Seamus Heaney Mid-Term Break Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Seamus Heaney Mid-Term Break - Essay Example Having learned of what happened while away at school, Seamus spent the school day at the sick bay or clinic where he heard the school bell ring between classes. In his mind, the bell was similar to the paling of the church bells during a funeral. The last bell of the day signaling the end of class after all. Returning home, he did not have a very clear picture of what tragedy had just beset his family. So he met with the mourners with a sense of detachment. Henry was touched by the way that his father â€Å"Big Jim† Evans showed emotion at the death of his younger brother. Knowing his father to be a strong and somewhat stoic man, this was one of the few times that Seamus actually saw his father saddened by an event. Sadness is a very powerful emotion that the man seemed able to convey to his oldest son only by shaking his hand and letting him know what a â€Å"big blow† the death of the middle son was. Why did the Old Man stand for Henry when he arrived and shook his hand? In the family, he was the eldest son and as such, he was second to his father in commanding the respect of the community. By standing up to greet him, the Old Man acknowledged his presence and his authority in the family. Indeed, their situation was quite unusual and that is why Henry seemed lost and confused when the Old Man and others began to stand up to greet and speak to him upon his arrival. This is one of the saddest poems that I have ever read. From the beginning of the second line, it was already evident that this was not a poem that was going to end with a happy recollection of a time past. Using assonance and alliteration, Seamus Henry managed to emotionally involve his readers in the death of his brother. Describing the ringing of the school bell in relation to a funeral indicates that he felt heavy at the thought of time slowly passing. A lyrical poem, one