sp09250aschlagenhaft

Susan Donnelly //Eve Names the Animals// (1985) Anna Schlagenhaft

To me, //lion// was sun on a wing over the garden. //Dove,// a burrowing, blind creature.

I swear that man 5 never knew animals. Words he lined up according to size,

while elephants slipped flat-eyed through water

and trout 10 hurtled from the underbrush, tusked and ready for battle.

The name he gave me stuck me to him. He did it to comfort me, for not being first.

15 Mornings, while he slept, I got away. Pickerel hopped on the branches above me. Only spider accompanied me, nosing everywhere, 20 running up to lick my hand.

Poor finch. I suppose I was woe to him-- the way he'd come looking for me, not wanting either of us 25 to be ever alone

But to myself I was palomino raven fox...

30 I strung words by their stems and wore them as garlands on my long walks.

The next day I'd find them withered.

35 I liked change.

_

Way 1: First Impressions
My very first impression is an instant image in my mind, based on the title, of Eve in the Garden of Eden, naming animals. I believe that the person talking is Eve herself. She describes what the words lion and dove express in her own mind. I believe she is using the "sun" to describe a fiery, aggressive spirit, and "on a wing" to express the speed and grace with which the lion moves "over the garden." In Eve's mind "dove" expresses a creature who beds down and cannot see well. Eve criticizes man as incompetent to name the animals. She describes the animal's names to mean something completely different than what they are. She also patronizes man for naming her Eve, she says that he "did it to comfort" her "for not being first." She completely minimizes any possible care or love that man might have put into naming her, putting all of the emphasis on the fact that she was not created first, but was created second and from the man. Eve goes on to describe her intimate times with the animals, while the man was not around, as if she had to sneak to get that precious time. She describes their actions as being different from what we know of each of the animals, as if she has renamed them. She also calls herself other names, names of animals and a bird. She even seems to call some kind of plant life, flowers is my impression, words. This gives the impression that she sees the names and words as expendable, something to be changed.

Way 2: Engaging with the Text
This poem does not rhyme, but has many examples of alliteration and assonance, both which add rhythm and a sense of rhyme to the piece. Examples of assonance; was, sun (1); that man (4); lined sized (6); underbrush, tusked (10); name gave (12); him, did, it (13); hopped, on (17); running, up (20); he'd, me (23); not, wanting (24); stems, them (31); long, walks (32). The examples of assonance are; burrowing blind (3); never knew (5); for, first (14); their, them (31). The assonance and alliteration make me feel like I'm floating through the poem. They add to the majestic feel and imagery of the text, the picture it paints. The rhythm also adds to the feel of the criticism and the lofty presence that Eve is giving off. There is no rhythm or meter to the poem, therefore, I believe it is written in free verse style. The fact that the poem is free verse adds to the fact that Eve frees herself from the company of Adam every day. It ties into the names that Eve chooses for herself, which also depict an image of freedom. "Palomino, raven and fox" are all creatures that we see as independent, strong, self-reliant, and beautiful because of their free flowing nature.

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Way 3: Form and its relationship to context
From what I have gathered, this poem is Dramatic Monologue because Eve is the single speaker and is revealing all of her thoughts. The way that is related to the context is in the way that I know who Eve is, most do. That fact gives some insight to the man she talks about in lines 4 and 12. The frequent use of assonance and alliteration is also pertinent in the way that I believe it reveals some of the reasons why she has chosen different names for the animals. The word elephants flows well with slipped and flat. (8) The dog might be called spider, because he's always beside her.(18,19) I believe she is referring to Adam as "finch" in order to demonstrate her demand for power over the man, and to make him sound small, weak and needy. (21-25) Eve talks about how finch never wanted either of them to be alone, which is conducive to the reason that God made Eve, according to the bible. Genesis 2:18 The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." According to this poem, it was not enough for Eve to have been created because Adam needed her, she demanded her own rights to independence, authority and equality.

Way 4: Unpacking an instance of figurative language
The first example of figurative language is in line 1, when Eve says "To me, lion was sun on a wing over the garden" This is an example of a simile. The lion was named by the man, but to Eve, the lion was like "sun on a wing." In the way that the lion is the king of the jungle, the sun is the biggest star known to man. They both show characteristics of domination over their realm. "On a wing" connects the similarities between the speed and grace with which the lion moves "over the garden." In the same way, a wing will glide, with grace as it cuts the air and moves with ease. The concept of sun on a wing is also imagery because you can see sun glistening on a wing, warming it, lighting it up. I believe this has to do with the golden shimmer of a lion's coat.

