The Hospital Window-

A detailed Summary of The Hospital Window-

The death of a loved one can put unimaginable stress on the

loved ones of the deceased. This stress can make one's life chaotic

and unpleasant for long periods of time if the mourners do not

understand the death. James Dickey, who believes, "poetry is the

center of the creative wheel," wrote the poem, "The Hospital Window".

The relationship between mourners and death becomes apparent in this

"simple 54-line poem . . . about a parent's dying as a transformative

experience, and the possibility that love conquers fear." The poem

takes place on a city street adjacent to a large hospital. In "The

Hospital Window", Dickey uses images which represent life and death to

demonstrate that the death of a loved one can make one enter a

surrealistic state, in which everyday occurrences appear to be

heavenly; however, if one can overcome the death by understanding it,

he can then return to a peaceful life.

In the beginning of the poem, the images which distinguish

life and death show that the speaker perceives normal events as

spiritual after leaving his father's hospital room. Dickey's

persona enters this state when he is on the hospital elevator. As the

certain period of time, and then dies out. Therefore, the speaker

return to a peaceful life. Finally, the speaker comprehends that his

amazement demonstrates that the speaker does not clearly remember his

his father's life. When the speaker reaches out to the sun, and

peaceful again only when the mourner understands the death. This

in his life. Additionally, the speaker realizes that he is "not

father's life back. At that moment, the glare from the sun reflects

father's soul is leaving the body. The speaker "[turns] as blue as a

Jobes, the sun represents life. A candle wick burns for only a

previous state of mind. By not remembering it, he can more easily

proud of his father, hoping that "the dying may float without fear /

worse. As in the poem, one must overcome the death as quickly as

father looks down upon him from heaven through the "created hue of

Approximate Word count = 1243
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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