Silvia Osorio
Ms. Stronks
ELA 8
February 22, 2016
All But Blind Analysis
"All but Blind,” by Walter de la Mare, is a simple poem. The poem is in a ABAC pattern. In this poem, the speaker talks about the three animals that are considered to be "blind" by the human world, but each manages to get by quite well. De La Mare speaks about the Mole first, despite its blindness, it survives by eating the worms that it "gropes" for in its "cambered hole". Although to us it might appear that the Mole is limited in its ability because it cannot "see", in reality, it is perfectly capable of taking care of itself. The speaker next talks about the Bat, another animal from our point of view that seems to be lacking the sense of sight. Yet even without being able to "see", it is able to navigate with ease "in the evening sky", flying freely without difficulty. De La Mare next talks about the Barn Owl. Like the Mole and the Bat, it does not "see" with its eyes like we do, so we believe it is "blind", but it, too, manages to get along quite well. Indeed, the senses the Mole, Bat, and Barn Owl do have might be even more precious than the gift of sight as we imagine it.
De la Mare is saying that "sight" is different things to different people. Just as we think the Mole, Bat, and Barn Owl are "blind" because they do not "see" as we do, so others might think we are blind because we do not "see" as do they. In a metaphorical way, "sight" is "understanding". The reader might think someone else is "blind" because they don't perceive things as they do, but by the same token, their understanding of something might make someone else think that they are the ones who are lacking in the ability to "see".
Ms. Stronks
ELA 8
February 22, 2016
All But Blind Analysis
"All but Blind,” by Walter de la Mare, is a simple poem. The poem is in a ABAC pattern. In this poem, the speaker talks about the three animals that are considered to be "blind" by the human world, but each manages to get by quite well. De La Mare speaks about the Mole first, despite its blindness, it survives by eating the worms that it "gropes" for in its "cambered hole". Although to us it might appear that the Mole is limited in its ability because it cannot "see", in reality, it is perfectly capable of taking care of itself. The speaker next talks about the Bat, another animal from our point of view that seems to be lacking the sense of sight. Yet even without being able to "see", it is able to navigate with ease "in the evening sky", flying freely without difficulty. De La Mare next talks about the Barn Owl. Like the Mole and the Bat, it does not "see" with its eyes like we do, so we believe it is "blind", but it, too, manages to get along quite well. Indeed, the senses the Mole, Bat, and Barn Owl do have might be even more precious than the gift of sight as we imagine it.
De la Mare is saying that "sight" is different things to different people. Just as we think the Mole, Bat, and Barn Owl are "blind" because they do not "see" as we do, so others might think we are blind because we do not "see" as do they. In a metaphorical way, "sight" is "understanding". The reader might think someone else is "blind" because they don't perceive things as they do, but by the same token, their understanding of something might make someone else think that they are the ones who are lacking in the ability to "see".