Monday, January 12, 2015
I found Ann Bradstreet's poem "The Author to her Book" to be the most relatable out of the three we were required to read for the next class. While we can assume that the speaker is discussing a book they wrote, the fear that something isn't good enough can be felt by anyone about any number of things. Personally, this is a fear that I face everyday, which may be why I related to and enjoyed this poem so much. By the end of the poem I would argue that the speaker realizes at times it's best to just let this fear go. Lines 13 and 14 read; "I washed thy face, but more defects I saw, and rubbing off a spot still made a flaw." I interpret these lines as the speaker realizing that sometimes you can't change the way things are or the flaws they have. Sometimes it's best to just let these things go and stop caring, like the speaker finally let her work out into the "critic's hands". This is a lesson that I myself and many othersstruggle to grasp.
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I can definitely agree with the statement that this poem is the most relatable. Our generation is so obsessed with perfection and fitting in that the "perfect imperfections" are overlooked. At some point, everyone experiences defeat and falls victim to low self-esteem. This poem by Bradstreet is a fair reminder that it is what it is, everyone is flawed. So, why not own that flaw and turn it into something beautiful?
ReplyDeleteI also find Bradstreet's poem rateable. I always find myself getting nervous when doing a peer review or handing in my final paper. After working so hard on a paper it becomes my "child" and it is hard to hear criticism. However, the "ill-formed child" that Bradstreet is referring to was unfinished and released to the public without consent. I do not believe that Bradstreet would have felt more confident in her work if it was the final draft.
ReplyDeleteNevertheless, it is important to accept the criticism and keep working toward something better.
I found this poem to be relatable as well. I know many of times I have had papers that I thought were absolutely terrible, but others felt as if they were written well. I feel like I am self-conscious with my work because what if someone else thinks it's terrible, but I think it's amazing? But, I have trouble believing that Bradstreet genuinely thought her work was as bad as she made it out to be in the poem, and maybe she was fishing for a compliment?
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