The Octopus
The Octopus - meaning Summary
Playful Identity and Language
Nash's short poem humorously addresses an octopus, asking whether its many appendages are arms or legs. The mock-serious voice and playful dialect turn a simple biological question into a wider joke about perspective and identity. The closing pun, suggesting the creature call itself "Us", compresses plurality and selfhood into a neat laugh. Its brevity and plain diction make the joke immediate and memorable.
Read Complete AnalysesTell me, O Octopus, I begs Is those things arms, or is they legs? I marvel at thee, Octopus; If I were thou, I'd call me Us.
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