Response Journal
"Moved" by Uvavnuk is a celebration of life, of being alive to enjoy the world. The author has captured that moment of exhilaration that most humans, if they are lucky, feel at least once in their life. It is a moment when all seems right in the world. Everything is as it should be, and being present in that moment stirs the soul and warms the heart. A Buddhist would refer to this moment as nirvana, a state of blissfulness. Andrew Wiget points out that Inuit poetry is unique for its juxtaposition of humans against nature, how humans are dwarfed by the enormity of nature which results in human beings "continually struggling to secure their existence" (Wiget). Wiget also notes that this view of nature corresponds to the notion of the Romantic sublime, "a combination of awe, terror, and humility" (Wiget). Dee Finney notes that Uvavnuk was initiated when she was struck by a lightning ball, after which, "she had great power, which she dedicated to serving her people" (Finney). Thus, as a shaman, the author most likely was experiencing a state of nirvana, "that mystical state of ecstasy, moving between ordinary and non-ordinary realities...rebirth" (Finney). Finney points out that Freud believed that all dreams are important
"On a Sea-Storm Nigh the Coast" is credited to Richard Steere, born outside of London, who became a staunch Whig and escaped the political oppression of Charles II by taking a ship to New England in 1683 (Richard). There, he settled in New London, Connecticut, and became a merchant, but later moved to Long Island to protest local persecution of Quakers (Richard). One can imagine that this poem might be metaphorical, considering the political and religious persecution of the era. However, it can also be compared to William Wordsworth's "By the Seaside" and "Composed During a Storm" (Poet's). In "By the Seaside," Wordsworth writes, "Where, now, the ships that drove before the blast, Threatened by angry breakers as they passed; And by a train of flying clouds bemocked...Fresh gales to waft them to the far-off port, But near, or hanging sea and sky between" (Poet's). And in "Composed During a Storm," he writes, "Of the fierce wind, while mid-day lightnings prowl, Insidiously, untimely thunders growl" (Poet's). "On a Sea-Storm Nigh the Coast" might well have been written from his experience while journeying to the colonies, particularly when he writes of "The Winds are High Making the Surface of the Ocean Show Like Mountains Lofty and Like Vallies Low" (556). But it is more likely that he wrote it after arriving, by the lines "And from the Rock's Foundations do Arise to Kiss the Skies" (556). That particular line sounds as if he is on shore, watching the waves crash upon the rocks. This poem depicts the fury of nature, however, it can also be compared to the storm of emotions that one feels at times when life becomes overwhelming. "A Poem Written by a Captive Damsel" is a plead from one sister to another to be certain to follow God's path, despite the horror that surrounds them. She also reminds her sister to remember those who have died, and to forever reject the earthly sins. This is certainly a Puritanical prose, speaking of God in almost every line. This poem, similar to the narratives of Mary White Rowlandson, in which she writes of the strained relationships between the colonists and the Native Americans (Harris). Like most people who are faced with traumatic events or circumstances, the author of this poem is holding onto her faith as a means
Some common words found in the essay are:
Americans Harris, Gaqka Crow, Annie Tom, Moved Uvavnuk, Captive Damsel, Dee Finney, Kiss Skies, Seaside Wordsworth, Annie Tom's, Wiget1 Wiget, wiget notes, sea-storm nigh coast, collective unconscious, traumatic events, wiget2 gaqka, finney notes, nigh coast, believed dreams, wiget1 wiget, sea-storm nigh, people brought,
Approximate Word count = 1535
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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