Precis: "The Farewell"

In “The Farewell”, Edward Field ascertains with a solemn tone that obeying what society expects of us, can ultimately lead to our downfall. He accomplishes this goal through usage of personification, comparisons, and a first person perspective. The main example of personification can be found at the end of the poem. It says how the “ice meets again over my head”. The poem gives the ice human features because it wants to compare the ice to society. The ice just like society can swallow the individual. Additionally, by using a first person perspective, the poem reaches the individual with its personal message. The individual is just like the captain looking out to the ice. They can either walk onto it, which is what society wants of them or they can walk away. Field warns the individual to not make the same mistake. Through first person perspective, personification, and comparisons, Edward Field is able to create the idea that society can only lead us astray if we allow it.