Syntax structure or sentence structure refers to word order of a poem, and the way in which it works with grammatical structures. The syntax structure in Considering the Snail does two things; it expresses the intended meaning of the central theme, as well as providing a rhythmic pattern to each stanza, which is the pattern of ABCABC. An example of the modification of the normal syntax structure in Considering the Snail can be seen in the second stanza:
‘as he hunts. I cannot tell
what power is at work, drenched there
with purpose, knowing nothing’
As the reader digests the long sentence structure, it can be considered that the observer, the persona, is pondering over the snail’s journey. These three lines provides the reader with the impression that the snail’s journey is drenched with purpose, literally, due to the mucus trail that he has left behind but also implies the abstract idea of the animal having ambition and purpose to pursue such a journey but at the same time, ‘knowing’ or feeling ‘nothing’. This implication mimics the poem’s anthropomorphic central theme of trying to feel as a the snail might do by giving it human characteristics, such as purpose; yet at the same time, understanding that such a notion is near enough impossible because their inability to be self conscious and aware of their actions. However, because of the syntax structure of the these three lines, the reader can also discover an alternative meaning to the alignment of the words; that instead of the snail being the subject of the entire poem, that the observer is the object of the sentence, due to the subject ‘I’ starting the sentence, standing ‘drenched with purpose’, ‘knowing nothing’ of the snail’s determination or emotions. This clever use of manipulating the sentence structure enables Gunn to portray two potential meanings within one sentence, which in turn, provides the poem with complexity and depth, despite it’s ordinary and mundane atmosphere.
A line break is the place where a line of poetry ends, unguided by traditional punctuation conventions. Line breaks are important in poetry because they so often introduce ambiguity and affect meaning. Poets use line breaks to lead readers into multiple understandings and surprising ideas, as well as to control the flow at which they encounter ideas and images. Taking this into consideration, we can analyses several aspects of the poem where line ending is able to emphasize the central theme of the poem; a day in a life of a snail.
One example of manipulation of line breaking within the poem can be seen in the last two lines of stanza two:
‘ What’s a snail’s fury? All
I think that if later’
Within two lines, Gunn is able to emphasize several subtle meanings of the persona’s opinion and it manages to directly ask the subject of the poem, the snail the question in hope of a response which each the snail has provided or the persona has presumed. The question ‘what’s a snail’s fury?’ implies that the snail is in fact conscious and is able to feel such emotion as fury; that if the dismal ‘wet’ weather of the day was together with the ‘heavy’ grass, then there is no doubt that the snail would feel anger and fury along his journey. On the other hand, by not breaking the line after the question, Gunn has cleverly managed to align ‘All’ within the next line as if it was meant to flow into the next syntax; merely placing the ‘All’ after the question allows the poem’s rhythmic pattern to flow, as it is a consonantal half rhyme with ‘tell’. This manipulation of the line break allows the reader to come away from the second stanza with two different meanings; one is that of a question being answered either directly by the persona or in fact, the self-conscious snail; the other is that the question lays unanswered with the continuation of the next line, starting with ‘All’.
Another manipulation of line breaking can be seen throughout the whole poem during each stanza. Gunn purposefully does not break up each stanza but instead lets one flow into the next; as if, he was promoting the slow and continuous journey of the snail through the lack of full stops between each stanza. This lack of line breaking between each stanza enables the context of the poem; a snail’s journey to be created through the literal structure of the stanzas. This also can be seen through the elongation of the sentences within the stanzas that are not short and snappy but in fact long and broken up with the use of commas; relating to the slow progress of a snail that may wish to take small breaks along its journey.
The breaking of lines within the stanzas can be compared to that of thought process; whereby a self-conscious being takes a long, drawn out time to process thoughts and opinions which then are analyzed; a extensive procedure that only a human could achieve or in the case of the poem’s theme, if the snail were to be emotional and self-conscious, it could too. Gunn has also allowed the flow of rhyme to enhance through the lack of punctuation at the end of each line, which allows the reader to appreciate the rhyming structure of ABC ABC, consonantal half rhyme with seven syllables; of the poem without having to take into account abrupt full stops with could disconnect the pattern. Poetry is usually defined by the amount of stresses and unstressed syllables within a line, rather than just syllables; this unusual and abstract use of rhyme could promote the theme of the snail being in fact not self conscious and insensitive
In conclusion, Gunn cleverly manipulates line breaking within Considering the Snail with allows the reader to appreciate other subtle complexities the poem has to offer; the theme of a snail’s journey and long syntax structures, through the elongation of three stanzas to accumulate into one and also how the rhyming structure can be enhanced through the absent use of full stops. Overall, Gunn has managed to produce a worthy poem of such a subject, a snail, that is often negatively thought of or perceived, through his ability to manipulate the syntax structure and thus, the line breaking of the poem.
INTRODUCE ANTLERS
FURY = FAST, VIOLENT EMOTION
RHYMING STRUCTURE IS NOT NOTICED
EMOTIONAL LANGUAGE AND URGENCY VS AN EMAIL WHICH IS NOT URGENT
FREQUENT ENJAMBMENT
SNAIL CONVEYS HUMAN EMOTION THROUGH DETERMINATION
THE JOURNEY IMPORTANT NOT THE DESTINATION
