1
Lessons
Life’s
Life’s Lessons
Autumn
Pearce
“Challenges make life interesting, however,
overcoming them is what makes life
meaningful”
Sara
Patterson
Alan Witt
2
Life’s
Lessons
Letter from the
Editors
Table of Contents
2
Letter from the
Editors
3
What Name Will You Be
Known By
Krista
Gibbons
5
The Eternal Annabel
Lee
Jake Earnest
8
Subtle Lures
Loryanne
Williams
11
The Danger of Public
Morality
Andrea
Knight
13
How I Met My Husband
Katie Butler
15
To Be or Not to Be
Man
Jessica
McIntyre
24
Temptation and
Abstinence in
Dear Readers,
Our journal attempts to inspire a higher
standard of living by highlighting various
examples of conflict's role in literature.
We believe that the lessons learned from
literature can be used to enable personal
growth and change.
We chose literary analyses illustrating
individual or public growth. Our accepted
papers evoke principles or standards that
can be personally applied to the reader.
They afford the reader new perspectives,
inspiring personal refinement.
We sincerely hope you enjoy the
following selection and invite you to find
ways of making them your life’s lessons!
The Life’s Lessons
Editorial Board
Editor-in-chief: Autumn Pearce
Analysis Editor: Sara Patterson
Analysis Editor: Alan Witt
3
Life’s
Lessons
What Name
Will You Be
Known By?
Krista
Gibbons
mundane. Mr. Hall takes them on this
journey, all the while dropping clues and
hints to the reader of what is going to
happen. “In April you pulled cartloads of
manure to spread on the fields, dark manure
of Holsteins, and knobs of your own
clustered with oats,”(5-6) Through this
imagery one can picture the horse as part of
In everyday life, there are moments
the land foreshadowing the horses’ death
in which people can learn a little more about
and pulling the reader onward. The imagery
themselves. These every day events make
is of the changing world around the horse,
people who they are today. It is up to each
and the ever constant work.
individual to find these moments and reap
the rewards from the lessons they hold.
Donald Hall expressed his view on life and
on the lessons, he learned from it in a poem
“Names of Horses”. It is a thought
provoking poem that leaves the reader
thinking at the end, wistful thoughts of
events that have changed their life. Through
the imagery and symbolism used by Donald
Hall the reader can see these lessons, that
will change their own view of the world
around them.
“Through spring and summer,/ for the
Glenwood stove next winter, and for the
simmering range.” (3-4) Mr. Hall opens the
reader’s eyes to see that life is hard, through
the life of the horse, “Brute shoulders
strained against collars,”.(1) The horse is a
The Poem “Names of Horses” takes
strong work animal doing the thing in which
the reader through the life of a horse. The
it was created or trained to do. Once it has
routine of daily plowing and hauling of
completed what the world around it sees as
wood and hay; forcing the reader to think
fulfilling its duty, the world moves on, thus
upon the things in their own life that are as
amplifying the idea that life is a series of
4
Life’s
Lessons
lessons that must be learned to end up on
not looking, life turns cruel and leaves them
top.
behind.
His imagery leads the reader through
Symbolism is also a key component
all the seasons of the horse’s life until the
in this poem, giving the reader the hidden
end. The spring is the prime of the horse’s
meaning to life. Mr. Hall shows the reader
life, he “dragged the wagon from stack to
that life is not always fair, that the lessons
stack,/and the built hayrack back, uphill to
people can learn, are to be aware of their
the chaffy barn,/ three loads of hay a day
surrounding and limits. If they are not aware
from standing grass in the morning.?(10-12).
of these things then the world, and life, will
When in the summer, “All summer you
consider them simply as another face in the
mowed the grass in meadow and hayfield,
crowd. Mr. Hall uses symbolism carefully
the mowing machine/clacketing beside you,
in his poem, using words and phrases such
while the sun walked high in the morning;”
as, “Stack to stack,”; “smoothing the wood
(7-8). To the autumn of his life, “Generation
as the sea smooths glass”; “goldenrod”; and
on generation, your neck rubbed the
“old toilers, soil makers”. Each of these
windowsill/of the stall, smoothing the wood
symbolizes some aspect of the horse’s life.
as the sea smoothes glass.” (15-16)
From vitality of youth to death, each is a
Concluding with winter, “When you were
symbol of how the horse will always be a
old and lame, when your shoulders hurt
part of the world around him. He will
bending to graze,/ one October the man,
always be remembered. The reader, like
who fed you and kept you, and harnessed
each individual, has symbols in their lives
you every morning./ led you though corn
that they leave behind on the world.
stubble to sandy ground above Eagle Pond./
Symbolism is key to understanding that even
and dug a hole beside you where you stood
if the horse is dead, he will forever retain
shuddering in your skin.”(17-20). Through
part of the work he accomplished, “Old
each imagery of his life, the reader can see
toilers, soil makers” referring to his bones.
that the horse’s life, much like people
We, like the horse, can do something after
unaware of it, will become planned and
our bones to have become “Soil makers”, we
scheduled in such a way that, when they are
will still have left our mark on the world.
5
Life’s
Lessons
We can see how through the imagery
and symbolism used by Donald Hall the
reader can discover life’s lessons. This
The Eternal
Annabel Lee
imagery and symbolism if understood will
Jake
Earnest
change their own view of the world around
them. Life is the culmination of many
lessons and as we can see from Donald
Hall’s poem, it is not necessarily a fair one.
We live life to our fullest, doing the best we
can, and if we do it right, we will become a
remembered part of the world. So when we
are dead and gone, our life will still have
touched and changed the life of another,
causing this process to continue on and on.
The Poem “Names of Horses” ends by
listing off the names of other horses whose
graves were made the same way, “O Roger,
Mackerel, Riley, Ned, Nellie, Chester, and
Lady Ghost.” Much like graveyards; where
we end up, does not make the difference;
what we do with our life does. This chaffy
horse lived his life to the best of his ability
and when he was of no use, it was ended
like many before him. The world around us
does the same thing, the lesson to learn is
how can we always be on the move of
change so as to never be out dated and out
needed.
Edgar Allen Poe lived a life that
could be deemed unfortunate, ill-favored,
or even ill-fated. One of his detriments
that he experienced in his melancholic life
was the death of his wife while both were
at an early age, and this was the cause of a
myriad of literature that Poe expressed
his feelings through. This same
experience has been lived by an
innumerable amount of people upon this
earth, each suffering in different
magnitudes. “Annabel Lee” is one of those
pieces of literature which expresses the
loss of love that people experience but
also an understanding of the thereafter.
The narrator’s experience in “Annabel
Lee” illustrates the principles of conflict in
losing one dear to the heart, but also that
of a connection and coping with them
through eternal love.
