RUNNING HEADER: Boy in the Window 1

Ashford University Timothy Aguilar Boy in the Window October 17, 2011 ENG 125: Introduction to Literature

Boy in the Window Boy in the Window

In the Boy at the Window by Richard Wilbur, he provides a unique poem view on the sad life of a snowman. This is a view that not many readers have looked into as it such a strange idea to even consider. The content of the poem is what really sets this poem from others along with the language. The form of the poem is nothing out of the ordinary but since the content of the poem is so original it makes the form of the poem seem original. These three literary elements create the unique poem that Boy at the Window is. The content of the poem takes a look at a snowman being alone and sad in the cold of night. The boy at the window gazing at the snowman begins to understand that the snowman is not as sad and lonely as he appears. He realizes that the snowman has no desire to go inside the warm house as it would be its demise, and the night provides comfort in knowing the snowman will not melt away in the heat of the sun. The snowman takes notice of the boy in the window; as he is truly the sad one. Even though the child is surrounded by such love and warmth he is still sad and scared. The content of this poem makes me think of just how different people in general can seem on the outside but truly be feeling the utter opposite inside. The boy represents a person that physically has everything anyone could ever want but still be sad, as they feel alone and sad. The snowman represents the individual who is happy and content with who they are, what they have, and simply being alive. The language of the poem is descriptive to the point to know exactly what the boy and the snowman are feeling. The pale-faced figure with bitumen eyes is a line from

Boy in the Window the poem describing just how the boy sees the snowman. Bitumen is pieces of coal, so this shows how the boy sees the snowman. The boy has a view of the snowman being cold and lifeless. In the first passage of the poem, it seems that the snowman is the sad

and lonely one until it describes the view from the snowman. Which then snows it are the boy who is sad and so much fear. The form of the poem is pretty basic and has nothing out of the ordinary in it. The content of the poem is what makes the poem so unique. When looking the poem it has basic structure and the form is nothing different than most poems as it is just regular lines and rhyming. Throughout the poem the boy and the snowman are judging each other through the window without ever knowing anything about one another but what they can see in one another. The poem does a unique job at describing both characters in a light that is not viewed regularly. The language of the poem describes the boy and snowman as equals both with emotions and feelings. All together the poem is a very unique piece that takes a simply setting and creates a whole new idea for the audience. The form, language, and content all together create a very creative poem that all audiences should take part in.

Boy in the Window Reference:

Clugston, Wayne. (2010). Journey into Literature. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc Retrieved 10/17/2011 from https://content.ashford.edu/books/AUENG125.10.2.

Symphonic poem. (2011). Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition, 1. Retrieved 10/17/2011 from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=4&hid=107&sid=dfbd52918477-48ae-aaee-217611cc343e %40sessionmgr114&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWlwLGNwaWQmY3VzdGlkPXM4ODU2 ODk3JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=39034915