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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A 3 page explication of the poem 'Woodchucks' by Maxine Kumin, focusing on the transformation of the main character from farmer to murderer. During the first two paragraphs, the character is clearly presented as a farmer concerned that the woodchucks are constantly eating his produce. In the third stanza, the focus shifts to and the main character begins a process of murder. No additional sources cited.
Page Count:
3 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_Woodchuc.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
In the first stanza, Kumin presents the basic dilemma that the farmer faces: He attempted to gas the woodchucks, by blocking their wholes and utilizing a gas bomb purchased
at the "Feed and Grain." But much to his dismay, the woodchucks escaped unharmed, and the main character is left to re-evaluate his plan. The language in the
first two stanzas suggests that the effort to eradicate the woodchucks was a collaborative effort, perhaps between the farmer and his wife. This is interesting to note because Kumin,
in stanza three, uses the first person singular to represent the main character, and any reference to the his counterpart is omitted. One line stands out in particular
in the first stanza, line 4. Kumin utilizes legalistic jargon often presented when describing murder suspects. It is clear that the main character perceives the rodents as criminals,
and he uses this justification again in stanza two to ease his difficulties around exterminating the woodchucks. The second stanza serves to make a comparison between the woodchucks
and the farmer and his wife. Just as they are able to survive when they imbibe too much alcohol from the "state-store", the woodchucks were able to survive a
little bit of cyanide gas, and awake to begin eating the farmers vegetables. The verbs used to describe what the woodchucks did to the vegetables cleverly utilizes words commonly
associated with criminal acts. For example, Kumin writes that the woodchucks entered the vegetable patch, "beheading the carrots." The criminalization of the woodchucks eases the farmers conscience,
and enables him to make the choice to shoot them himself. This begins the mans process of transformation. Stanza 3 is dedicated to the transformation of the farmer.
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