The first stanza of the poem lets
the reader know of the loss of the
6
Life’s
Lessons
narrator, giving us insight into what the
The reaction of the narrator can be
poem is about and also demanding our
further examined when looking upon the
react. Thus moving into stanzas two and
story. Seraphs “coveted” and angels
attention to know how the narrator will
three we see his reaction, as he begins his
exclamation by saying that “A wind blew
out of the cloud, chilling my beautiful
Annabel Lee.” She was killed by this wind
and she was then taken from him by
“high-born kinsman” whom “shut her up
in a sepulcher,” and by those statements
an interpretation of his reaction can be
established. Poe uses the strong language
of “shut her up” when talking about her
tomb, connoting perhaps anger or malice
as opposed to using a casual phrase of
“put her away,” or “carried her off.” To
“shut” implies seclusion and solitude, and
perhaps the beings meant to “shut her up”
for good, allowing no visitors. Another
detriment that is evident is that this
narrator and Annabel Lee resided in a
kingdom, which is symbolic of the
magnitude and scope of their love. And to
have his love taken, will undoubtedly
shake the very foundations of this
“kingdom by the sea.”
heavenly beings he references in his
“envied” the love that the narrator and
Annabel Lee shared, and further evidence
is seen of the negative reaction of the
narrator as he claims that “Yes! that was
the reason…that the wind came…chilling
and killing my Annabel Lee.” He blames
them for his loves death, placing blame on
matters both out of his or her control. It is
a projection of fault upon heavenly
beings, and he is solidified in his theory as
seen by exclamation mark after his
affirmation that they indeed were the
cause. Just as the narrator faults
circumstances outside of his control, we
too, as a human race, exemplify this
aspect of the poem when it comes to
death that seems to be out of our control.
The narrator placed the motif upon
something unearthly, and we too may
place blame even the extreme that
perhaps the planets are aligning against
us. The narrator, although blaming
essentially the heavens for taking his
bride also feels a connection to eternity
through that same power. Acknowledging
7
Life’s
Lessons
the existence of seraphs and angels
me dreams…of Annabel Lee,” and that the
information about the narrator’s beliefs,
of…Annabel Lee.” A belief in heavenly
suggest to the reader a vital piece of
in that he is most likely Christian, and if
not that Deist. This lets one know that the
narrator has some sort of understanding
or the eternal nature of things, and it is
through this knowledge he is the able to
cope with the loss of his love.
The narrator even goes so far to
say that nothing can “dissever” his soul
and the soul of Annabel Lee. “But our love
was stronger,” than “those who were
older than we,” and “of many far wiser
than we,” which is in essence proclaiming
that it is not deterred by these beings.
And it becomes absolutely clear that the
narrator believes his love is not just for
mortality, but is eternal when he declares
that “neither the angels in heaven above,
nor the demons down under the sea can
ever dissever my soul from the soul of the
beautiful Annabel Lee.” The narrator
continues on his crusade of eternal love
by triumphantly describing his feelings in
the last stanza, claiming that he sees and
feels his love through nature saying that
the “moon never beams without bringing
“stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes
things such as seraphs and angels also
denotes a belief in God, which
sequentially leads to a concept of
creation. God created the very nature that
the narrator is attaching the existence of
his love to. And while in a moment of
irrationality, the narrator places blame on
seraphs and angels, he also acknowledges
the power of love God’s creations. This
happens daily in humanity. The natural
hypocrisy that we inadvertently lean
upon in a tragedy, forgetting the finality
of the experience. While we grovel in the
travesty of our lives, we then find solace
by the same power that we perhaps felt
forsaken by.
8
Life’s
Lessons
His declaration of the power of
eternal love, stating that neither angels,
nor demons, can break his deep affection
and that the God-created nature brings
him his “beautiful Annabel Lee” is an
affection that cannot be disengaged. It
follows closely the words of Jesus Christ
whom said, “That which God hath joined
together, let no man put asunder,” and no
angels for that matter. And if the narrator
believes God had joined him and Annabel
Lee together than his testimonial in the
last stanza stands firm and valid. By this
testimonial, as well, the reader can also
the reader allows the faith and belief of
the concept of eternal love enter into
them. The narrator knows that his love
grew deeper than mere mortal
matrimony and the phrase “until death do
you part,” but that it took upon itself an
everlasting quality. The narrator, in his
feelings, is not alone, but as the reader
concludes the piece, they too gain a little
more confidence, and a little more surety
that he is speaking the truth of not just his
world but ours as well.
learn and incorporate hope in their own
Subtle Lures
overcoming grief from a lost one.
Williams
lives, therefore assisting the individual in
Understanding that your relationship
does not end in mortality will compensate
Loryanne
In subtle ways ambition and pride
for the loss, for one knows it will be given
push and prod at not only the ambitious, but
narrator and people is to endure
surrounding characters as well. Through
the rise and fall of power in Shakespeare’s
that is readily doable when taking in the
Macbeth there is a demonstration of the
back. The only trial left then for the
mortality without their loved one, a feat
eternal perspective.
The narrator takes a journey for
the human race that the reader is able to
witness. It can be a vicarious experience if
measures a person might resort to to gain
and maintain control, the weakening
destruction of pride, and the ultimate
downfall that follows these traits. Many
characters find themselves steadily led down
9
Life’s
Lessons
a path without necessarily recognizing
where their path is taking them.
Although many people believe that
Lady Macbeth spurs the passion of acting
traitorously on Macbeth, it can also be
When an opportunity to gain greater
position arises the mind gives way,
argued that they both add fuel to each
other’s fire, building up the ambition they
corrupting and conniving to make room for
the possibilities. As the witches prophesied,
Macbeth was made Thane of Cawdor and
when he realizes that “the greatest is
behind” (1.4.117), that after becoming
Thane comes kingship, he recognizes that
mutually feel. The more Macbeth resists
scheming against Duncan the more Lady
Macbeth pushes, as if Macbeth knows that if
he were too willing to commit the crime his
wife would not be as supportive. It is
evident that Macbeth does want to pursue
his “seated heart knock[s] at [his] ribs
kingship by his refusal to simply let go of
against the use of nature” (1.4.136-137);
the idea; rather than let go of the topic he
evidence that his heart is already acting
spurs it on when he states, “we will speak
opposite of habit, opening to ways he might
further” (1.5.70). Lady Macbeth
quicken the opportunity to become king.
understands that Macbeth is only appearing
Lady Macbeth is caught in a similar trap as
to seem hesitant, “letting ‘I dare not’ wait
she reads the letter Macbeth wrote her,
encouraging her to not forget “what
greatness is promised” (1.5.12-13), and to
upon ‘I would’” (1.7.44), or in other words
saying, “don’t tempt me,” while inviting
more enticement.
