Small Towns and the River by Mamang Dai: Rhapsody Long Question Answers Part 2
Question 3: In what way does the poet use river as a metaphor in the poem ?
Answer: The river is used as a metaphor for the eternal flow of life and the immortal aspects of nature. In this poem the river depict the theme of eternity of nature in contrast with the transience of human life.
The poet says –
“The river has a soul”
Here the river is personified and given a soul, suggesting it a living and immortal entity. This presents a contrast of the mortality of the towns. The poet says in summer the river flows across lands. She uses the metaphor of “torrent of grief” to portray the river’s course in the dry season. It is suggestive of the pain a river feels when its water gets polluted or of the scarcity of water during a drought. This is perhaps mirroring the pain and sorrow that comes with death.
Moreover, the poet personifies the river to invest it with the ideas of holding the breath and seeking something by holding its breath it searches for something beyond the tangible – perhaps a mythical or spiritual realm represented by “a land of fish and stars”. “The land of fish and stars” is a metaphorical term for a utopian society where there is no pain and suffering.
Furthermore, the river is said to know the immortality of water, representing the endless cycles of nature. The river is intimately aware of its life cycle, from rain to mist and through this concept of water’s immortality – ever changing form but never ceasing to exist.
A contrast is drawn between the sedentary town and the moving river, suggesting the immortality of nature.
Through these metaphorical representations, the river becomes the main symbol of continuity, the unending cycle of water, nature’s permanence and its living spiritual quality, contrasting with the ephemeral nature of human life.
Question 4: The poet is concerned about life, death and spirituality in the poem. Discuss with close reference to the text.
Answer: The poet’s concern with life and death is evident in the repeated mention of these cycles of life and death and the eternal character of the soul.
The poem “Small Towns and the River” mainly deals with commonplace Indian beliefs in the transience of life , life beyond death and the permanence of human soul. The poet focuses on her own hometown to reflect on the theme of life and death.
“Small Towns always remind me of death”, says the poet dramatically in the opening line of the poem. The poet uses the symbol of small town to represent death, while the river represents life and eternity.
The poet describes her home town as located among the trees, isolated and unchanging. She also describes the town as being “weeping” and “mournful” and she likens it to a “shrine of happy picture” that have been “stained with dust”.
The poet then goes on to describe the river, which she says is “alive” and “ever flowing”. She compares the river to as “soul” that is “free” and “eternal”.
The poem’s contrast of the small town and the river creates a sense of contrast between death and life, impermanence and eternity. The poet seems to be suggesting that while small towns are associated with death and decay, the river represents the eternal cycle of life. The river is also a symbol of nature and spirituality, it provides the poet with a sense of hope and renewal.
Spirituality is a central theme with reference to the permanence of nature and unchanging rituals performed by generations. Spirituality in this poem also refers to the soul’s journey towards the “golden east” and the desire to “walk with the gods”.
The poet refers to a local custom of placing the dead towards the west in the belief that the soul will rise from the body and travel to the house of the sun (the east). The human soul is immortal. However it can either enter human body or it can travel to heaven, not to restart life and death process again.
The river symbolises the eternal aspects of nature,providing a contrast to human mortality and highlighting the poet’s reflection on the deeper meaning of existence.