Way 4: Unpacking Another Instance of Figurative Language
"Words he lined up according to size," (line 5-6) is an example of personification. Words cannot line up, while people could. (Brown and Yarbrough pg 72) Here I see this as Eve's assumption that the man didn't give much thought to naming the animals, but that he named them methodically. This line gives the impression that Eve doesn't think that Adam cared about the animals like she does. It's as if Eve is saying that Adam just made up big words for big animals and small words for small animals. That concept sets the tone for the entire poem, as Eve continues to belittle Adam. She even gives him a one syllable, small sounding name herself..."finch."

Way 4: Unpacking Another Instance of Figurative Language
Another interpretation of what "words" really are in this poem, is in lines 30-34. " I strung words by their stems and wore them as garlands on my long walks. The next day I'd find them withered. " These lines give the gift imagery. Imagining something that could be strung by it's stems around her neck and would be withered the next day gives clues to the idea that what words are. They are flowers. Another way to interpret lines 5-6 is to think of Adam lining up flowers according to size. If Adam lined them up according to size, but Eve strung them around her neck, then it also tells me that Eve is saying that Adam did not use the flowers or care about them. Eve on the other hand used them, adorned herself with them. She was close with them, having them around her neck, and even when they were dead and withered, she still noticed them. 

Way 5: Analyzing the Setting
The setting seems to be in the woods, with the animals as Eve tells past stories about her times with them. The most interesting part about the setting is that Eve gets away from Adam while he sleeps. (Lines 15-16) She seems to feel oppressed with the fact that Adam was first and that he named her and the Animals. " I swear that man never knew animals." (Lines 4-5) I believe this piece depicts Eve as not being content with having been made out of man and being subject to him. "He did it to comfort me, for not being first." (Lines 13-14) So the part of the setting about her being away from Adam is quite significant. The names she gives herself show that she aches for freedom. Eve cannot seem to submit to the idea of being with Adam and helping him. She wants to be away from him so that she can explore who she is without him. The other part that accentuates the text is the fact that Eve puts so much emphasis on being with the animals, knowing them according to what they do, as the man does not know them. Her presence among the animals in the wild greatly plays into the imagery of the piece as well as the belief that Eve is right to rename the animals, as she is more qualified to do so.

Way 6: Identifying and Analyzing Point of View
The POV of the piece is First-Person. (Brown and Yarbrough Pg. 63) All that Donnelly had to do is name the piece "Eve names the animals," and we know who Eve is, that she was married to Adam, etc. The story of Adam and Eve is so well known that we just have to hear that Eve is naming the animals and the presence of the story is there in a huge way. Eve never speaks of Adam or professes her own name, aside when she calls herself something else. The concept of this story being first person gives it believability. It's as if Eve really did harbor discontentment and feelings of inferiority towards Adam. The story being told from Eve's perspective is done in a way that is relatable to all women, concerning the struggle that women have always had in being treated as equal to men. First person also relates to this piece in the way that Eve was not the first person created, but seems to wish that she was. Eve is the second person, but refuses to submit to that concept. The fact that the story is in first person adds to the presence of Eve's demand for equality. She is demonstrating the controlling nature of most women as she tells her side of the story in first person. It's as if she makes the statement, " I am the first person, I will name myself, I don't need a man."

Way 7: Analyzing Complexity, Ambiguity, & Difficulty
Donnelly gives us many examples of ambiguity in this piece leaving the reader to search deep for possible meanings. The first line "To me, //lion// was like sun on a wing" could mean the lion was to me as sun is to a wing. The lion could be seen golden, as the golden sun warming the wing of a creature, as the lion can be an affectionate cuddly friend. This line could also mean that the lion was sun on a wing, as the lion could appear that way in it's speed leaping over the garden. "I strung words by their stems and wore them as garlands on my long walks." (Line 30) This line gives a great example of Ambiguity. To begin with, words do not have stems and cannot be strung or worn physically. On paper, words can be strung together in phrases or sentences. She may just be spouting out the words, stringing them together. Eve may be referring to the way she has haphazardly renamed so many creatures, maybe because she is mad at Adam. I say that she names them haphazardly because she says that the next day she finds them withered, which I find to possibly mean that the names don't stick, she changes them. (Line 33,34) This concept is solidified in the last line when Eve says "I liked change." There is quite a lot of difficulty in this piece. Overall a lot of the connotation of the poem doesn't make sense. This poem demands the reader's interest, creativity, and persistence to figure out the possible interpretations. There are a lot of assumptions that can be made about the piece that are not solidified with textual evidence. There is no mention of the speaker being Eve, the first woman, biblically speaking--wife to Adam. Unless this assumption is made, the poem is about Eve, a woman who names some animals. Thus far it has been difficult to figure out if there is a method to the new names that Eve has given. Meaning may be there, and if it is, it has to be hunted down. This piece continues to reveal it's complexity as I have been able to uncover possible meanings. This piece has shown itself to be one that depicts the epitome of womanhood in the way that Eve has demonstrated her controlling, rebellious nature in her quest to name and rename all of the animals that Adam has named. She also criticizes her own name that he gave her (12, 13, 14) renaming herself three times. By her own names, she likes to think of herself as being fast (palomino), flying (raven), and sneaky (fox), as if she is running away. "Mornings while he slept, I got away." (line 15) 

