"Not Waving But Drowning" And "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers"

Part I of Essay
Stevie Smith's "Not Waving but Drowning" and Adrienne Rich's "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers" are similar in that both poems' characters have lived their lives with regret and sorrow. Neither of their lives were lived to the fullest and as death approaches, the question of, "w ....

Part II of Essay
.... put on for so long prevents people from seeing the weakness and struggle he is enduring. In a sense, he is secretly drowning. The line, "It must have been too cold for him his heart gave way," refers to the loneliness in this man's life. Perhaps he pushed people away from him and lived his life in isolation. Maybe he never opened himself up enough to engage in personal relationships and to love and feel love for another. Or, perhaps he was active in society and took part in social gatherings and hosted parties. And by doing this, he ....