" Digging "by Seamus Heaney,where he writes about the conflict in his mind about the decision to take up writing as a career. His family have been farmers for generations, and for him, in such an environment, to choose pen over spade as a tool, involves a big decision and soul searching.
The poem reflects an internal struggle as he comes to terms with his career that of a poet, and breaks with the family tradition of farming. He attempts to connect to the past and continue the tradition, but you get a sense of independence and resolution from his tone.
Heaney was perhaps embarrassed or afraid to express his vocation to be a poet. There must have been tension,since his father and forefathers had been farmers.Heaney substitutes a "spade for a Squat pen" had to be a tough hurdle to jump.
The imagine of his father for twenty years"stooping in rhythm for potato drills"(Heaney line 8). He admits there is an enjoyment of being a farmer, he recalls his grandfather "cut more turf in a day than any another man on Toner's bog" (Heaney lines 16-18). Shows how he admired and respected his father and grandfather.
He portrays the hard work of the farmer with pride, though his roots in life are farming " But I've no spade to follow men like them" (Heaney line 28). He has pride for his family traditions but he must follow his own path. He chooses "the squat pen as his spade" , he is determined to "dig with it".
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