Topic > The nature of the human bird in Symmons Roberts Hitchcockian

Symmons Roberts presents us with the idea of ​​primal instinct and the ferocity that is still part of human nature; he is comparing our natural behavior to that of birds. The poem is obviously not about birds attacking people despite the link to Hitchcock's film "The Birds", but it is about the soul, feelings and gut instinct and doing "what your heart tells you to do" . This suggests that each of us has a type of "bird" inside us and whether we may or may not find out what exactly it is, we only know about its existence. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The first stanza of the poem creates an ominous and uncomfortable feeling, as the central point in the first line gives an unexpected and dramatic impact and is then followed by almost eerie images of birds “chirping”. The idea of ​​these birds looking at you and "chirping" gives the speaker a slight discomfort as the sinister, childish tone brings thoughts of paranoia and unease. The images of these birds are developed further in the third line when they are described as having "red-rimmed, sinkhole eyes", giving the image of evil in their deep, dark eyes. This makes the speaker immediately feel uncomfortable, and they will further discover that the poem suggests that this evil is actually a part of them, making imagery a very effective technique. The sense of ferocity is developed in the second stanza, as the 'tap-tap-tapping sound' forms an image in the speaker's mind that the birds chase them, knock on the windows and search for them, which links to the sense of thrill of Hitchcock's film. This primordial but chilling action is then said to have "the urgency, the hunger, the frank sense of wild nature"; this climax works to produce its meaning that human nature is not dissimilar to that of birds as the pattern of three foreshadows the pattern of three used in the last line of the last stanza. The “straightforward sense of wildness” refers to the primal instinct found not only in birds and other animals, but also in humans. It suggests that beneath our apparent civilization we all have primordial impulses and we will all act on them. The third stanza is where the birds stop being described and the image of "a single egg" inside each of us is introduced. The metaphor of the comparison between the egg and the heart emphasizes the fragility of the heart and soul, and in the last line of this stanza we understand that this egg breaks due to its fragility. This symbolizes how easy it is to slip into savagery, and the fact that the egg is "laid" suggests that it is not permanent and secure; emphasizes uncertainty. Symmons Roberts uses the phrase "la petite mort" which is French for "the little death" or "orgasm". Depending on how you translate and interpret this phrase you can get a different meaning from this line in the poem; if we consider it "the little death", the juxtaposition placed immediately before the description of birth suggests pain as we discover the "bird" or "instinct" within us. There is a further juxtaposition when the type of birds is explained as "it could be a wren, a bird of paradise, a dull rook", as the more positive image of a "bird of paradise" is compared to the boring images alongside to it which underline its rarity and the increased desire to be like him, to have this type of 'egg' placed inside you. 'La petite mort' is also translated as orgasm, and this double meaning could refer to the primal impulses of sexual desire. The climax in line ten works in".