An Analysis Of William Baer's Letter Of Resignation

“Everything has to come to an end, sometime”(Baum). Relationships are tough, they require time and effort, but sometimes that isn’t enough. Most people work a 9 to 5 job, they don’t need another job. When they come home they want someone there who understands their quirks, but loves them anyway. William Baer describes a relationship that cannot be supported by love anymore in “Letter of Resignation.” The narrator of the poem writes a letter of resignation to his fiance as if he were quitting a job. Baer goes off the traditional English sonnet path in order to enhance his diction and convey to his fiance that their relationship is over, even though he loves her. The poem is written in the form of a resignation letter to create a picture, which
The author still cares for his fiancee and the audience knows that writing this letter is tough for him because he begins the poem saying “after much deliberation, without qualm, scruple, or further delay” (Baer 980). It isn’t necessary for the author to tell his fiancee that breaking up is hard for him. However, he does this to soften the blow for the both of them. There is great sadness in leaving a loved one. Still, the author is hopeful that by writing this letter, his fiancee knows he regrets that the relationship isn’t working (Baer 981). All Baer had to do was say that he wasn’t committed to the relationship anymore, but that their is still love for his fiancee. Instead, he wrote a “letter of resignation” so that his fiancee would know that he respected and loved her enough to sit down and write out why he cannot be with her anymore. The whole idea of the poem explains why the author is writing this letter. In most cases a man will not take the time to explain the love he still has for a woman while he is parting ways with her. The author chose specific words to exemplify what he felt in his
The author's word choice helps to depict a clear picture of how the relationships makes him feel. The audience is taken back to their past relationships that have ended poorly due to “too many hours of unneeded duress” (Baer 980). A picture is being painted where the audience can see a couple struggling to make their relationship last. Anyone who has experienced any type of struggle knows exactly what the author is feeling. The author is finally realizing that sometimes love isn’t enough to keep a relationship going. The hassle of loving someone who doesn’t put in the same effort is depleting and sooner or later the person won’t be able to go on. The author speaks about not feeling important and being walked over by his partner by stating “pay-wise, I’m undervalued and disenchanted” (Baer 980). The author is no longer happy being used and needs to part ways for his own well being. Personally I know this feeling all too well. One of my friends is selfish and thinks of only her well being instead of others. Years of friendship mean nothing at this point because to her I’m nothing more than a walking partner to talk to when no one else is around. The author uses the analogy of a job in his relationship and that is exactly how I feel. My friendship with her has become a job and is no longer worth the stress. Even though I have great memories and still like her as a person