Heaney uses religious connotation of words in order to reveal the inevitability of falling to lust. Heaney alludes to Adam in the bible after he eats the forbidden apple. Heaney writes, For a full week, the blackberries would ripen

International Baccalaureate World Literature

IB World Literature

23 May 22, 2009

Heaney Paper

In the bible it is written, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The bible reveals that all have sinned, meaning all are bound to sin. There is no escape; the inevitable fact is that one cannot overcome sin. Humankind has an inherent weakness to sin. Heaney, being a strict catholic in Northern Ireland, had strong beliefs and catholic views. These views and ideals are intentionally revealed through numerous biblical references in the poem, Blackberry- picking. Heaney incorporates religious/ non-religious imagery and connotations of words in order to reveal humans powerlessness against temptations.

Heaney uses religious connotation of words in order to reveal the inevitability of falling to lust. Heaney alludes to Adam in the bible after he eats the forbidden apple. Heaney writes, “For a full week, the blackberries would ripen” (Heaney line 2). Immediately one can connect this to the apple that Eve took off the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden. Heaney shows the reader how lust begins to take its toll. “At first, just one” (line 3), but soon more berries were to appear and the reader can see the narrator become infatuated with these berries. As Adam had done, he had given into lust, lust for the berries that were “red, green, [and] hard as a knot” (line 4). Heaney vividly describes the berries in order to persuade the reader into the same lust the narrator endures. As the poem continues, one can see how “lust” begins to overcome and direct the narrator’s actions. It is “that hunger [that] sent [them] out with milk cans, pea tins, jam-pots where briars scratched and wet grass bleached [their] boots” (Lines 9-10). Heaney writes this in order to show how “hunger”, or lust, becomes the motivating factor in why the narrator acts. Even when being “scratched” the overwhelming, influence of lust drives him to continue. These quotes convey the insatiability of the deadly sin, lust. The speaker is fulfilled by the berries but temporarily. Thus, his desire is unquenchable. Consequently crippling the narrator for sin to follow, greed.

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Again, Heaney uses religious connotations and imagery, except in this instance, he uses it to reveal humanity’s incapability to fight greed. As lust continues to drive the narrator, greed begins to overcome the narrator. Heaney describes the effect of eating the berries: Heaney writes, “You ate that first one and its flesh was sweet like thickened wine summer's blood was in it, leaving stains upon the tongue and lust for Picking” (Lines 7-8). The reference to flesh wine and blood could be referring to the last supper, the Eucharist. The blood and flesh of Christ. Once more, alluding to the bible. Heaney illustrates how after just one taste of the “sweet” berry, the narrator became captivated by its taste. So captivated in fact that it left a “stain” upon his tongue. A stain, which is considered semi-permanent. The narrator is left with an insatiable desire for the berries. The narrator had “trekked and picked until the cans were full, until the tinkling bottom had been covered” (lines 12- 13). Heaney demonstrates the narrator’s greediness. The narrator took as many as he could with regard to others. Heaney illustrates human’s tendency to fall into temptation and greed. Heaney goes even further as to show at what lengths the narrator will go to get the berries. “Our hands were peppered with thorn pricks” (lines 15-16). The thrones can be considered a biblical reference to Jesus’ crown of thorns, which in turn would mean they are sacrificing themselves, as Jesus did, for these berries signifying the great extent in which the narrator is willing to go.

Heaney vivid imagery allows the reader to observe humanity’s humans inadequacy against the destructive authority of temptation. In blackberry picking many religious connotations can be found as a result of Heaney’s strict Northern catholic upbringing. Sinning is a natural inclination that humankind cannot tame. Humans innate tendency to fall to temptation is too much for anyone to overcome. Therefore, it is safe to say, that as long as there are humans on the earth, there will be sin

Heaney uses religious connotation of words in order to reveal the inevitability of falling to lust. Heaney alludes to Adam in the bible after he eats the forbidden apple. Heaney writes, For a full week, the blackberries would ripen

This is a preview of the whole essay

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