Death of a Young Son by Drowning

Title
A very literal title indicating an event taking place. The title is important in the
placement of the poem (start of journal 2). Moodie has experienced already
traumatic events such as the Two Fires but not a death of a family member yet.
Although sad and traumatic, the death serves as a connection to the land and an
important progression of Moodies transformation in accepting Canada.
Purpose
Moodie remembers the adventurousness and bravery of her son in a land that was
extremely strange and alien to her. The poem shows how the death of her son
establishes a link between Moodie and the land, allowing her to accept this alien
land.
Tone
The poem starts off solemn and serious. It describes her sons success and goals in
life. But it abrutbtly changes with His feet slid on the bank. It also becomes more
dreadful with the air locked, he was hung in the river like a heart.
Theme/Motifs/Literary Devices
Journeys are fraught with complications. Aspirations to discover new goals may not
go as planned.

on a voyage of discovery Parallels Moodies voyage to Canada where she

ends up discovering her other side and perspective similar to an animal.
his feet slid on the bank marks the beginning of the down fall of her hopes
and dreams.

Connection between the sons voyage and Moodies voyage.

on a landscape stranger than Uranus mimics the emotions and thoughts

Moodie had at the beginning of the first journal where she was apprehensive
of the new land.

Metaphors

Second Stanza The sons birth is described as a life full of success. It is

followed by his aspirations of discovery. His life essentially leads on a voyage
of discovery yet is cut short by his death. Moodie instead lives this voyage of
discovery throughout the 3 journals with the death of her son by drowning
being an important milestone in her transformation.
Ninth Stanza my foot hit rock Representation that she has hit rock
bottom in her life. She has experienced much trauma with the two fires, the
journey to Canada and her experiences but has not hit her lowest point until
the death of a family member.

The River as a Symbol

The river symbolizes the quickness of death. It symbolizes the sudden change
from a calm life to a life of chaos and sadness. Another component of the
Nature Vs Civilization or Chaos Vs Order found throughout all the Moodie
Poems.
The quickness of death is also shown with the abrupt ending of the poem by
the last two stanzas.

The world does not stop for one person

Moodies personal world was frozen with the death of her son. But Atwood
focuses on how the world must still go on with it was spring, the sun kept
shining.

Planted like a flag

Atwood ends this poem with I planted him in the country like flag
represents a physical connection between Moodie and the alien land. As the
son is buried into the earth, he has become one with nature. Moodie still feels
an emotional but not physical connection to her son thus creating a
connection with the strange land.