Explain how the setting both influences and reflects the authors own context

The setting in Iolaire has a key role in the poem and also gives the reader a clear picture of the authors social context. A social context which has consequently influenced the author. There are themes which can be traced back to his context, such as religion. Iain Crichton Smith writes in first persona looking at the events from an ministers point of view. This representative of the Calvinist Church, is observing the remains of the dead bodies, victims of a ship wreck. Iain Crichton Smith was too young to witness the shipwreck of the Iolaire. Ship which was bringing back soldiers native from the Isle of Lewis. In the morning of New Years Eve, HMS Iolaire smashed into some rocks. An hour later the ships back bone was broken and out of the 284 servicemen and crew, only 79 survived. Ian Crichton Smith moved to the Isle of Lewis at the age of two. Isle of Lewis which is very religious, strictly following Presbyterianism traditions. Despite this Crichton Smith was an atheist. This is an example of the setting influencing the author as one of the main themes of the poem is religion. The is a certain irony in the author, being an atheist, the fact that he depicts the event from the eyes of a religious figure, through the mental processes of a minister. However this is explained with the overall conclusion of the minister toward the end of the poem, where he doubts and loses faith. Crichton Smith uses the events of the Iolaire to challenge the religious believes, the same religious believes he refused to follow. The poem shows step by step how the minister loses his faith, fundamentally overwhelmed by the tragedy. This is an extremely powerful image, as the minister is a man who has embraced his religion, who acts as the moral guide in times of great depression like this. The author decides to show the downfall of one the most advocate spiritual figures. The monologue can be broken in to three main parts, each with its role in the ministers alteration. The poem begins with observations of the desolate scenery. This raises a new theme: natures part in the whole event. Returning to the minister and his observations there is this repetition of seemed. The author uses this repetition to hint that even the minister is confused, uncertain of the real truth behind the events. The metaphor of the fixed hat, which seemed to float.. is a clear sign of his loos in faith. The fixed hat symbolizes his religion, but again the repetition of seemed, which itself symbolizes uncertainty, illusions, un-fixes the hat, which floats. This concludes the first stage. Where confusion and shock are predominant. In the following part the minister is looking for an answer. Who is responsible, why did they deserve this fate. The personification of the star and its innocence can be read in two ways. The surface meaning of this personification refers to the occasional use of stars as a navigation tool. Nevertheless with this phrase the minister is reaching a deeper meaning. Fate is not responsible. The rhetorical question The seagull swam bonded to the water. Why not man? gives the reader the minister is actually feeling frustration, small amount of anger. All emotion incompatible for a spiritual man, there demonstrating his complete detachment now from his faith. In fact the second part is a succession of questionings of the minister. Have we done ill, I ask, the minister cant see any good explanation for a punishment and that leaves the scary option of a god just playing with peoples lives. Figuratively speaking Iain Crichton Smith has chosen an apparently calm setting. Nonetheless the reader shouldnt forget that the minister is surrounded with dead bodies or precisely cold insect bodies, he keeps questioning God, obviously there are no replies,

Explain how the setting both influences and reflects the authors own context
which increases the frustration. The solid church he has seen is in the past. The scenery in front of him is not. The second section is characterized by frustration and dark imagery; the dead people, mortal bells. The third and last part, the tone calms down, but its not that confused calm in the first part, but the author shows how the minister has given up. The fixed hat metaphor is re-introduced. As he touches a non-religious hat-less dumb blond head he experiences something new, confusing. He still embraces this odd feeling. Nature again comes in closing the plot like a cycle. The last lines used by the author sets an ending to the life altering journey this minister has undertaken. Its not his hat that floats, but himself, in his black uniform. His religion is now just a duty and not a choice. The controlling theme at this point is nature, as the religious theme fades away. The green ignorant waters embrace him; as the minister rules out God, there is no entity to which give the blame for the tragedy. His only option is to accept nature was the only factor. In a way the author shows how the minister has changed religion instead of losing it. He was ignorant to Gods thoughts and plans. Now that he accepts nature he is still ignorant, nevertheless calm. Iain Crichton Smith directs the poem into religion, however as the ending demonstrates, throughout the poem nature is the disguised theme. The author believes that the only responsible for the events is the power of nature. The poem begins with the green water washing over them. The author shows how nature is in control. This contrast very much with the minister who understands the power of nature only towards the end. Instead throughout the poem the author demonstrates natures abilities. As the sea and the storm took away the soldiers life and not the ministers God, nature also gave back the bodies: The water which was thin and white unravelling towards the shore. In sloppy waves, in the fat of the water they came floating home.. The theme of water runs throughout the poem, sometimes being personified. The seagull swam bonded to the water Why not man? is the rhetorical question the minister mistakenly directs to God. The seagull is bonded to water and is not harmed like the soldiers and sailors. Another concealed display of natures power. This introduces also a theme of irony as the minister has the true responsible for the tragedy right in front of him, nature, yet he is so blinded by his faith, he despairs at an apparent untrue God. The author begins the poem with the green water washing over corpses. The poem ends with the green water taking the minister. This clear cycle underlines how nature runs our system. The poem overall shows how religion is used to explain natures doing. Something we cant, like the minister being embraced by the ignorant water. The crucial part is the way he surrenders to this ignorance. Unlike religion, the minister doesnt need to waste time, for example on concepts like Have we done ill to deserve this. He is calm in this ignorance. The use of the ship as an extended metaphor to its faith sinking This reflects the authors atheist view and degrading religious belief. There were also other detectable themes. Such as irony. The irony with the whole narrative. Soldiers surviving war, but dying a few miles away from home due to natural calamities. Likewise the timing of such an event. New Years morn, should symbolize a fresh beginning, but it meant the end for the soldiers. Another theme that could be veiled under the poem is a philosophical issues like the human condition.

Explain how the setting both influences and reflects the authors own context
The setting clearly influences Iain Crichton Smith own context. At young age he wouldnt have been allowed to deviate from the Calvinist doctrine, this reflects with the blindness of the minister together with all the inhabitants of the Isle Lewis. Growing up however, it was thanks to events like this that he would have started questioning the existence and then become an atheist. In a way the ministers path could have also been the authors path.