THE PARABLE OF THE BLIND

Brittany PAshley K

Thesis

William Carlos Williams uses religion in the poem because he wants to show the reader a form spiritual visualization and ignorance.

“They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.”

—Jesus, Matthew 15:14

Overall Interpretation

The poem is explaining a painting “across the canvas” “where the picture and the

composition ends” The picture as well as the poem are

trying to explain that when you follow ignorant people down a path, you also will fall

“one follows the others stick in hand triumphant disaster”

Meaning and language Allegory - “cottage is seen and a

church spire” Allusion - “beggars” Diction - Uses hard consonants through

the poem “diagonally downward” Mood - Somber (Gloomy, shadowy,

dull) Point of view - Third person “group of

beggars leading” Theme - Follow ignorance and you will

fall “stick in hand triumphant to disaster”

Tone - Informative

Senses: imagery and symbols Imagery- Visual throughout the

entire poem “stumble finally into a bog”

Symbols: Red – danger Church spire – FaithBasin – Humbleness “without a red” – because don’t feel

they have anything to fear by following

Style

Oxymoron- “horrible but superb painting” “triumphant to disaster”

Satire- “Pitiful possessions” Stream of consciousness- Explaining

the poem

Form, organization, and pattern

Enjambment- no punctuation Pattern- three lines in each stanza Repetition- Two oxymoron's “horrible but superb painting”“triumphant to disaster” *clusters all of his images into a

different stanza

Sound

Alliteration- “diagonally downward” “pitiful possessions”

Consonance- A lot of hard consonants

Activity Write your own short poem/description about these two

pictures (5mins)

Connection to poems

Landscape with the fall of icarus Peasant wedding Lament in springtime Spring and all

Conclusion

In conclusion William Carlos Williams uses his poem to show you a parable that is when you follow ignorant people you will fall too, he also ties in religious aspects into his work.