LIVING IN SIN

Living in SinSymbolism:

The Night: symbolises romance and love in its secracy and mystery. The night hides what we do not wish to see and helps us to pretend that all is perfect in the music of the night “notes upon the keyboard”

The Day: symbolises fear as it highlights all our flaws in the harsh reality of light. The day highlights what the night hides and presents the existence of “the minor demons”

Living in SinSymbolism

The Dust: is symbolic for love and lack there of. When the dust is present during the night it is not seen, love is blind. During the day the dust is most visable and the authenticity of love is lost.

Living in SinTheme Fear: is a prevalent theme in the poem

portrayed through the milkman. “relentless milkman up the stairs” indicates the manner of which with the milkman and his reality brings fear.

Love: Prominent theme in the poem. It is illustrated that love is blind “by evening she was back in love again”. Rich shows that love hides all blemishes and is, like all things a harsh reality in the light of day.

Living in Sin Common Idea

Dream like state verses the harsh reality of life: Rich depicts through the night that her love is “a plate of pears, a piano” this dream like romance is dominant at the beginning of the poem and captivates the reader. However in daylight we see the truth “rubbed at his beard, went out for cigarettes” Rich uses the analytical daylight to illustrate the reality of her life.

Living in SinCommon idea

Cyclical nature of life: “By evening she was back in love again” through words and expressions rich shows us how life is a never ending circle. Although she is in love in the night the day presents how common and repetitive her life is. With the word again we are fully enforced to accept the cyclical nature of life.

Living in Sin/ The Uncle Speaks in the Drawing Room

Comparison

A common theme and feeling between these two poems is that of fear. “lead in times like these to fear” this poem speaks of a fear of material objects which represents power and many symbolic meanings. In comparison we see the common trope of fear but in a rather different fashion. Living in sin depicts a fear of love and lack there of. It is unconcerned with material objects and the power they posses. “while she, jeered by the demons.”