Mary Oliver

Words: 792
Pages: 4

In “The Black Walnut Tree”, Mary Oliver explores the contrast between emotional significance and practical gain through the use of metaphor and imagery. The author asserts that acting upon the sentimental value outweighs pragmatic gain when evaluating objects. Within the early stages of the poem, the author employs the metaphor of the black walnut tree, using imagery to establish its initial role. The speaker introduces the black walnut tree as fragile and profitable through the imagery of churning the tree’s “dark boughs.” Thus, the speaker acknowledges the inevitability of the end of the tree’s lifespan and the probable benefit that would arise from getting rid of the tree of “pay[ing] off the mortgage.” The author employs additional imagery …show more content…
The speaker then states “[my mother and I] don’t do anything,” offering further narration to the speaker’s and Oliver’s prioritization of sentimental value over pragmatic solutions. By “[not] do[ing] anything,” the author shifts to establish an atmosphere of peaceful dormancy through the lack of urgency despite the loom of “the mortgage.” Oliver continues to maintain this tone when the speaker then returns to a distant past through a “dream”, providing an increased sense of nostalgia and peacefulness within the poem. Through the imagery of “filling the blue fields,” Oliver depicts the sentimental value through “blue fields,” the colour blue being used in the context of the poem to communicate a sense of calmness, and therefore, emotional