Open To Interpretation

        In 12S, we have spent the past couple of classes discussing pastoral poetry, which, surprisingly, I enjoyed. They were so cute! All about the ups and downs of being caught up in a passionate relationship, from the happiness of being newly committed, as in The Voice of the Swallow, Flittering, Calls to Me, to the possible theme of heartbreak and betrayal in I Think I’ll Go Home and Lie Very Still. Despite references to a lifestyle much different from the present day, the poetry carried within it themes that are still very human and relatable, even after all these years. It is interesting to realize that even people, who lived thousands of years ago, in a time much different from my own, still felt and acted in ways much similar to myself and people that I know in the present day. But besides being cute and relatable, the thing I most enjoyed about reading the poetry was hearing the different interpretations that we all had. For example, the poem I Think I’ll Go Home and Lie Very Still, I interpreted to be about a person who was heartbroken, staying in bed out of sheer bitter and depressed disappointment, and his love gloating knowingly over his heartache. Kimoy, on the other hand, felt that the man was feigning illness in order to be able to see his beloved, who smiled knowingly because she knew the real reason behind his false illness was to see her, and she appreciated the gesture. Two very different interpretations, the same exact text, and both had textual support! I thoroughly enjoyed being able to think about a reading from multiple perspectives. Also, Mrs. Whitley’s genuine encouragement to make our own interpretations, even if they were contrary to each other’s and even her own, as long as we had support, made the class a lot more engaging and enjoyable.