Early Purgees
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How is the poem "The Early Purges" effective in conveying the poets message?
"The Early Purges", by Seamus Heaney, describes his childhood memories of seeing unwanted animals killed on his farm. To Heaney these are very clear memories; he remembers kittens being drowned, and describes how fascinated he was to see the corpses. He also remembers being frightened at the prospect of killing animals whether they were pests or they were to be eaten for dinner. As an adult now, Heaney hears the townspeople talking about how they think that killing is cruel, but Heaney has lost his pity and realises that some deaths are just necessary.
It is interesting to see what the poem is about underneath its surface; some people could think that it shows children are fascinated with death or that it was just a learning experience for Seamus Heaney. Others could say that killing animals is part of life on a farm; it is hard and brutal but many people that live in the town do not understand that death is a natural part of life and it will happen to everyone at some point. As you grow older, some would say you lose your sentimentality, you no longer feel sorry for pests that come into your house and disrupt your living arrangements. Some people may think that this poem shows the real way in which people treat each other, they do not listen to each other therefore this is how friction and arguments are caused.
Heaney uses different voices to describe the feelings and actions of different people...