Robert Gray Poems Essay

Exploring the concept of discovery can broaden and deepen ones understanding of themselves and the world in a variety of ways. We discover this in various poems written by Robert Gray in the book 'Coast Road Selected Poems' and in the novel 'The Giver' by Lois Lowry and it is highlighted in a variety of different scenarios. In the poem, 'Journey the North Coast' the emphasis of the discovery of the country creates a journey of emotional and spiritual regeneration which is highlighted through imagery of light purity and colour. In 'The Meatworks' discovery is highlighted with a change of perspective, Gray does this by use of juxtaposition in the 1st and second verses.
Then in 'The Giver' we're through imagery and the storyline it is discovered the discovery of memories gives Jonas wisdom throughout his life.

In the book Coast Road Selected poems   the poem 'Journey the Northcoast is about the discovery of the country on a train journey. The simile 'the trains shadow like a birds' creates emphasis of the speed of the train rushing to its destination but the bird also symbolises freedom and the movement to a happier place as he is moving from his dreaded city to his rediscovered beloved country. In that simile it is highlighted that through his journey he discovered that he doesn't like the city and needs to move back to the country where he feels he belongs.

Then in another poem 'The Meatworks' Gray uses descriptive language to create the graphic and disturbing image of the slaughterhouse such as 'bellowing sloppy yards', 'fertiliser thick' and 'sticky stench of blood but as he does so he also creates an image of fear and death. But then Gray uses juxtaposition to describe a 'shiny white bruisy beach' which is such a contrast to the Meatworks. Through this contrast the persona discovers that his job may not be the greatest making mince at the Meatworks but his life as he describes the beach and his wife is a good one.

Then in 'The Giver' by Lois Lowry it is...