Seamus Heaney Blackberry-Picking Essay

Seamus Heaney in his poem “Blackberry-Picking” vividly describes the childhood experiences of blackberry picking, however, it details the reality of life not being fair. Heaney gives a deeper meaning of life; if we continue to think with our childish minds, we will continue to be fooled by reality. Through the use of diction, imagery, and tone, Heaney gives a deeper understanding of his work. In line 1, Heaney opens this poem with diction by stating “Late August, gives heavy rain and sun” he is introducing the time of the year which blackberries are beginning to grow. But his diction also emphasizes on the words “heavy rain and sun,” this connects to his meaning because a new life always starts fresh and new but soon the sadness and the happiness
is beginning. Lines 5-8 describes the first blackberry after it has been ripened and ready to be eaten. It details the anticipation as “you ate that first one and its flesh was sweet,” these are memories of childhood and what the narrator will always enjoy and remember. His description of this blackberry tasted “like thickened wine: summer’s blood was in it,” when he says “summer’s blood” it emphasizes the sweetness of this blackberry. He uses words that leave a memory, and that first bite is “leaving stains upon the tongue and lust for picking,” that first pick what so sweet and juicy it leaves you desiring for more. Heaney continues to detail this picking but soon the narrator has come to realize a “rat-grey fungus” that has grown on this blackberry meaning “the fruit fermented” and “the sweet flesh would turn sour.” The sweet memories you enjoyed has now diminished and rotten; this is its comparison to life and how as a child you will eventually grow up, a transitioning is happening. His use of diction contributes to the message of his poem and his emphasis of words increase the intensity of his message--sweet memories can sometimes turn to disappointments. Heaney uses imagery to capture the meaning of life.
In line 3, just as the blackberries are beginning to ripen the child notices “a glossy purple clot” meaning this fruit is ready to be eaten whiles the “red, green” are “hard as a knot.” Whiles other are still waiting to get to this “purple clot,” one is ready to go. Another image that Heaney portrays is when the “red ones linked up and that hunger// sent us out with milk cans, pea tins, jam pots.” This vividly describes the desire and joy as a child, the child has been sent to go get something to put these fresh blackberries in. The excitement of this picking resulted in the “briars scratched and wet grass bleached our boots,” yet they didn't mind because this also leaves a memory for the child to remember. Lines 10-15 describes this experience as they “picked until the cans were full” and “until the tinkling bottom had been covered// with green ones,” these images convey that these berries although some aren’t ready, these children don’t mind they just want to pick these berries. Yet afterwards “a rat-grey fungus” grows and “the fruit fermented, the sweet flesh would turn sour,” the memories of childhood has rotten and the child “felt like crying” because “it wasn’t fair.” Life isn’t fair. The use of imagery lets readers know that blackberries are no longer a delicious treat but has turned into a misery for the child. Imagery enhances diction and sets an image in the mind of the
readers. The final rhetorical device Heaney uses is tone.
In the first stanza Heaney uses a nostalgic tone as the speaker is remembering the “Late August.” He continues to give a conversational tone as “you ate that first one and its flesh was sweet,” a conversation of a memory is happening, this allows readers to engage in this memory. Another tone used in stanza one is innocence of a childhood by relating the ripen blackberries to that of a youth maturing. This youth is experiencing the taste of this new blackberry and their excitement of these youth causes them to fetch “milk cans, pea tins, and jam pots” to pick these blackberries. As they go to get these items they are “scratched” by “briars” and their boots are “bleached” with “wet grass,” yet they don’t seem to let this dirty and muddy environment ruin their moment and experience-- what any child wouldn’t mind. In the second stanza the tone has changed to a gloomy tone because “a rat-grey fungus” has appeared and “the juice was stinking// the fruit fermented, the sweet flesh would turn sour.” These lines illustrate that of a youth that eventually they will transition to an adult and those delightful activities will die because of ageing. In the final stanza the tone is disappointment to remorse, the child “felt like crying” and “it wasn’t fair”-- childhood is ending. Yet because of this guilt, the narrator “each year hoped they’d keep” although, the narrator “knew they would not.” The narrator can’t seem to let go of his childhood
so each year, a hope for more memories. In conclusion, “Blackberry-Picking” not only illustrates the experiences of blackberry picking, but illustrates how the speaker experiences all the stages of life, from the innocence of childhood to the disappointment of adulthood in which the narrator hopes to continuously experience the youthful pleasures.