder was referring to when he said, “up through time.” However, thanks to Paglia’s analysis I was able to understand the essence and importance of that line. She explains, “Hence this flight through space is prefigured or inspired by the airborne birdcall.” This not only explains this sentence but it also helped me understand the lines that came after it. Lastly, I was glad to find out that I got the last line of the sentence right. As I had analyzed the last sentence of the poem indicates the fact that the person is letting go of all their problems by jumping into this beautiful lake. Overall, I understood a small portion of the poem; however; due to Paglia’s analysis I was able to understand the poem considerably more.
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