Welcome to the Write Right 2009 Think Tank
This is where we will collaborate on our "Big Question" of the Summer. I'll post questions, and you post your observations, analysis, and insight in the comments section. You'll also post your summary, synthesis, and critique here.
Your First Assignment:
Summarize your interpretation of "Red Wheelbarrow" in the comments:
"The Red Wheelbarrow"
so much depends
upon
a red wheel
barrow
glazed with rain
water
Beside the white
chickens.
Justin Ching
ReplyDeleteThe wheel barrow is a simple machine. but so many things depend on it. the farmer depends on it to do work. the chickens depend on it for supplies such as food or dirt. maybe the items represent something. the wheel barrow could be something that all humans depend on, the water is something that could have hurt the chickens, and the chickens represent humanity.
The wheelbarrow though a very basic form of farm tool is very important. He whether on the farm or not, notices how everything seems to be connected by the work of that red wheelbarrow. The colors he describes the items as are very strong and often metaphorical. The image is simple, yet portrays a sense of priority, where he automatically shows the wheelbarrow as most important in the scene. He probably had a prior knowledge of the topic of farm maintenance, because a normal “city” person probably would not see these subtle priorities. Being that the farm provides most of the food for the general human population, does the wheel barrow perform more than a famer’s job, and not only cares for the chickens but the entire world population? This poem arouses an awareness that everything we need may be provided because of the work of that red wheel barrow.
ReplyDeleteSteven Yee...
ReplyDeleteWheelbarrows are very useful tools. They are normally used to transport heavy or unwieldy objects. This red wheelbarrow is probably carrying something very important because “so much depends upon” it. Metaphors are also important in this poem. Red is normally a darker color can be associated with war, blood, and evil. But this red wheelbarrow is glazed with rain water. Glazed is a peaceful word. Rainwater is also peaceful. “Beside the white chickens.” It seems as if these white chickens are guarding the wheelbarrow. White is associated with purity and heaven. Putting it together, an evil tool is being protected by peace. I think “so much depends upon a red wheel barrow” refers to the evil being contained by peace. If this evil were to escape, many bad things could happen.
Why is this wheelbarrow so important? The red wheelbarrow is obviously the main and most important object of this poem and without its presence; the entire poem would be greatly altered. I believe that this poem is slightly metaphoric and the wheelbarrow is a representation of the essentials in humanity, in which we "so much depend upon". Though this poem is very simple and straightforward, I feel that it carries a definition that is much more complex. Other than painting a detailed, vivid picture I think that he is trying to convey a deeper meaning.
ReplyDeleteThe wheelbarrow is one of the simplest inventions of man. Williams asks his readers to find the beauty in simplicity and everyday life.The wheelbarrow is essential to the imagined farmer.Every aspect of this poem evokes a strong mental picture and has meaning. The color red brings strength, passion, and blood to mind; while the color white represents innocence and purity, as does the rainwater with its cleansing qulities.
ReplyDeleteWhy is the wheelbarrow the main focus of the poem? It is a very simple item yet it holds so much meaning behind it...and its "glazed with rain water..." meaning that its raining. So is it serving as some sort of rain catch to feed the white chickens beside it? Or is it maybe providing protecion for the chickens from the storm that is brewing? And that would explain why they are "white". Not because of their color, but maybe it is saying that they are white with fear.
ReplyDelete-ren
I was thinking about this for a very long time... The idea that he is a farmer or has something to do with farmers plays a huge part in this poem. But what if it is a child playing with his red wheelbarrow and his plastic white chickens, and the rain on the wheelbarrow dripped from the water the child was drinking. I am not so sure, but wheelbarrows hold things and carry things from place to place. The wheelbarrow is important because it helps him around the farm.
ReplyDeleteSofie
The color red could stand for life, happiness, or life. Another reason for the color red is for a type of cliché such as red wagon, red box, red ball, which could give a sense of nostalgia. A wheelbarrow can be wide to hold a big load that could be pushed or pulled but it helps either way. “Glazed with rain water” could stand for water, life, purity/ clear, hardships, a cover/ mask, or insight. A white chicken could stand for new life, meat, energy, wild, domestics, chaos, noise, coward, the unexpected, restrained, hope, or light. When you put together all of the possible meanings, you can come up with happiness through purity and life lies next to chaos and the unexpected. Also, the masked or mysterious help lies next to source of energy meaning something unknown can help to give us the energy we need to succeed.
ReplyDelete-Matt 2
A red wheelbarrow. such a simple tool that can accomplish so much. a short poem, a simple idea that can mean so much. The color red could resemble many different aspects.It seems that the wheel barrow is worn and used because it is "glazed with rain water". i think that the author of this poem had used a wheelbarrow a lot. maybe he is a farmer? He must have had a lot of experience with the protection/growth with chickens because he included that animal in such a small poem. a red wheelbarrow can also be a metaphor of a common tool we take for granted in our modern world.
ReplyDelete~stephen
The wheelbarrow is the most important thing in the peom because without it the poem wouldn't have a name. Eventhough it is such a simple thing so much things depend on the wheelbarrow, it helps make everyday tasks much more simple and easy. Maybe the wheelbarrow symbolizes the tools that we use everyday and the chickens symbolize the humans that depend on the tools to survive.
ReplyDelete-Matt 1
i believe that this can be a reference to any useful thing for anybody. Cell phones and cars are a few of these things in which people use a lot. The glazed with rain and water line depicts that these things are used very frequently. And i also believe that the chickens might reference us people, and that it is a bit symbolic in a sense that man and technology living side by side
ReplyDelete~Alec Catalan~
Why is the red wheelbarrow so important ? I think it is important because it is an essential tool for a farmer. It helps the farmer do many things such as move fertilizer, feed, dirt and such. It transports many things and is depended on. But in the poem, it says it is glazed with rain water. Maybe it hasn't been used for a while because there is water on it still. Or it has been abandoned by the chickens because they no longer need to use it.
ReplyDelete-Manabu