The Early Purges & Woodchucks

If asked how one feels about animals, most people wouldn’t have a definite feeling one way or another. However, when an animal starts invading their lives and homes, a feeling of strong distaste emerges. Many would not think anything of killing a rodent or insect that started taking over their home; however most people wouldn’t kill a domesticated animal because it is taking up too much room or eating too much food. In fact, killing a domesticated animal, such as a dog or cat, today could result in jail. In the poems, “Woodchucks” by Maxine Kumin, and “The Early Purges” by Seamus Heaney, two drastic examples of killing an animal is discussed. Although both of these poems discuss the killing of animals; one is about the extermination of “pests” and the other is the killing of a family pet. Both poems tell a story of killing an animal; however, they are told from different perspectives. The following is a comparison of each of these poems and discusses how even though the narrators share a common bond; their story is very different because of their point of view, style in telling the story, and tone in describing the killings. Poets use different points of view depending on how they want their audience to react to a certain poem. In the poem “Woodchucks”, the audience sees the poem through the eyes of the killer as the events are occurring. This allows the audience to have a better understanding of the events leading up to the killings and exactly how the killings occurred. The poet says, “Now drew a bead on the littlest woodchuck’s face” (Line 17), and “Ten minutes later I dropped the mother” (Line 19). The poet describes the actions of the woodchucks as they are happening as well this is seen when she says, “Next morning they turned up again, no worse” (Line 7), and “They brought down the marigolds as a matter of course and then took over the vegetable patch nipping the broccoli shoots, beheading the carrots” (Lines10-12). Because the events are