“lay it to [her] heart” (1.5.13); this letter of
Macbeth’s could be rephrased to say, “you
are going to be the most powerful woman in
the country, but for now let it remain a
secret in your heart, corrupting you an ounce
at a time.”
Sacrifices are made to achieve a
greater purpose or fulfill some superior
desire, but in the case of Macbeth there is
evidence of diminishing morals and values
to achieve one’s ends. Macbeth has a
moment of doubt, illuminating that he does
10
Life’s Lessons
have morals and that Macbeth wonders how
impossible and that his own strength is
he could stoop low enough to kill a man
beyond that of the supernatural. This pride
who “hath honored [him]…and have
leads him to a lack of preparation, so that
[given] golden opinions from all sorts of
when the forest does advance towards
people” (1.7.32-33); yet, Macbeth forgoes
Dunsinane Hill and he fights someone who
these honors and throws out his values to
wasn’t “woman born” (4.1.102) there is no
gain something more advantageous to him.
way to protect himself and Macbeth learns
Macbeth knows the trust Duncan has placed
that he will die. Because of Macbeth’s
in him, yet he begins to value power over
stubborn pride he depends upon himself and
trust and kills Duncan anyway. This forfeit
does not treat those who serve him with any
of moral continues as Macbeth’s soul is
“given to the common enemy of man”
(3.1.69) and as he takes the life of his
closest friend out of fear he slips further
from the honest man he used to be. Then, by
the time Macbeth’s reign is threatened, he
has found himself so far sunk into the mud
of murder that he—once praised as an
honorable man—is now killing innocent
families.
respect so that when the time comes to
protect Macbeth “none serve him but
constrained things whose hearts are absent”
(5.5.13-14). Yet, this lack of preparation
could still have not proved the end of
Macbeth’s life, but again he allowed pride
to win. Macduff offers to spare Macbeth’s
life if Macbeth will just “yield [himself a]
coward, and live to be the show and gaze o’
th’ time” (5.8.23-24), but because Macbeth
has come to depend on pride so thoroughly
While the intoxication of power
corrupts the mind and heart, the pride born
from such power leads to vulnerability and
ultimately destruction. Once Macbeth learns
of the only ways he can be destroyed he
mistakenly assumes that the ways are
he continues to fight, depending on his
strength to defeat Macduff.
11
Life’s Lessons
In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s story,
“Young Goodman Brown,” a corruptibility
of public morality is revealed. We can
guess that this story was Hawthorne’s
way of expressing his bitter feelings about
Macbeth stirred trouble when he
allowed the passion for power enter his
prideful heart. This power instilled a desire
that led him to relinquish everything he
believed for something he wanted—a
birthright for porridge. Shakespeare
illustrates so clearly the pain we suffer as we
follow Macbeth’s example. Ultimately the
effort it takes to clasp a wisp of timeless
power leaves one empty, void of what they
used to hold dear and important. Pride is a
corruptor of the strongest of men.
The Danger
of Public
Morality
Andrea Knight
the Puritan church and its hypocrisy.
However, while Hawthorne may have
been referring to the Puritan, we can use
the lesson he taught through the story of
“Young Goodman Brown,” and apply it to
our lives today. Hawthorne seems to
express the belief that if a society places
major emphasis on a public morality-
publicly expressing and announcing one’s
faith in front of everyone- then the society
weakens their true religious faith which is
a private and personal faith. In Goodman
Brown’s case, we watch him discover the
lie of his society’s morality and we see it
weaken his true faith.
When we first see Goodman
Brown, we see a man who loves his wife
deeply. He holds her to the upmost
respect and almost idolizes her. She is a
perfect being in his eyes. He expresses
corruptibility in his words as he leaves
her. We see a man slowly falling into the
12
Life’s Lessons
hands of the devil and being exposed to
the evil truth.
Goodman Brown decides to go into
the forest and meet with the devil. Yet
when Goody Cloyse is seen in the forest,
he hides from her. He then also hears the
minister and Deacon Gookin. Suddenly we
Goodman Brown quickly joins them. He
goes “along with the crowd” without
barely a moment’s hesitation. His
righteous views and God centered life
come crashing down with a simple walk
in the woods.
are exposed to the fact that Goodman
Brown is more concerned with how his
faith appears to other people. If he wasn’t
embarrassed about being seen with the
devil, then why would he hide from the
townspeople? He makes a feeble attempt
to hide his corruptibility. How often do
we hide our sins and inconsistencies and
questions from others just to hide our
lack of faith from those around us?
The problem in this story is that
Goodman Brown does not have his own
faith. His convictions are based upon the
belief that he lives in a righteous society
so everyone must be righteous. His faith
depends on other people’s views- not his
own revelations. When in the story he
eventually discovers that his father,
grandfathers, Goody Cloyse, the minister,
Deacon Gookin, and even his wife Faith
are all joint teamed with the devil,
How often are we expected to “go
with the crowd”? What types of society’s
are in our lives where the morality of the
institution is never questioned?
Hawthorne named the story “Young
Goodman Brown” for a reason. Goodman
Brown was a young naïve man before his
13
Life’s Lessons
curiosity overcame him and he allowed
himself to be exposed to the truth of a
corrupted world he belonged to.
Hawthorne seems to suggest that
the danger of basing a society on moral
principles and religious faith lies in the
fact that members of the society do not
arrive at their own moral decisions. When
they copy the beliefs of the people around
them, their faith becomes weak and
rootless. Is our society falling to this same
danger? Will we be like Goodman Brown?
When we look at our religious, moral,
ethical, or even political beliefs, we need
to ask ourselves, “Why? Why do I believe
that?”
Nathanial Hawthorne exposes the
truth of society in his short story, “Young
Goodman Brown.” We learn that public
morality is never what it truly seems.
Everything and everyone is corruptible in
some form. To not be blind to this reality
we have to step up and not be afraid to
ask the question, “Why?”
Analysis of
“How I Met
My Husband”
Katie
Butler
Things are not always as they
appear in Alice Munro’s “How I Met My
Husband”
While reading this story, we get
the idea that Chris is a dirt bag and that it
was very rude of him to not send the
letter. When thinking about how this
story starts, it is about initial judgments
that are being thrown out by a few
characters. Even some of the characters
themselves are human and have initial
judgments of each other. For example,
when Chris has stopped by the house and
Eddie is in the pretty dress, “he didn’t
move, though, and finally he said, ‘Were
you going to a dance?’” His initial
judgment of her was because of what she
was wearing. Thus, things are not always
as the appear.