Horizontal Thinking: Connecting the Text to Wider Contexts Way 8: Considering Canonicity
I believe the canonicity of this piece is portrayed in the fact that it is written about the first woman and the first man to ever exist. Most people know the story of Adam and Eve, even if they don't read the Bible. I think it's appealing because it shows the common thoughts and character flaws in women, men and relationships between them. Men are naturally dominating, usually stronger, and man was created first, according to the Bible. Men also tend to make quick decisions without consulting their women and then stubbornly stick to their decisions whether they were good or not. Men often times have a deep sense of pride which disables them from admitting their faults. Women will often times rebel, refuse to submit to their men, seek to gain control, and maintain a certain level of independence from their men. I think that discussion, or a display of these characteristics and common issues in relationships can be appealing to the average man or woman because we see the situation so clearly and we relate to it. This piece is also appealing because it deals with a story we know well, but then it is taken deeper, with possibilities that most of us would never think about. The thoughts that Adam and Eve had issues in their marriage is somewhat comforting, because it tells us that even though they may not have been perfect, they were still loved and accepted by God. This piece also has cononicity in the way that it was published during a time when the feminist movement had gained a lot of ground, as women were coming closer to equality with men in the United States. I am sure that the concept of Eve really being an oppressed, unhappy woman who consistently made efforts to be independent from her husband was a concept that was readily accepted by feminists, oppressed married women, single moms, abused and divorced women. A feminist might think about his piece as being an accurate depiction of how poor, suppressed Eve really felt, justifying her choice to disobey God and turn to the serpent for the knowledge of good and evil. The poem shows a stronger connection between Eve and all of the animals that what she seems to have with her husband who she had been created from. An oppressed married woman would identify with Eve in this piece, since men will often times make demands of their wives in a degrading way, giving a negative definition to submission. Since single mothers, abused and divorced women have usually had negative experiences with men, they would also relate to this poem in the context that they would just accept that Adam must have been an oppressive husband, therefore, Eve is justified in her decision to leave him on a daily basis. In it's own twisted way, this poem may give comfort to women who have been hurt by their men, as Eve tends to get back at Adam, simply for her God-given place in the circle of life.

Way 9: Biographical Context
The biographical context about the author is quite limited, as there is very little information on Susan Donnelly out there. The biography that I found about her tells that she was born in raised in Massachusetts, near Boston, and that she has lived in New York and New Jersey. The rest of the info mainly explains all of her accomplishments as a writer. Taking the biographical information into account, I realized that Donnelly is a very successful writer. This poem "Eve Names the Animals," won her the inaugural French Sam Morse Prize from Northwestern University. The fact that Donnelly has been rewarded to such an extent for this piece, inspires me to search for more meaning in the text because it gives me more confidence that I am not going to be disappointed when I put effort into revealing the possibilities. The biographical context that I would have like to find are bits of information about Donnelly's childhood. Did she grow up with a father? Was her father good to her? Is Donnelly divorced or has she ever been married? Could she have been going through empty nest syndrome because her yougest child went off to college? As it is, these are all concepts that could only be theoretically develped.

Way 10: Historical and Cultural Contexts
There are two realms of historical and cultural context to this piece. The first bit of information dates back to the beginning of time, when God created Adam and Eve. The story in the bible has set expectations for men and for women throughout history. The culture during biblical times, was one that accepted the submission of women as the role that God gave them. It has been only since the 1900's that women have been demanding equal rights and gaining them consistently and quickly. This leads to the other context, that of the time period in which the piece was written, 1985. This was a time when women's rights were widely established, but still being developed in many ways. I am sure that there were pleanty of women who gained the confidence from this poem that they needed in order to find themselves again.

