Poem Analysis - Will You Teach

A Poem of Persistent Inquiry

E.E. Cummings' "Will You Teach" is a short, enigmatic poem driven by relentless questioning. The poem presents two distinct scenes, each involving a figure subjected to intense interrogation. The tone is initially beseeching, almost desperate, then shifts to a more detached, observational stance. This shift reflects a change from seeking guidance to simply documenting human experience.

Themes of Guidance and Innocence

The poem explores themes of seeking guidance, the burden of experience, and the preservation of innocence. The first stanza, with its plea to teach a "wretch to live / straighter than a needle," highlights the desire for moral and practical instruction. The "wretch" embodies someone lost and seeking direction. Conversely, the second stanza questions someone seemingly untouched by the world's harsh realities. The imagery of "nipples / like pink thimbles" suggests a childlike innocence and perhaps inexperience. The poem contrasts the yearning for guidance with a potential source of wisdom seemingly unaware of its own value, or perhaps unable to impart it.

Rain, Snow, and Symbolic Landscapes

The contrasting imagery of rain and snow serves as potent symbolism within the poem. The "brittle little / person fiddling / in / the / rain" evokes a sense of vulnerability and hardship. Rain is often associated with sorrow, cleansing, or even a dreary, oppressive atmosphere. This contrasts sharply with the "simple / crazy / thing / singing / in the snow," where snow suggests purity, quietude, and a naive joy. The landscapes in which these figures are found amplify their characteristics: the rain underscores the "wretch's" suffering, while the snow accentuates the "thing's" untainted spirit.

The Relentless Nature of Inquiry

The repeated phrase "ask / her" and "ask / him" creates a sense of urgency and unrelenting pursuit of knowledge. The fragmented syntax and parenthetical insertions ("ask and / ask / and ask / again and") emphasize the obsessive nature of the questioning. This relentless interrogation underscores the poem's central concern: the relentless search for meaning and understanding. The interrogator does not stop seeking answers. Is the poem highlighting that some people are never satisfied by the answers they are given? Or is it seeking to highlight the idea that some questions are never completely answered?

Concluding Thoughts: A Paradox of Knowledge

Ultimately, "Will You Teach" presents a paradox. It reveals a desire for guidance coexisting with an acknowledgment of untainted innocence. The poem doesn't offer easy answers but rather underscores the complexity of human experience and the persistent human need to ask questions, even when the answers may be elusive or unsatisfying. The juxtaposition of suffering and joy, experience and innocence, leaves the reader pondering the nature of wisdom and the ever-present human search for meaning in a complex world. The poem highlights that sometimes, the best answer to a question, is another question.