An array of vivid imagery is used to further engage the reader in the memories that are being illustrated. The speaker shows that even though he may not wish to follow the path of his forefathers, he can convey his respect for family tradition through his writing. Phrases such as “The coarse boot nestled on the lug, the shaft against the inside knee was levered firmly” (line 10) and “To scatter new potatoes that we picked loving their cool hardness in our hands” (line 13) make strong use of tactile imagery. In effect, the reader grasps the intricacies of his father and grandfathers’ work. The word “nestled” highlights the devotion that the speaker’s father has to the land.
The reverence that the speaker has for his forefathers’ work is evident in his tone: “By God, the old man could handle a spade, just like his old man.” (Line 15) In contrast with his father and his grandfather, the speaker handles himself clumsily under the same conditions. The phrase “Once I carried him milk in a bottle corked sloppily with paper” (Line 19) is a reflection of this, where the use of paper is different to the kind he is shown to be skilled at. A sense of detachedness is established early on in the poem, in the second stanza, where the speaker describes himself to be separated from the outside where his forefathers have worked by a window. The window has erected a barrier between the inside and the outside, demonstrating the idea of two separate worlds, and it is clear that there is only one environment in which the speaker feels at ease. The speaker establishes this through the line, “But I've no spade to follow men like them,” (Line 28) highlighting that he has broken the chain of tradition in his decision to become a writer.
Simile is a literary device utilised by Heaney to explore the theme of identity and individuality. In the first stanza, the speaker’s pen rests “as snug as a gun” (line 2) in his hand. The words “snug” and “gun” have contrasting connotations: the word “snug” is associated with warmth and comfort, while guns are associated with violence. However, due to the use of assonance, they are presented to the reader as being similar. Guns are also symbols of purpose and power, and by placing the two objects alongside one another the speaker suggests that the pen can fulfil a role with the same relevance. In this way, the poem presents the idea that everything has a key purpose and that there is no way to measure one’s importance over another.
The poem finishes with the use of repetition in the lines, “Between my finger and my thumb the squat pen rests. I'll dig with it.” (Lines 29-31) This almost mirrors the opening of the poem, however this time a conclusive statement is reached. The speaker states that “digging” – adding depth and meaning to one’s life – can be achieved through a variety of methods, thus opening up to figurative implications for the title. Throughout the poem, the speaker is metaphorically “digging” his own path to bring meaning to his identity.
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