14
Life’s Lessons
Chris had an initial judgment that
Eddie was going to a dance because of the
beautiful gown that she was wearing. If
she had not been wearing that dress
when he had first seen her he would have
had a different initial judgment of what he
thought of her. We get into this mind
frame where we assume things to be a
certain way because of either the clothes
we wear or because of what is going on in
the whole picture of things. Taking the
whole picture and analyzing it the way we
see it in the moment will distort the
reality of what it actually is.
an example, Eddie gives a description of
her.
This Alice Kelling had on a pair of
brown and white checked slacks
and a yellow top. Her bust looked
to me rather low and bumpy. She
had a worried face. Her hair had
had a permanent, but had grown
out, and she wore a yellow band to
keep it off her face. Nothing in the
least pretty or even young-looking
about her. But you could tell from
how she talked she was from the
city, or educated, or both.
The later assumption is proven correctly
when Alice assumes that Eddie was
“intimate” with Chris. For example, “’I’m
not surprised,’ Alice Kelling said in a high
When we encounter the scene in
the story where Alice Kelling comes into
play, the description of her is not a
pleasant sight. Because she is dressed the
way she is and the way that she acts, we
want to initially assume that she is a
scumbag and is not the kind of person
that Chris would date, let alone marry. As
voice’. I knew by the look of her as soon
as I saw her. We’ve get them at the
hospital all the time.’ She looked hard at
me with her stretched smile.” Using this
example, it shows that Alice is enraged
and she uses the excuse of her past
experience to try to get Eddie kicked out
of the house. She had gone so far as to
even offer to check to see if Eddie was
intimate with Chris. When a person is
15
Life’s Lessons
misunderstood, an understanding person
Just because you see something one way
and make sure that they know everything
story behind what you see. Chris
will try to understand the whole story
before making assumptions.
There is a difference between the
way that Chris and Alice handled their
“assumed” picture of what they saw.
They both had an initial judgment and
then they either tried to get a correct
understanding of what they saw or hastily
jumped to the assumption that they were
right. We see that Chris was the one who
was calm and tried to see the meaning of
the whole picture before he assumed that
he was correct in his initial judgment.
Alice on the other hand would not see
that there was a different story behind
the one that she saw.
When we see what we only want
to see, we will never get the whole story
behind why it is happening. The first
impression or initial judgment that we get
does not mean that there is never another
assumed that Eddie was going to a dance
because of the way she was dressed and
Alice assumed that Eddie was intimate
with Chris because of Eddie’s
misunderstanding of what they meant by
intimate. Things are not always as they
appear.
To Be or Not
To Be Man
Jessica McIntyre
Adults. We look at them
enviously. They seem to have it all;
money, independence, respect and
most of all freedom. But we are
looking at them through rose-colored
of a situation is almost never the correct
lenses, seeing only what we want to
the phrase, “Things are not always as they
games; it is full responsibility, being
picture of what really happened. Using
appear” was the best way to analyze this
story because it is full of examples and I
just picked a few of them from the text.
see. Adulthood isn’t all fun and
accountable and enduring through the
pain. But Dave Saunders didn’t see it
16
Life’s Lessons
this way. All he saw was freedom and
couldn’t talk to him as though he were
respect; two things he wanted so
a little boy” (1). He’s forced to obey
badly.
his parents, work as a field hand for
In the short story “The Man
pay he never receives, and endure
Who Was Almost a Man” written by
ribbing from the other field workers.
Richard Wright the main character,
His growing sense of degradation
Dave Saunders is trapped in a world
derives from the social and economic
that has stripped him of his personal
forces that keep him for achieving his
and economic power. Wright portrays
potential and pursing his dreams. The
this through Dave’s struggle with
idea of owing a gun thus becomes
racial oppression reflecting the
broader African American struggle to
Dave’s outlet, a way to quickly become
powerful and manly.
win more rights, freedoms and
opportunities since the end of the Civil
War. Although this is a typical
coming-of-age story, “The Man Who
Was Almost a Man” also depicts
Dave’s greater struggles with racism
and poverty, and its exemplary piece
of naturalist writing.
Dave sees his life as a series of
abuses and humiliations. “Them
niggers can’t understan nothing. One
of these days he was going to get a gun
and practice shooting, then they
The symbol of the gun is strong
and very evident through out the
story. The gun represents power,
masculinity, respect and
independence—in short everything
that Dave desperately wants. He sees
the gun as the solution to all his
problems and compensation for his
17
Life’s Lessons
weakness. Dave resents the fact that
the other field hands treat him like a
In our own lives we see this
same thing happening to the people
child and therefore mistakenly
around us and even within ourselves,
believes that owning a gun would
especially in the world that we are all
instantly make a man out of him, even
currently living in. In this culture that
though he doesn’t know how to fire
we are apart of, marriage is seen as
one.
the turning point in your life, and for
He also erroneously thinks that
owning a gun will somehow provide
him with independence as if knowing
how to fire it would keep him out of
the field and prove him with greater
opportunities. “…looking at Jim
Hawkins’ big white house, feeling the
gun sagging in his pocket. Lawd, ef Ah
had just one mo bullet Ah’d taka shot
many the key to happiness.
Conversations such as, “When I get
married everything will be awesome,”
“If only I was married then I wouldn’t
have to think about that,” and “When
you get married you never have to
worry about anything.” But when we
do this we are acting exactly like
at tha house. Ah’d like t scare ol man
Dave. We think that just because we
Hawkins jusa little.. . . Jusa enough t
have achieved getting married then
let im know Dave Saunders is a man”
we are golden, we have no problems,
(6) Dave fantasizes shooting at Mr.
you finally have happiness springing
Hawkins’s house, which suggests that
out of every nook and cranny of your
Jenny’s death has taught him nothing
life and everything is bliss. But it is
and has only made him crave power,
exactly the opposite. Of course there
independence and masculinity even
are joys to being married and some
more (Lafayette).
things do get easier, but some things
get a lot harder as well. You now have
18
Life’s Lessons
bills to pay, you need to be making
can’t seem to muster on his own.
sure your partner is happy, and then
Dave’s musings, however, also reveal a
when you throw children into the mix
darker desire to strive back at those
you have a whole new ball of wax to
deal with. Just like the saying that
just because you have the crown
doesn’t make you a king; just because
you have the ring doesn’t make life’s
problems slip away.
And just like Dave when it
came to his gun, some people have
that idea with a ring. His thoughts
may be a little bit more extreme but
we are doing the same kind of
he feels have abused and ridiculed
him (Hardy, Sarah Madsen).
