Temptations
Analysis of Lying Awake by W.D Snodgrass reveals the narrator difficulty with temptation within life; accepting and dealing with those temptation such drugs, alcohol, and gambling. The strong emotional and physical attraction of temptation is symbolised by the moth's attraction with light. Lying Awake, disturbed and trouble, is the tone Snodgrass implies when reading the poem. The darkness associate with the pain and fear we have at night. Lying awake expresses the deep thought he has with life and choosing the right path. Snodgrass portrays this in naturalistic drama world vision.
Lying Awake narrator desires happiness and amity, he no longer wants to fear and struggle with the temptations of life. Temptation are keeping him up at night, he strives for peace. the narrator is…show more content… Living in poor standards expressed when snodgrass says “the rusty edged of the screen/ in some corner hole”. We can assess the atmosphere in which he is affect by. Poor living standards and poverty lead to drug and violence: temptation. No one is ever asked to be put in this situation, this is the natural cycle of life. The narrator has dreams and hope for better future, he can predict what will happen when temptation wins. He shows this clear with the moth,” why rush at a spark/cigar,headlamps or railway warnings/ to knock off your wings and starve by morning ”. Snodgrass choices words specifically as railway warning and spark to ignite the tone of negativity. All the keywords can be described in violence that connects with the narrator temptations. The narrator knows the moths future is death and it makes him value what he has and his choices. The narrator knows his life is worthy, when snodgrasses expresses this, “ And we turn him out towards living/ Yet we don't, we take things as we are. Temptation strives for death and failure and it