Monday, May 4, 2015

In "Snake" by DH Lawrence the animal felt that the snake had to be killed, yet while thinking so it felt shame. "Was it cowardice, that I dared not kill him..Was it perversity, that I longed to talk to him...Was it humility, to feel so honoured" (DH Lawrence, 149).  This animal was content with the way the snake had approached the water-trough, because the snake was silent and respectful. Although the snake was peaceful, the animal believed that the snake had to be killed because it had drank from its water-trough, yet the animal was happy for the appearance. So if the animal was happy to have the snake as a guest, yet had thoughts about killing the snake does it make the animal a bad? If an animal or human have thoughts about committing murder does this justify what kind of a person they are, or  does having shame for one's thoughts make up for thinking that way?

1 comment:

  1. I had never really thought of the speaker as an animal other than human, nor had I ever thought about an animal committing murder. Well, playing with their food then maybe an orca takes the "cake", but murder, now that's an interesting supposition. I don;t think that an afterthought of shame exonerates this speaker of this poem especially when you consider the levels and layers of rationalization that is going through their mind. I think what stands out most to me is that both the speaker and this snake experience/display and instinct that is caused by physical difference. The speaker seems t be most upset by the snakes body movement as it crawls away.

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