'The Burned Child' by Dorothy Parker
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Love has had his way with me.
This my heart is torn and maimed
Since he took his play with me.
Cruel well the bow-boy aimed,
Shot, and saw the feathered shaft
Dripping bright and bitter red.
He that shrugged his wings and laughed-
Better had he left me dead.
Sweet, why do you plead me, then,
Who have bled so sore of that?
Could I bear it once again? . . .
Drop a hat, dear, drop a hat!
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Burned Child by Dorothy Parker: A Masterpiece of Irony and Wit
As soon as I read "The Burned Child" by Dorothy Parker, I knew I had to write a literary criticism about it. It's not often that a poem manages to be both heartbreaking and hilarious at the same time, but Parker pulls it off effortlessly. How does she do it? Let's dive into the poem and find out.
The Poem: An Overview
At first glance, "The Burned Child" seems like a straightforward narrative poem. It tells the story of a child who accidentally sets himself on fire and dies:
When I was four years old
And my mother, in her bed,Heard a party going on downstairs
And came down to see what it was about,And put me on the oilcloth-covered table
With the\*\*\*\*\*\* kettle on my chest,And the neighbors trying to keep me cool,
And wondering what to do with me,Till the doctor came and gave her
A hypodermic of morphine,And the ambulance arrived with bells
And took me off to the hospital.When I was four years old
And lay dying by the apple tree,I heard the angels singing.
"Little child, little child,Come away with us
To the happy land of nevermore."But I shook my head,
And looked at the ambulance man,And he said, "You'll be all right, kid,
Just as soon as we get you to the hospital."
However, as we'll see, there's much more to this poem than meets the eye.
Irony and Humor
One of the hallmarks of Parker's writing is her use of irony and humor. "The Burned Child" is no exception. At first, it seems like a tragic story of a child who dies too young. However, Parker undercuts this seriousness with subtle jokes and wordplay.
For example, the line "And put me on the oilcloth-covered table / With the****** kettle on my chest" is both horrifying and comical. The image of a child with a hot kettle on their chest is gruesome, but the asterisks suggest that there's something even more obscene going on. Parker doesn't need to spell it out - our imaginations do the work for her.
Similarly, the way the neighbors are described as "wondering what to do with me" is darkly funny. Here's a child who's on fire and dying, and the neighbors are standing around scratching their heads, unsure of what to do. It's an absurd image, and it highlights the helplessness and futility of the situation.
And then there's the ambulance man, who tells the dying child, "You'll be all right, kid." It's a classic example of gallows humor - the kind of joke you make in a dire situation to relieve the tension. Of course, we know that the child isn't going to be all right - they're dying - but the ambulance man's reassurance is almost comforting in its absurdity.
The Child's Perspective
Another interesting aspect of "The Burned Child" is the way it's told from the child's perspective. The first stanza sets the scene with the mother hearing a party going on downstairs, but from there on out, the poem is entirely from the child's point of view. We see the events through their eyes and hear their thoughts as they lie dying.
This choice is significant because it creates a sense of intimacy and vulnerability. We're privy to the child's innermost thoughts and fears, and we feel a sense of compassion for them. They're just a child, after all - innocent and helpless in the face of death.
But the child's perspective is also ironic because they don't fully understand what's happening to them. They hear the angels singing and beckoning them to the afterlife, but they're more interested in the ambulance man and whether they'll be all right. It's a tragicomic moment, highlighting the child's naivete and the absurdity of death.
The Title
Before we wrap up, let's take a moment to consider the title of the poem: "The Burned Child." On the surface, it seems like a straightforward description of what happens in the poem. But as with everything else in this poem, there's more going on beneath the surface.
"The Burned Child" is a reference to the proverb "A burned child dreads the fire." The proverb means that someone who has been hurt or traumatized by something is likely to be cautious or fearful of it in the future. In the case of this poem, the burned child is dead, so there's no chance for them to learn from their experience or be cautious in the future.