He believes that having a pistol
in his hand will give him more control
over others; however, Jenny’s death
only limits his future by forcing him to
repay Mr. Hawkins the price of a
mule. Although accidental, Jenny’s
death could be interpreted as Dave’s
unconscious desire to strike against
Mr. Hawkins. By destroying a symbol
thinking. “Could kill a man with a gun
of Mr. Hawkins’s prosperity and
like this. Kill anybody, black or white.
power as a landowner, Dave may be
And if he were holding this gun in his
hand, nobody could run over him; they
would have to respect him” (3).
Withdrawing the pistol from
underneath his pillow, Dave marvels
at the gun’s potential power and
capabilities. Even though he doesn’t
actually know how to use it, the pistol
gives Dave the sense of power and
masculinity he desperately wants yet
lashing out an economic system and
social order that he was excluded from
merely because of his skin color.
Dave begins to presumably
daydream not only about killing the
other black plantation workers who
laughed at him in the story’s opening
line and in the ending line, but also
the empowered whites who unfairly
control his and other black worker’s
lives. Wright uses Dave in this way to
19
Life’s Lessons
explore the destructive influence of
mule, n they beat me,” alluding to the
racism and the lack of economic
thrashing his father had promised
opportunity on the lives of the black
him. Dave believes that all he does is
Americans. Although Dave never
actually kills anyone, the fact that he
runs away with the gun at the end of
the story suggests that he still harbors
the desire for power and maybe even
revenge. Dave’s musings may reflect
his potential just as much as his
desire: he could kill if he had a gun in
his hand (Micks). These thoughts are
probably nothing more than the
fantasies of a typical adolescent boy,
but Wright leaves open the possibility
for future violence and never resolves
the issue.
Dave’s feelings of oppression are
seen through the duality of him and
mule. Jenny, Mr. Hawkins mule,
represents Dave himself, who fears
working as a subservient field hand on
another man’s land for rest of his life
(Lafayette). Dave consciously
recognizes the similarities between
himself and Jenny, even saying to
himself that everyone “treat(s) me like
toil like Jenny, yoked to a plow with
little hope of reward, escape or
becoming something better.
The mule also represents
commitment and responsibility,
hallmarks of adulthood that Dave is
still unwilling to accept. He wants
only the freedom that he imagines
adults have without any of their
obligations. Jenny’s death is
consequently the symbolic death of
Dave’s childhood, which he wishes to
erase to escape the community and a
life of drudgery. Ironically, the power
that Dave associates with owning a
gun brings change but forces him to
embark on a journey to manhood for
which he’s not yet ready for.
Wright continues showing
Dave’s struggle with racial oppression
by reflecting the broader African
American struggle to win more rights,
freedoms and opportunities since the
20
Life’s Lessons
end of the Civil War. Although many
Gang violence, lynchings, and Jim
black Americans had pushed for
Crow laws that segregated blacks from
equality and economic leverage in the
whites also worked to keep blacks “in
latter half of the nineteenth century,
their place.” Slowly, however,
the quest for civil rights didn’t become
prevailing social patterns changed,
a coordinated movement until the
especially between World War I and
early twentieth century. W.E.B.
DuBois, Marcus Garvey and Thurgood
Marshall began promoting strategies
that would chip away at white
dominance, just as the frustrated
Dave Saunders finally decides to
empower himself when he can no
longer stand being ridiculed. Rather
than indiscriminately striking out at
those in power as Dave fantasizes,
however, early civil rights leaders
worked to change the oppressive social
and legal systems (Kelly, Martin).
Many factors conspired to
extend the oppressive exploitation of
blacks that slavery had established.
For African Americans stuck farming
small parcels of land owned by white
overseers, sharecropping proved only
slightly better than forced labor.
World War II, when hundreds of
thousands of blacks fled their
destitute lives in the South for better
opportunities in the North. (Kelly,
Martin) Dave’s sudden flight at the
end of the story mimics this so-called
Great Migration. Seen in this light,
his nighttime escape thus becomes a
symbolic renunciation, a turning from
the agrarian servitude that marked
the past and a staunch refusal to
accept the unfair conditions that kept
families mired in poverty and robbed
individual lives of hope and promise.
Although this story can be seen
as much of a typical coming-of-age
story, “The Man Who Was Almost a
Man” also depicts Dave’s greater
struggle with racism and poverty, and
it’s exemplary piece of naturalist
writing. This is seen as a coming-of-
21
Life’s Lessons
age story because of the numerous
adult. Still convinced that the gun is a
hurdles Dave Saunders must
more of a blessing than a burden, he
overcome to become a mature adult.
Restless, impatient, and
taunted by the older men he works
with, Dave believes that acquiring a
gun will end his adolescence and
transform him into a “real man.” Not
surprisingly, however, Dave discovers
that owning a gun only brings more
problems and a much greater burden
of responsibility. Ironically, possessing
a pistol actually would have ushered
Dave into adulthood if only he’d been
able to handle the extra responsibility
like an adult. Because he has to work
for two years to repay Mr. Hawkins
for Jenny’s death, the gun brings Dave
greater commitment and obligation—
the true hallmarks of manhood. But
Dave discovers at the end of the story
that he’s really seeking escape, not
more commitment. When owning a
gun becomes a heavier burden than
he’d realized, he chooses to leave,
demonstrating even further that he’s
really not yet ready to become an
takes it with him, possibly inviting
more trouble in the future.
Even though it is much a
typical coming-of-age story this piece
of work depicts Dave’s greater
struggles with racism and poverty,
and it is an exemplary piece of
naturalist writing. Naturalists such as
Wright incorporated stinging social
criticism into his stories and novels by
pitting his characters against social,
economic, or environmental forces that
they can’t control (Rayson). In making
Dave a victim of racial oppression, for
example, Wright attacks whites’
lingering power over the lives of
blacks. Like his parents, Dave is stuck
in a life of subservience to men such as
Mr. Hawkins, Joe the shopkeeper, and
other financially secure whites and
will never have the education or
money necessary to achieve his full
potential. He consequently believes
that only brute power—the ability to
22
Life’s Lessons
shoot a gun—will win him the respect
believed that larger, all-encompassing
he wants. Dave’s desire to own a gun
environmental, economic, and
thus reflects a greater desperation and
psychological need to establish himself
in the community as an empowered
human being rather than a mere field
hand.
After reading into the context of
the author, Richard Wright, this can
be seen as somewhat of a wishfulautobiography. With an ending of
sorts that Wright himself could have
wished happened to him. Wright born
on a farm in Mississippi, where his
father deserted him and he spent his
very difficult childhood taking care of
his sickly mother. He made it possible
to rise above his situation but only
because he moved away from his
family and went out on his own, like
psychological forces shaped and
controlled the lives of both individuals
and groups of people in general. As a
result, many characters in naturalist
literature, such as Dave Saunders find
themselves caught up in events and
circumstances they can’t control and
don’t understand. Although Wright
primarily wrote about African
Americans and their experiences, his
work sought to address universal
truths and experiences affecting
people of all races (Rayson).
