Aptness of the Title : Small Towns and the River
The title “Small Towns and the River” is highly appropriate and perfectly captures the central theme. It immediately sets up the two main elements of the poem, which are placed in direct contrast to each other.
The “small towns” represent the human world. They are depicted with an unchanging dull, and gloomy character. In the first line of the poem, the poet states that small towns reminds her of death. This is because small towns always remain static and are unaffected by the change of seasons. They symbolise a monotonous journey that ends in death. “Small Towns” characterised by its anxieties, its temporary existence, and the rituals that mark its inevitable end. The smallness of the towns highlights the limited scale of human life and its concerns.
In contrast, the “river” symbolises the eternal, vast and spiritual force of nature. It is shown to have permanence despite being an ever moving, changing entity. It is powerful, living entity that possesses a soul and understanding of immortality of water. The river’s timeless cycle stands in opposition to the fleeting nature of the lived in the towns along its banks.
The “and” in the title is crucial, as it connects these two opposing forces, showing how human life is lived in constant proximity to an enduring natural world.
Therefore, the title perfectly captures the two central contrasting symbols that the poet uses to explore the poem’s main themes of life and death and permanence and impermanence.
Logic based Questions :
1. In a town any death is mourned by all the people because – the community is closely knit and death is a shared, dreadful silence that everyone experiences together.
2. The poet views rituals as permanent because – the specific acts of mourning such as the weeping and the wreath of flowers are constant and timeless, unlike the transient nature of life and death itself.
3. The poet repeats “life and death” in the second stanza because – to emphasise the cyclic nature of existence.
4. The river to the poet seems to be immortal as – it continuously flows, representing the external aspect of nature.
5. The poet talks of the “immortality of water” as – water, in its various forms, is a continuous and unending cycle in nature.
6. The poet talks of a “shrine of happy pictures” of childhood because – childhood memories are cherished and seen as sacred.
7. Childhood is the golden period of life because – it is marked by innocence joy and happiness.
8. The dead are placed towards the west because – it symbolises the end of life and the direction towards which the soul begins its journey.
9. The “cool” bamboo is placed in the sunlight because – the bamboo symbolises the human body and the sunlight represents the soul, with the two together representing life being restored and having purpose.
 10. In small towns people do not want re – birth as – they aspire for spiritual fulfillment and peace in the afterlife.Â