Poem Analysis

Reapers-Page 65

 

 

Reapers, by Jean Toomer, discusses the repercussions of going through life quickly and carelessly using a bold overstatement mixed with unpleasant, but effective, metaphores. As the first group of reapers prepares for the day, they are depicted sharpening their tools.The weeds, their obsticles of the day, stand before them; however they are smart, and know how to go about cutting each one down to size respectively. They "place the hones In their hip-pockets And start their swinging one by one." The other person uses black horses to "drive a mower though the weeds," quickly rushing though their work and carelessly kills a scared field rat. This field rat is a missed opportunity that was overlooked by the person driving the horses. Because they moved quickly and easily though life, using other things to overcome the obsticles, they ran the mower right through the field rat, that a more careful person would have noticed. The rat could also represent another, smaller person in life that can either be noticed and appreciated or ignored. The person with the team of horses not only goes through life alone, for it only takes one person to drive horses through a field, but also steps on others to quickly get ahead, "And there, a field rat, startled, squealing bleeds, His belly close to ground. I see the blade, Blood-stained, continue cutting weeds and shade." The driver not only killed the field mouse, but felt no remorse becasue he was not aware of his actions. Reaping, on the other hand, is usually done in groups and is much more careful and noticing of field rats. Doing this task by hand, also allows the reapers to grow throughout life becasue it is much more challenging and requires much more effort than using a machine. The narrator uses this overstatement of missed opportunities, or people not noticed throughout life as carelessly murdering field rats in order to show that going through life quickly can have some serious consequences. These consequences could range from a wonderful opportunity that was overlooked or a person that could have enriched the life of another or helped another, but instead could not spare the time or effort to even notice their existence. 

 

I agree with this poem, that life should not be sped through for the simple act of just getting through it. One should notice the things around them, whether it be opportunities, people, or simply a chance to smile at a picture or laugh at a joke. What is the point of life if you only focus on how to get ahead instead of enjoying yourself? I believe that people should go through life trying to capture every opportunity and make every moment count, becasue when it's over, it's over, and you do not get a chance to go back and fix things that you wish you could, or do things that you wish you had. I believe that people should not carelessly kill field rats, not only is it bad for the rats, but each one could have been the opportunity of a lifetime, a chance to change a person's life, or a chance for someone else to change yours.