Blog 7

Louise Erdrich’s “Love Medicine,” E.E. Cummings “l (a,” and William Carlos Williams “This Is Just to Say” all depict themes of loneliness and desire. All of these literary works present distance in some way as well as the longing for something else.

In William Carlos Williams’ poem “This Is Just to Say,” the speaker seems to leave a distance between himself and the owner of the plums. It is not clear whether Williams is literally or figuratively writing about plums, but it is apparent that the speaker has a desire to make known the fact that he did eat the plums in the icebox. Although the speaker says “forgive me” in line 9, he does not seem to regret eating the plums because he says “they were delicious so sweet and so cold” in lines 10-12. Another clue that indicates that the speaker has no remorse is the title of the poem “This Is Just to Say.” Personally, it reminded me of a greeting card similar to salutations of “Thanks” or an un-personalized “Happy Birthday” card. It reminds me of a note sent out of necessity and manners rather than true sorrow or gratitude.

E.E. Cummings’ poem “l (a” portrays loneliness literally. The poem reads “l (a leaf falls) oneliness. Outside the parentheses is written the word “loneliness” while on the inside reads the phrase “a leaf falls.” While reading this poem I imagined a single leaf falling from a tree. The idea of a single leaf is lonely in itself. Not on a branch growing with other leaves or being collected in a pile with a bunch of leaves, falling is the only time in which this leaf is alone. By putting the phrase “a leaf falls” in parentheses between the word “loneliness,” Cummings offers a distinct example of loneliness in nature that would probably not have been thought of by someone else reflecting on the idea of being alone. This could be recognized as the feeling of depression often experienced by people as they long and desire summer while the long dreariness of winter approaches.

“Love Medicine” by Louise Erdrich presents the theme of desire in many of its characters. Grandma and Grandpa Kashpaw, Lulu Lamartine, Lipsha and his mother, and Wristwatch all desire something at some point in the story. Grandma wishes for Grandpa to love her and want her, but Grandpa yearns for Lulu Lamartine. Lipsha hopes and does what he can to help his Grandmother regain the love of her husband. We learn that Lipsha’s mother attempted to kill him as a child, so it would be said that she desired life without him. Lastly, Wristwatch longs for his father’s watch to work. Oftentimes a desire becomes and obsession and harms someone. Grandpa dies, Lipsha goes to live with his grandparents but is left with the scar of what his mother did and tried to do to him (although not so much elaborated on by the author), Lulu Lamartine is embarrassed when her wig comes flying off in front of Grandpa and Lipsha, and Wristwatch dies before he ever hears his father’s watch tick upon his wrist. The characters create distance between each other through there desires and temptations throughout the course of the story. People like Wristwatch and Lipsha’s mother are alienated because of their strange qualities. Like in the poem previously mentioned, loneliness is a contributing factor to life in many situations, some created unnecessarily and others not.