Way 11: Theoretical Application
In applying the criticism of a feminist, I would interpret this piece as one that depicts the struggle of women's rights and is actually mocking the concept of woman made from man, commanded to submit to him. The first hint to the struggle for dominance is when Eve declares, " I swear that man never knew animals." (lines 5-6) In this line, Eve is very sure of herself, as she "swears." She demonstrates her lack of respect for man when she says that "he never knew animals." The fact of the matter is that God gave Adam dominion over the animals, not Eve, but she struggles to take over, as she belittles Adam, saying that he doesn't know what she knows. Eve also says "The name he gave me stuck me to him. He did this to comfort me for not being first." This is the first inclination I had, which led me to believe that Eve does not want to be with her husband. She is stuck with him, kept there by the force of her name, and not by her own devotion to him. She is saying that Adam stuck her to him to comfort her, demonstrating that Eve doesn't believe that Adam named her out of love and adoration, but out of pity because he was the first human creation. The fact that Eve mentions this, leads me to believe that she really was depressed about the fact that she wasn't God's initial human creation. Her own priorities for her actions are transferred to Adam in her thought life, as she is sure that his action of naming her is based off of her discontentment. The picture of the Palomino on the beach gives a great visual to the freedom that Susan Donnelly must have been longing for when she wrote this poem. I believe that this picture represents the parallel between the Palomino and so many traits of women. She is strong, yet graceful, she is in her natural place in the realm of time when she is dancing on the beach, alone, free and independent of a man. She is not bound by the reigns of a bridal as she roams about her domain. The Raven is known for it's croaking cry, it's sleek, black coat of feathers, and it's graceful, skillful flight. This picture of a Raven is another great image that lends to the concept of the freedom of women. The healing tears that have been shed by so many women throughout time, as they have mourned their place of inferiority. The way the mouth is open, I can almost hear Eve's cry as she flees the presence of Adam like a Raven. The wide span of the raven's wings are a great visual to the flight that women have opted for in their quest for freedom from the oppression of man. And lastly, Eve calls herself a fox...as if she has to slip and sneak to elude the presence of Adam. This picture of a fox depicts the agility, speed, and sneaky nature that Eve would have demonstrated as she sought out her independence. In analyzing this poem from the point of view of a feminist critic, I would be asking "What man abused Susan Donnelly?" "Did her husband cheat on her?" "Did Susan Donnelly get married just to realize later in life that she wanted to be with another woman?"

Way 12: Another Theoretical Application
 In applying Marxism, one would analyze the accepted roles of women compared to the role that Eve takes on as a woman in this piece. One would ask; "why should Eve be named by Adam as opposed to choosing her own name?" "Does the concept of a submissive counterpart, made from man, even fit into the American society we live in today?" Many would argue that the societal role of women today in the U.S. is one that is diverse. It is acceptable for women to be, do, say, and demand nearly anything (within the law) in the society in which we live. It is obvious with the fact that this poem won a prestigious award, that the concept of women's independence is widely accepted in America.

Way 13: Unifying Interpretation In "Eve Names the Animals," Susan Donnelly writes about her own concepts of the relationship between a man and a woman, as she writes them through the perceived view of Eve. The poem paints a picture of a woman who is searching for her own identity in everything she knows, but not in a man or even in God. In this poem, Eve identifies most with the animals, a part of creation which will not be held accountable, but is free to roam, frolic and play. It depicts an image of the massive oppression that has been inflicted on women by men throughout the entire realm of time, starting with Eve and ending with Donnelly. I am sure that the most loving mother and housewife can even relate to some of the feelings that are portrayed in this piece. There is a great appeal to the stories of women's suffrage and victories in gaining independence from the men who attempt to bury a woman's identity. This piece gives light to the fact that it is a common struggle for women to maintain their own space, as it is easy to get lost when we slip into the chaos of everyday life and relationships.

Works Cited and Consulted
Brown, James S. and Scott D. Yarbrough. A Practical Introduction to Literary Study. __Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005. "Marxist Criticism."__ virtuaLit__. Bedford St. Martins. 13 May 2009 <http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/virtualit/poetry/critical_define/crit_marx.html> " Feminist criticism" __virtuaLit__. Bedford St. Martins.13 May 2009 <http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/virtualit/poetry/critical_define/crit_femin.html "Genesis 2:18" Bible Gateway. 13 May 2009 <http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=1&chapter=2&version=31&context=chapter>