What Does Cummings Bargain For The Right To Squirm Mean
The Inalienable Rights of Nature
The poem “When Serpents Bargain for the Right to Squirm” by E. E. Cummings concerns the will and motivation behind human action and how it affects the nature of man in its animalistic state.
Cummings introduces a number of characters from nature. The characters are about to engage in an action, which would otherwise be natural, but is hampered through the nuisance of some human ridiculousness. The serpent has the natural ability to squirm and move about the earth, but when it barters for this inalienable right it seems absurd. A snake should not “bargain for the right to squirm” when it is a natural part of the creatures life (l.1). Similarly, a sun’s purpose is to shine light. It does not do it for gain “a living wage” (l.2). Humans believe they are the natural and sophisticated beings, but bargaining and “striking to gain” are human tendencies that interrupt natural movements (l.2). E. E. Cummings is expressing that nature is superior to man in that it acts out of the compulsion of its design rather than the stipulations of an unnatural social code. …show more content…
E.
E. Cummings also expresses how the human tendencies are interrupting the natural state of the people around them. Cummings wrote, “…valleys accuse their / mountains of having altitude” (ll.10-11). Not only are the characters engaging in activities that affect themselves, they are now criticizing other characters. If the screech owls “have not okayed his voice” then the thrush cannot sing in the new moon (l.6). The human tendency of control is impacting the role of creatures around it and the valley is judging the mountain for something it has no control over. Human tendencies are interrupting the happiness of themselves and
others.
The human world is ruled by judgment, self-interest, fear, paranoia, and control. Until man can be more like nature, we will continue to live in this delusional state where we believe that we are better than animals. Once humans are in their natural and unadulterated forms, they will be free, connected, instinctual, and in harmony with the world around them. However, all of the characters are parts of nature that take on human qualities, but there are no examples of humans taking on nature’s qualities. E. E. Cummings believes that man can never be "unanimal" until nature starts acting as man does, but humans will never become like animals (l.14).
The poem “When Serpents Bargain for the Right to Squirm” by E. E. Cummings concerns the will and motivation behind human action and how it affects the nature of man in its animalistic state.
Cummings introduces a number of characters from nature. The characters are about to engage in an action, which would otherwise be natural, but is hampered through the nuisance of some human ridiculousness. The serpent has the natural ability to squirm and move about the earth, but when it barters for this inalienable right it seems absurd. A snake should not “bargain for the right to squirm” when it is a natural part of the creatures life (l.1). Similarly, a sun’s purpose is to shine light. It does not do it for gain “a living wage” (l.2). Humans believe they are the natural and sophisticated beings, but bargaining and “striking to gain” are human tendencies that interrupt natural movements (l.2). E. E. Cummings is expressing that nature is superior to man in that it acts out of the compulsion of its design rather than the stipulations of an unnatural social code. …show more content…
E.
E. Cummings also expresses how the human tendencies are interrupting the natural state of the people around them. Cummings wrote, “…valleys accuse their / mountains of having altitude” (ll.10-11). Not only are the characters engaging in activities that affect themselves, they are now criticizing other characters. If the screech owls “have not okayed his voice” then the thrush cannot sing in the new moon (l.6). The human tendency of control is impacting the role of creatures around it and the valley is judging the mountain for something it has no control over. Human tendencies are interrupting the happiness of themselves and
others.
The human world is ruled by judgment, self-interest, fear, paranoia, and control. Until man can be more like nature, we will continue to live in this delusional state where we believe that we are better than animals. Once humans are in their natural and unadulterated forms, they will be free, connected, instinctual, and in harmony with the world around them. However, all of the characters are parts of nature that take on human qualities, but there are no examples of humans taking on nature’s qualities. E. E. Cummings believes that man can never be "unanimal" until nature starts acting as man does, but humans will never become like animals (l.14).