Dave’s struggle to overcome the
uncontrollable forces pressing down on
him speaks for all young people whom
society has overlooked and dismissed.
He therefore becomes Wright’s
Dave. Although Wright’s fame has
unlikely hero, a young man who
declined somewhat since his death, his
refuses to cave under overwhelming
legacy endures.
social forces while simultaneously
In dissecting contemporary
notions and observing the state of
racial relations in the broadest context
possible, Wright gravitated more and
more to naturalism. Naturalist writers
shirking his debts and commitments
like an irresponsible child.
Dave Saunders seen as a mere
child, an adolescent craving for
23
Life’s Lessons
independence is no different then the
<http://americanhi
thousands of teenagers roaming the
story.about.com/od/civilrights/a/
Earth today. But even though at the
civilrights1.htm>.
end of the story all readers know that
Rayson, Anne. "Richard Wright's Life."
Dave will probably never find the
English Department. University
success, independence or power he
of Illinois, 18 Mar. 2001. Web.
wants so badly. But the mere fact that
he’s willing to risk striking out on his
own redeems him and makes him
more than “almost a man.”
Work Cited
"The Man Who Was Almost a Man."
UL-Lafayette Computing
21 June 2010.
Crane, Stephen. "Naturalism in
American Literature."
Washington State University.
21 Mar. 2010. Web. 21 June
2010.
<http://www.wsu.edu/~campbell
d/amlit /natural.htm>.
Micks. "Literary Element of The Man
Support Services. Web. 21 June
Who Was Almost a Man." Web
2010.
log post. Micks Place. 1 Mar.
<http://www.ucs.louisiana.edu/~
2008. Web. 21 June 2010.
kxd4350/diss/engl214/
<http://dmick-
Bruce/man.html>.
micksplace.blogspot.com/2008/0
Sarah Madsen Hardy, “Gun Power” for
Short Stories for Students, The
Gale Group, 2000.
Kelly, Martin. "Overview of Major
Civil Rights Legislation,
Supreme Court Cases, and
Activities." American History.
Web. 21 June 2010.
3/literary-element-of-man-whowas-almost.html>.
24
Life’s Lessons
in short term happiness and long term
Temptation
and
Abstinence
in Christina
Rossetti’s
“Goblin
Market”
Daniel Woodfield
agony. Rossetti uses the symbolism of
two sisters that can represent two
opposite sides of the spectrum in regard
to responses to temptation to show the
effects of both choices. Finally, through
the use of an omniscient narrator,
Rossetti is able to show the reader how
an ordinary person can
act as a savior for a sinner. First, it is
beneficial to understand how this theme
has been overlooked in past critical
analyses.
Introduction
Perhaps no other poem from its
time has received as much critical
attention as Christina Rossetti’s “Goblin
Market”. It has been interpreted as a
story of Christ’s atonement and as a
lesbian love story and just about
everything in between. In almost all
critical analyses the author focuses on the
sexual connotations of many of the words
and consequently misses a hidden theme
within the poem: that to abstain from
temptation will always produce long term
happiness while yielding to it will result
The Fallacies of Past Interpretations
Rossetti’s heavy use of sexual
imagery has caused many to reach a
theme in “Goblin Market” that is too
limited. Fruit has been a symbol of sexual
pleasure since the beginning of literature
and is no doubt the cause for many of the
narrow-minded analyses of this poem.
25
Life’s Lessons
The fruit offered in the goblin market and
she essentially sacrifices herself to atone
seen as a symbol of temptation itself and
example of such an interpretation is given
all that takes place as a result of it can be
need not be limited to one type of sin.
Such a limited view of the symbolism
lessens the moral applications of the
poem. In her essay “Transfigured to His
Likeness: Sensible transcendentalism in
Christina Rossetti's Goblin Market,” Linda
E. Marshall states, “To be sure, reading
the poem as juicy sexual fantasy relishes
the text's sensuous immediacy,
discrediting 'moral apologue' or Christian
schematics in order to savior a
mysterious carnal presence, an evocative
literalizing of fleshly travail.” The
assumption that this hunger or
temptation is sexual in nature is
unfounded and detracts from the possible
for the mistake of her sister Laura. One
by Simon Humphries in his article,
“Christina Rosetti’s 'Goblin Market’ and
Bunyan’s ‘Orchard of Beelzebub’” in
which he states, “The tale's theological
scheme is of temptation, transgression,
and redemption.” He continues by
comparing Lizzie to Christ who
performed an atonement for all of
mankind to save them from sin. This
interpretation is almost as common as the
one previously mentioned and is equally
distracting and limited in its scope. Both
of these fallacies effectually limit the
possible applications of the powerful
theme of abstinence and temptation.
implications of the poem.
Temptation and Two Opposing Responses
Marshall showed the fallacy of limiting
critical responses have been too limited in
accidentally introduced another mistake
not specifically assign a meaning for the
In the previous quote in which
the symbolism to sex only, she
commonly made when interpreting
“Goblin Market.” By mentioning
“Christian schematics,” she is referring to
the very common interpretation that
Lizzie is an archetype of Christ because
As shown above, the majority of
their conclusions; textual evidence does
symbolism because it was intended to be
left general in order that all readers could
apply it. Rather than speculating as to
what the goblins and their fruits
represent, it is of greater worth to
26
Life’s Lessons
determine what is suggested by Lizzie’s
begin to advertise their merchandise,
and their fruits then can be seen as
up her eyes” (Rossetti 1733). Such action
and Laura’s response to them; the goblin
symbols of temptation in general. Marylu
Hill in her essay, “Eat Me, Drink Me, Love
Me: Eucharist and the Erotic Body in
Christina Rossetti's Goblin Market,” said
“Goblin Market is first and foremost a
poem about hunger and our desire to eat
our fill of that which will satisfy us. The
profusion of enticing fruits with which the
poem opens… speaks immediately to this
hunger as well as setting up a paradigm of
temptation.” Rossetti’s choice of fruit as
the symbol for temptation was intentional
because all readers of the poem can relate
to feelings of hunger and the
accompanying desire to eat in order to
satisfy it.
