“Diving into the Wreck is a poem written by Adrienne Rich and the title says much about its content. The narrator is a person who dives and searcher for a ship which was wrecked and which lies under the ocean surface. It is told from the first-person which makes this experience credible. There is much imagination woven into this poem and the atmosphere is vivid because of the sensory language that is used to depict the exact movements of the diver.
The narrator is female and she has gear for scuba diving and other accessories that are necessary for safety under the water. Ocean is a dangerous place and it sound even more dangerous and mysterious because of the fact that there is a ship wreck somewhere beneath. It means that there was either bad weather involved, which could come back, or some other accident. It cannot be pleasant to do this alone, but she has her reasons. The imagery suggests the variety of sea life and the narrator tells the readers about going down the ladder and into the water. She describes every step and she informs the readers about the fact that she is prepared because she read about this wreck in a book which described myths. It seems that this wreck is mythical and can be found by any person who is determined enough to go search for it. The sea life is fascinating, but the diver does not belong there because she is clearly human.
Moreover, the narrator represents the whole humanity because she says that she might be male or female. This is especially obvious under water and this is a metaphor for the whole humanity. The narrator represents a person who can be either male or female who is diving under the surface of the ocean in search of their soul. She read about certain myths and this means that the wreck can symbolize the civilization which is in decline and the soul which has to be redeemed. The fact that the narrator is going under the water to the bottom means that she is willing to go deep and tackle the most difficult issues of the society. Spirituality is the only thing that can save a person and water can heal the soul and make it clean again.
This poem resembles a rebirth of a person because diving is similar to being born because babies develop in water in uterus as well. It is mysterious for the narrator to talk about the fluidity of their gender and it makes the readers think about the true significance of the poem which can be revealed through symbolism. The images of the life under the surface of the ocean are vivid and Adrienne uses descriptive words. “Diving into the Wreck” is an adventurous poem and the trip that Adrienne makes under the water is scary and mysterious. There is a veil of secret around this mythical wreck that she is looking for. There are the creatures which dwell in sea, lost treasure, corpses and other mysteries that can be found at the bottom of the ocean. Another important think that can be found at the bottom of all things, metaphorically under the surface of the ocean, is the truth. Adrienne is searching for her personality and her individuality underwater and during the process she is determined to find her soul and the soul of the humanity as a whole. That is why her quest is a spiritual quest that is supposed to redeem all the people which makes her Christ-like. She found the way to freedom and she is looking for the answers at the right place while symbolizing Adam and Eve at the same time.
This poem is very deep and has many meanings because its interpretation depends on one’s imagination. Adrienne is certainly looking for something precious which is hidden in the wreck. She read about it in a book and this wreck is mythical which is why her diving may be imaginary. Adrienne might only be diving into her own soul through meditation. The deeper she dives, the more truth is revealed and the wreck hides the treasure which is priceless and mythical at the same time.
Adrienne talks about the meaning of being male or female and about loneliness. Everybody is alone in this world and she is trying to make the readers realize that. Therefore, each person has the duty to search for their own peace of mind in the depths of their own soul which might be underwater as well. Equipment is necessary and it is knowledge which can also be found in the book. This book is like a Holy Scripture and it reveals the true nature of things. However, the diver does not find out the truth until she goes underwater where there is a whole new life. This poem tells an emotional story about finding the meaning in life and the purpose of it. This is a narrative poem, but it also has serious emotions involved in it because it relies on one person talking about the whole human race. Therefore, it should be read metaphorically while thinking about one’s own past and present. Future depends on the present and it can be altered if necessary which is why the diver does not feel fear in spite of going into the unknown and unfamiliar. There are no other human beings in this place and that is not terrifying because it brings revelation.
There are many symbols in this poem, but the biggest is the book of myths because it contains all the mysteries of the world. She begins the poem by saying: “First having read the book of myths” (line 1) and she ends the poem by mentioning it again in the context that concerns humanity because she is “carrying a knife, a camera / a book of myths / in which / our names do not appear” (lines 91-84). The fact that she mentions all the people, she refers to the humanity as a whole.
The knife is another interesting symbol in this poem because it is an object that can hurt people and animals. It is a weapon although it can be useful and it has served people through centuries. Adrienne feels that she needs the knife in order to reach the truth she is looking for. This could be a razor sharp tongue and a bright mind which can find all the answers quickly. There might be danger on the way because she says that she: “checked the edge of the knife-blade” (line 3). At the end of the poem she also mentions the knife because it was useful along the way and it is an inevitable object.
The ladder which Rich mentions represents the descent of humanity and humility which has to be restored. She mentions that the ladder is ever-present and useful, but she also says that it is not easy to go this way: “I crawl like an insect down the ladder / and there is no one / to tell me when the ocean / will begin” (lines 30-33). This means that she is on her path to the truth and there is nobody to help her or lead her way. She is on her own and she is going to be successful in her journey because she is well equipped and has much determination.
The form of this poem is open, but there is some structure after all because there are ten stanzas of similar word count. The rhythm of the poem is set by enjambment which can be seen in the following lines: “And now: it is easy to forget / what I came for” (lines 44-45). This specific pause is intentional because it makes people feel everything that the narrator is feeling at the same time. This reluctance gives tension and it is necessary because people can never be certain about what they are looking for and whether they have found it.
Works Cited
Rich, Adrienne. "Diving into the Wreck." Making Literature Matter: An Anthology for Readers and Writers. Ed. John Schilb and John Clifford. 6th ed. Boston: Bedfor/St. Martin's, 2014. 1313-15. Print.
