"Diving Into the Wreck" SPOTTTS Analysis

"Diving into the Wreck"

Adrienne Rich

1973

S - The subject of this poem focuses on the importance of self acceptance and peace while breaking            free from society's expectations.

P - At the beginning of this poem, the reader familiarized to the concept that a person, not specified as a man or as a woman, is suiting up to go diving by themselves. As the power progresses, the person draws importance to little parts of their journey, like that of the ladder, emphasizing how unfamiliar and unimportant this object would be to other people who lack its usefulness and impact on a journey. Once the diver reaches the water, Rich uses imagery to portray their experience of progressing deeper into the unknown by describing the color gradient from blue, to green, to black. Similarly, the author personifies the ocean as a controlling force while dehumanizes the diver, comparing them to an insect who is complying to the demands of a larger whole, the ocean. Once the diver reaches the sunken ship, it appears that they now have a purpose, having reached the thing they came for. Also, the diver looses their ties to the human world, immersed in the world of the ocean where they recall that "I and she: I am he", exemplifying the lack of societal categorizing and gender roles (77). Comparatively, the diver seems to have reached an inner peace, finding their way and achieving their purpose, not joining a place where "names do not appear" (94).

O - Having been written in 1973, gender roles as well as societal expectations largely impacted the actions and beliefs of people during that time. Through writing this poem, Rich explores these beliefs through the divers exploration of the ship, as well as emphasizing the happiness and independence that rewards self appreciation and breaking from society and their expectations.

T - The explorative tone of the poem reveals the authors wishes for reflecting similar ideals in society, hoping that this meaning will spread and lead more people to question society. Also, due to the professional tone of the diver, it creates contrast with the mystical portrayal of the ocean, emphasizing the differences between the world and their different impacts on the diver.

T - The theme of this poem is to create importance around the subject of individualism as well as understanding between self activism and societal pressures.

T - The title, "Diving Into the Wreck" creates an explorative significance to the poem, emphasizing the beliefs of Rich, that there is a necessity for exploration of the barriers between society and individualism. Also, by having there be a wreck under the ocean, the poem's title highlights that although there is the world above ground that is full of society's beliefs, even the separate world below the sea isn't completely free from these impacts, and will always have part of societal influence, or a "wreck", within.

S - The poem is narrated by the diver who acts as an anchor between the two worlds. As the diver escapes the world of air and ventures downward into the ocean, the poem shifts as the diver enters a musical world of freedom and individual acceptance.