In most analyses of “Goblin
Market” the author expounds upon the
idea that one of the sisters, Laura, is
seduced by the goblin men and falls into
temptation while the other, Lizzie, does
not and so in turn must act as a savior for
her sister. Surprisingly few have noted
that not only Laura is tempted by the
fruits the goblin men have to offer. In the
second stanza just after the goblin men
Lizzie “veiled her blushes” and “covered
is inconsistent with the idea that Lizzie is
unaffected by the presence of these goblin
men. She states, “Their offers should not
charm us” (Rossetti 1733, emphasis
added) implying that they are in fact a
temptation for her. In response she
“thrust a dimpled finger in each ear, shut
eyes and ran” (Rossetti 1733)
demonstrating her fear that she might
submit to such temptation if she did not
escape. In her dissertation, “Well-
behaved and wicked women rarely make
literary history: Deconstructions of good
and evil binaries in ‘Jane Eyre’ and ‘Goblin
Market,’” Natalie Roland states, “With her
blushing and emphasis on consequences,
not chastity, Lizzie appears to have
desires and appetites” (Roland). While
most have portrayed Lizzie as a perfect,
innocent, Christ figure who must act as a
savior for Laura, a closer study of the text
suggests that Lizzie is just a mere mortal
with the same human weakness as her
sister.
The above mentioned conclusion is
significant in that it gives the reader an
27
Life’s Lessons
entirely new way to read “Goblin Market;”
not look at goblin men” and Lizzie states,
brought down to the level of a mere
(Rossetti 1733) showing that both voiced
because Lizzie is not a Christ figure, she is
mortal, a person with whom the reader
can relate. To compare Lizzie to Christ is
to essentially tell the reader that it is
impossible to attain the goodness and
strength exemplified by Lizzie because
such characteristics require divine power
and perfection which only Christ
possesses. By comparing Lizzie to the
average person, she can be viewed as a
regular, mortal woman whose will power
alone is enough to help her resist the
temptation of the goblin men. This idea
adds to the meaning of the poem; it
suggests to the readers that a person does
not need to be divine to resist temptation
but anyone with a strong will can do so.
Just as the symbol of fruit can be
generalized to represent temptation in
any form, so too can the sisters generally
represent two possible responses to such
temptations. By contrasting their actions,
the reader sees a theme of the effects of
giving in to temptation and the rewards of
resisting it. When Laura and Lizzie first
come upon the Goblin men their response
is quite similar; Laura exclaims, “We must
“You should not peep at goblin men
the need to avert their eyes but only
Lizzie actually did so. By covering up her
eyes “lest they should look” Lizzie acts in
accordance with what she knows to be
right; in contrast, Laura “reared her
glossy head” (Rossetti 1733) thus acting
contrary to what she knew was right.
When Lizzie covered her eyes and ears
and ran away Laura “chose to linger”
(Rossetti 1733); it is apparent by
comparing the two responses of the
sisters, that both felt the temptation to
buy the goblin’s fruit but only one was
able to resist by not allowing herself to
see or hear them and the other chose to
remain and so fell into the trap. The
modern application of this should be
readily apparent: the recovering alcoholic
who frequents bars is less likely to
succeed at kicking the habit than the one
who stays as far away as possible from
such situations in which drinking will
occur.
The Contrast of Consequences
28
Life’s Lessons
Just as the two sisters can
symbolize the two opposing ways to
respond to a tempting situation, they can
also represent the contrast between the
effects of submitting to temptation and
resisting it. Laura then, is clearly the
example of what happens to a person who
chooses to submit to a tempting situation.
Once Laura has chosen to remain behind
with the goblin men she is compared to “a
vessel at the launch when its last restraint
is gone” (Rossetti 1734); the wording
here is especially important because it
she gives up to obtain the goblin’s fruits.
Because she has no coin she purchases
the fruit with her own hair which is
described as “a precious golden lock” and
she “dropped a tear more rare than pearl”
(Rossetti 1734); again Rossetti’s choice of
words here is very important to the
theme as it suggests the tremendous
value of such things; her hair is golden
and her tears are like pearls. She literally
gives of herself in order to obtain the fruit
which ironically never does satisfy her.
Her lack of satisfaction from the
implies a voluntary sacrifice of her will.
partaking of the fruit is yet another way
the dock, Laura was not mysteriously
to temptation are made clear through
Just as a boat is not magically untied from
entranced by the goblin men, she chose to
remain in their presence and thereby she
removes the restraints that could have
kept her safe. She essentially sacrificed
her ability to control her desires and
appetites; her will was not taken from
her. Again the application is quite clear;
those who succumb to temptation
voluntarily forfeit their will to resist
temptation then and in the future.
Another way in which Laura can
represent the negative effects of giving in
to temptation is by looking at what else
in which the consequences of submitting
Laura. Though “she sucked and sucked
and sucked the more… until her lips were
sore” she tells her sister the following
morning, “I ate and ate my fill, yet my
mouth waters still” (Rossetti 1735)
showing that as much as she craved the
fruit, the pleasure lasted only as long as it
was still in her mouth. Such is always the
case when mankind submits to
temptation; the pleasure is very short
lived and the moment it is passed, the
temptation returns with even greater
force. Such is the case with Laura and the
29
Life’s Lessons
effect is almost immediate; the very next
she could only think of receiving more;
chores Laura is “in an absent dream, one
more that she could not obtain.
day when the sisters go about their
content, one sick in part” (Rossetti 1736).
and now she was left to suffer in wanting
Of course, Lizzie is an example of
Laura is no longer able to focus on her
the benefits of avoiding temptation.
(Rossetti 1736) in order that she might
longer happy with her life though it is the
work; she is only “longing for the night”
obtain more of the substance which
ironically is causing her such anguish.
When night finally comes and Laura
discovers to her dismay that she can no
longer hear the goblins she “gnashed her
teeth for baulked desire, and wept as if
her heart would break;” she was forced to
wait for many days and nights “in sullen
silence of exceeding pain” (Rossetti 1737)
because now that she had submitted once,
she could not be content again. As time
passes Laura appears to lose all interest
in everything except the goblins and their
fruit; “she no more swept the house,
tended the fowls or cows, fetched honey,
kneaded cakes of wheat, brought water
from the brook: but sat down listless…
and would not eat” (Rossetti 1738)
suggesting that giving in to temptation
provides short term pleasure and long
term pain. While Laura was able to eat
the fruit, she never truly enjoyed it, for
While Laura is pining away and is no
same as it always has been, Lizzie is able
to continue on with life the same as she
always had; she is perfectly content.
Lizzie experiences no remorse; she is not
being overwhelmed by regret like her
sister is. In contrast to Laura, she
sacrificed the opportunity to have short
term pleasure and in return she was able
to maintain her life of fulfillment. She
continued in doing all of the chores that
Laura was neglecting, she remained busy
accomplishing things and bettering her
life instead of sitting around waiting for
something she could not have; such is the
case when people choose to resist a
tempting circumstance. Though it
requires the initial sacrifice of something
that is appealing, the regret is soon
forgotten and swallowed up by the
experiences of everyday life. While her
sister, Laura, lived a life of constant regret
for having partaken of the goblin fruit,
30
Life’s Lessons
Lizzie appears to have forgotten her
regret (for having not partaken of it)
within one day.