But there's another layer to the title as well. "The Burned Child" could also be read as a metaphor for anyone who's been hurt or traumatized in their life. We all have our own versions of being "burned" - experiences that have left us scarred or changed us in some way. In this sense, the poem becomes a meditation on the human condition, and the child's death becomes a symbol for the ways in which we're all vulnerable and mortal.
Conclusion
"The Burned Child" is a masterpiece of irony and wit. Parker manages to tell a tragic story with humor and wordplay, creating a complex and nuanced poem that rewards multiple readings. By putting us in the perspective of the child, she creates a sense of intimacy and vulnerability that's both heartbreaking and hilarious. And by using the title as a metaphor for the human condition, she elevates the poem from a simple narrative to a meditation on life, death, and our shared experiences. In short, "The Burned Child" is a poem that deserves to be read and reread, savored and contemplated, celebrated and mourned.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Burned Child: A Masterpiece of Irony and Tragedy
Dorothy Parker, the renowned American poet, writer, and critic, is known for her sharp wit, biting humor, and insightful observations on the human condition. Her poem "The Burned Child" is a perfect example of her mastery of language and her ability to convey complex emotions and ideas in a few short lines.
At first glance, the poem seems simple and straightforward. It tells the story of a child who is burned by a stove and then becomes afraid of fire. The child's fear is so intense that even the sight of a candle flame makes him tremble. The poem ends with the haunting lines: "And the moral of this solemn tale / Is this: Build bigger fires, and the child will not be burned."
On the surface, the poem seems to be a cautionary tale about the dangers of fire and the importance of being careful around flames. However, a closer reading reveals a much deeper and more complex meaning.
The first thing that strikes the reader is the irony of the situation. The child is burned by a stove, which is meant to provide warmth and comfort, but instead causes pain and fear. This irony is heightened by the fact that the child's fear of fire is so intense that he cannot even bear to look at a candle flame. The very thing that is meant to provide light and warmth is now a source of terror for him.
The second layer of irony comes from the poem's title. "The Burned Child" suggests that the child is the victim of a tragic accident, but as the poem unfolds, it becomes clear that the child's fear is not just a result of the burn, but also of the adults' reaction to it. The child's fear is not just of fire, but of the adults' fear of fire. The adults' fear is so great that they refuse to build big fires, which would provide warmth and comfort, and instead settle for small, weak fires that barely keep the cold at bay.
This fear of fire is not just a practical concern, but also a metaphor for the fear of life itself. The adults are so afraid of the dangers and uncertainties of life that they refuse to take risks or pursue their dreams. They settle for a small, safe existence, never daring to build bigger fires that might bring them joy and fulfillment.
The child, on the other hand, represents the human spirit, which is naturally curious, adventurous, and fearless. The burn may have caused him pain and fear, but it has also awakened in him a desire to explore and understand the world around him. His fear of fire is not a weakness, but a sign of his intelligence and sensitivity. He knows that fire can be dangerous, but he also knows that it can be beautiful and powerful.
The final layer of irony comes from the poem's moral. "Build bigger fires, and the child will not be burned" seems like a simple and straightforward lesson, but it is actually a profound and paradoxical statement. On the one hand, it suggests that the solution to the child's fear is to confront it head-on, to build bigger fires and face his fear directly. On the other hand, it also suggests that the child's fear is not just a result of the burn, but also of the adults' fear and caution. If the adults were to build bigger fires, they would not only provide warmth and comfort, but also show the child that fire is not something to be feared, but something to be respected and appreciated.
In this way, the poem is not just a cautionary tale about the dangers of fire, but also a commentary on the human condition. It reminds us that fear is a natural and necessary part of life, but that it can also be a source of paralysis and stagnation. It challenges us to confront our fears and take risks, to build bigger fires and embrace the unknown.
In conclusion, "The Burned Child" is a masterpiece of irony and tragedy, a poem that challenges us to confront our fears and embrace the unknown. It reminds us that life is full of dangers and uncertainties, but also of beauty and wonder. It is a poem that speaks to the human spirit, to our natural curiosity, and our desire to explore and understand the world around us. It is a poem that will continue to inspire and challenge readers for generations to come.
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