Prompt: In a brief essay, identify at least two of the implications implicit in the society reflected in the poem. Support your statements by specific references to the poem.
Death takes place on a daily basis and is one of the few inevitable occurrences for humans, yet it is still difficult to comprehend and handle. It forces us to realize the most blatant characteristics about humanity that we never actually think about.
Life is a precious thing that we take for granted everyday because of our sense of entitlement. Of course we all have our own lives to build and live, but there are so many diversions that can unexpectedly alter or even cease our path along the way. The first four stanzas of this poem describe the little girl and how her energetic actions amused all who observed her. The cheerful diction allows the reader to understand that those who watched her play outdoors were thoroughly entertained and filled with joy when she would wake the geese. These animated stanzas were juxtaposed with the last stanza of this poem detailing everyone's anguish as the little girl was "primly propped". Ransom describes this little girl as having a superfluous amount of energy through the lines, "There was such speed in her little body,..." and "For the tireless heart within the little Lady..." suggesting that she would be the least likely to be permanently laid to rest. She took part in various juvenile activities such as "...she took arms against her shadow..." and "The lazy geese... Tricking and stopping, sleepy and proud...For the tireless heart within the little Lady with rod that made them rise..." that an occurrence associated with seniority seemed entirely impossible. The society in which the little girl belonged to didn't know how to manage the death of a beloved youthful child as they never thought twice about how fragile life is. They took that for granted everyday and failed to realize that they were all only mortals, destined to the same fate.
This society appeared to have the same relationships that family members share. Even though the author didn't know the little girl personally or on a first name basis, since she was described as "John Whiteside's Daughter" in the title and "little Lady" in the poem, the reader could still feel his sorrow as the bells rang. This society was so captivated and accustomed to the numerous children enjoying their adolescence and the orchards blooming with animals roaming freely that they had forgotten to appreciate it. They failed to remember that no one is granted immortality, especially with the death of the little girl, but what hit them the hardest was that they couldn't escape death either.
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