Poetry Explication

Diving Into The Wreck of an Unknown Territory

The poem is very rich in meaning and can be interpreted in so many ways . Some believe it to be about feminism while others think it is about sexual exploration or gender development . Still , others reflect that it is about maturing into a new person . Knowing that the author Adrienne Rich , is a woman who was active in espousing feminism in the 1970s era , the poem can be about a young woman who has just finished her education and is finally going into the real

' world of work . During the time when the poem was written , women were starting to realize the need to have their own careers . Diving into the wreck can actually be about the adjustments and reflections of a woman who is finally fending for herself alone

The title itself reveals the dynamism and exploratory aspect of the poem . The use of the word wreck ' implies two things : a failed voyage and mystery . The failed voyage shows that many people have already tried to succeed in their careers but ended up at the bottom . The mystery of finding out about the wreck shows the intention of the author to proceed in exploring the past mistakes of others who have gone before her

Certain items were specified by the poet . The book of myths refers to the education and past experiences shared by the many older people who have become part of the workforce before her . The camera implies the need to record the experiences the diver or poet will undergo as she examines her own person while experiencing the real world for the first time . The knife-blade , diving suit , flippers and mask are the instruments of protection and survival which could mean that the poet has many preconceived notions of the dangers of the world she is about to enter and is complying with the norms of society . The reference to Costeau and his team was done to show how alienated the narrator feels It also implies that the world she is about to enter was explored by the male gender way ahead of her time

The ladder was particularly mentioned and refers to the wisdom she has already acquired through her past experiences . Indicating that the ladder is always there implies that the author knows she can always hang on to the lessons she had already learned before to get her out of her problems . The flippers were mentioned to be crippling because the norms of society may not always be in sync with what one truly experiences and understands about the world

As the poet blacks out , the mask saves her . This could mean that concealing one 's true aspirations and character can be necessary to survive a new experience . The mention of the sea as a place where one needs to learn how to swim in without using force can imply that in to succeed in the labor force , one has to go with the...