Digging is also about the admiration and respect that Heaney had for his father. The words such as “Straining” show that his father worked very hard, as he did not break very often because he “stooped in rhythm”.
In “Follower” this is also the case. In the second verse he describes his father as “an expert”. This shows a huge amount of respect.
It is these words, which conjure up such image of Heaney’s father never stopping unless he has finished a job, this image helps us to understand the young boy’s admiration for his father. Country life is therefore seen as difficult, but there are also family elements too.
Heaney wants to be like his father, but the difference between “Digging” and “Follower” is that Heaney realises that he has “no spade to follow men like them”.
“Digging” tells of the continuation of farming from Heaney’s grandfather to Heaney’s father, “the old man could handle a spade. Just like his old man” showing the reader that country life is very family orientated, and professions are often carried down from father to son. The image of Heaney’s father being taught to dig by his father is very powerful and effective, as it shows the reader the strong bonds between people on farms, and in country life generally.
The last line, “The squat pen rests. I’ll dig with it” shows that in the country, it is often expected that people, like Heaney will follow in their fathers footsteps, but Heaney is seen here to choose to be a writer.
The image of Heaney digging out his memories with his pen are that which are effective as the reader can visualize the likeness between poetry and farming.
However, the image is somewhat of a surprise, as Heaney says in “Follower” that he wants to be like his father, but here he changes his mind.
This poem, like “Follower” has a main theme, and they are similar as they are both about hard work involved in running the farm, the relationship between the father and son and the expectation that profession and skill will be carried on throughout the family.
“Follower” is much the same as “Digging” in a number of ways.
The love and respect for his father carries on throughout the poem. As mentioned before in the second verse and throughout the two poems Heaney continuously comments on his fathers expertise. This again makes you realise why Heaney looked up to him so much.
In “Follower” Heaney uses alternate rhyme this pattern giving the poem rhythm, almost like the “dipping and rising” movement mentioned. Also Adjectives such as Strained, steel, sweating and hob-nailed convey how tough farming is. Towards the end of the poem Heaney starts to express his feelings more. “I wanted to grow up and plough” and “I was a nuisance, tripping, falling, yapping always”. This giving us more of an insight as to how he was feeling at that time.
In many ways the last lines of the poem “It is my father who keeps stumbling behind me, and will not go away. Is ambiguous, as we do not know the full extent of the meaning.
This was probably the way Heaney wanted it to be, leaving doubt in our minds and maybe in his too.