An Over-Arching Theme
By setting up this dichotomy
between the two sisters and their choices,
Rossetti is able to use the conclusion of
the poem to show the readers a
wonderful theme which has been
developed throughout the course of the
story. When Lizzie subjects herself to the
violence of the goblin men she does so
with only the thought of saving her sister.
In this climactic scene in which Lizzie
experiences the greatest temptation as
the goblins are attempting to force the
fruit upon her, she remains true to her
values. “White and golden Lizzie stood,
like a lily in a flood… like a beacon left
alone in a hoary roaring sea… like a royal
virgin town… close beleaguered by a fleet
mad to tug her standard down” (Rossetti
1740-41); the use of the word “standard”
is a play on words; by comparing Lizzie to
a city, the “standard” could be a flag, but it
can also be referring to her values. These
lines in the poem express the idea that
sometimes people have to stand alone in
order to uphold what they know is right.
The great mystery of this poem is
how the juice acts as a cure for Laura
when she receives it from Lizzie though it
originally harmed her when offered by
the goblins; logic dictates that it was not
the juice from the fruit that actually cured
Laura, but rather the realization of what
Lizzie had done for her. When Lizzie
arrives at home and allows Laura to kiss
her in order that she might taste the juice
she has been longing for, she finds that
something miraculous has taken place:
the same juice that had addicted Laura
when it was purchased with her tears,
now tasted like wormwood when it was
obtained through Lizzie’s sacrifice. It is
unreasonable to suppose that the taste of
the juice was somehow miraculously
changed, rather it is more likely that
Laura perceived it as bitter because she
realized what Lizzie had to subject herself
to in order to obtain it. The symbolism in
this poem is apparent when the reader
considers the events that befell the two
sisters. Laura had to pay a dear price as a
consequence for giving into the
temptation of the goblin men; only
31
Life’s Lessons
through her sister’s loving sacrifice and
by first resisting that temptation
healed of her addiction. It is much the
bring about a change in Laura until she
after much suffering was she able to be
same today; addiction enslaves those who
succumb and often times it cannot be
escaped alone but requires the help of
one who is untainted by that addiction.
This theme of one who has
resisted temptation providing assistance
for one who has succumbed can be
compared to the hero’s journey. Like
many of the heroes of old, Lizzie has, in a
sense, made a journey in which she had to
descend in order to rescue someone. In
his article, “Rossetti’s Goblin Market,”
David Drake said, “Lizzie’s journey into
themselves. Just as Lizzie was not able to
subjected herself to the temptation of the
fruits, neither can people today effectively
assist others without understanding what
they are experiencing. It is unfortunate
that while this theme was expressly
stated out right by the narrator in the
final stanza most still overlook it in favor
of other interpretations. The omniscient
narrator states:
For there is no friend like a sister
In calm or stormy weather;
To cheer one on the tedious way,
To fetch one of one goes astray,
the glen to combat the demonic,
To lift one if one totters down,
descent into the underworld. And
(Rossetti 1744).
preternatural goblins… is analogous to a
To strengthen whilst one stands
accordingly, her subsequent reemergence
Despite Rossetti’s clear statement of the
resurrection…;” this idea, prevalent
the poem “as registering increasing public
from this underworld clearly signifies a
throughout the poem, suggests that an
attempt to rescue someone from the vices
of temptation and sin is no trifling thing,
but rather a “herculean effort” (Drake).
The primary theme of “Goblin
Market” is the power that mere mortals
have, to save each other from temptation
theme, many have attempted to interpret
concerns during the Victorian era over
female sexuality or purity, drug addiction,
and uneven and oppressive division of
labor” (Mendoza). Interestingly, many
who recognize the impracticality of such
interpretations (like Mendoza) go on to
write equally impractical analyses about
32
Life’s Lessons
economics, lesbian relationships, and
various other subjects. Perhaps for many
it seems to simple that the theme would
be clearly stated in the closing lines of the
poem but it is important to note that
Rossetti intended the poem for children.
The true strength of this poem lies in its
theme that all humans possess an
inherent ability to assist each other as
they endure the hardships of life and its
temptations.
Conclusion
A close analysis of this poem has
shown that Lizzie was not a perfect,
innocent being unaffected by temptation,
but rather she was an imperfect mortal
with the same bodily appetites and
desires as her sister Laura. The only
difference is in their response to the
temptation placed before them. The
theme of the poem suggests a lot about
the nature of temptation and addiction
and how one can avoid such and even act
as an example or savior for one caught in
its vices. It is unfortunate that such an
enlightening theme is lost because of the
sexual undertones which distract readers
and hides true meaning
Works Cited
Drake, David B. "Rossetti's Goblin
Market. " The
Explicator 51.1 (1992): 22-
24. Research Library, ProQuest.
Web. 22 Jun. 2010.
Hill, Marylu. ""Eat Me, Drink Me, Love
Me": Eucharist and the Erotic Body
in Christina Rossetti's Goblin
Market. " Victorian
Poetry 43.4 (2005): 455-
473. Research Library, ProQuest.
Web. 17 Jun. 2010.
Humphries, Simon. "Christina Rosetti’s
'Goblin Market’ and Bunyan’s
‘Orchard of Beelzebub’". Notes and
Queries 55.1 (2008): 49-
51. Research Library, ProQuest.
Web. 22 Jun. 2010.
Marshall, Linda E. "'Transfigured to His
Likeness': Sensible
transcendentalism in Christina
Rossetti's 'Goblin
Market'. " University of Toronto
33
Life’s Lessons
Quarterly 63.3 (1994): 429. CBCA
and evil binaries in "Jane Eyre" and
2010.
of South Carolina, 2009.
Complete, ProQuest. Web. 17 Jun.
Mendoza, Victor Roman. “‘Come Buy’:
The Crossing of Sexual and
Consumer Desire in Christina
Rossetti’s Goblin
Market." ELH 73.4 (2006): 913-
947. Research Library, ProQuest.
Web. 22 Jun. 2010.
Roland, Natalie. Well-behaved and wicked
women rarely make literary
history: Deconstructions of good
"Goblin Market". Diss. University
Dissertations & Theses: Full Text,
ProQuest. Web. 17 Jun. 2010.
Rosetti, Christina. “Goblin Market.” The
Longman Anthology: British
Literature Vol. 2B. Eds. David
Damrosch, Kevin J. H. Dettmar.
New York: Pearson, 2006. 17311744. Print.