Symbols

9/30/13

D Block

Use of the Spade and Pen as a Symbol by Heaney in “Digging”

In the poem "Digging", Seamus Heaney uses symbolism to show how the narrator has different ambitions from his father. The narrator starts the story by admiring his father and grandfather’s passion for digging. The symbols Heaney used to represent each person’s interest are the spade that is used to dig, and the pen used to write. As the poem goes on the narrator tells us how he has chosen to use a pen as a tool, unlike the spade his father digs with. The narrator's use of symbols shows us that although we should be proud of our heritage, we should evaluate our traits and follow our own interests.

At the beginning of the poem, the narrator fondly recalls his father and grandfather’s accomplishments as farmers, reminiscing; “My grandfather cut more turf in a day/ than any other man on Toner’s bog.(Heaney 17-18)”The narrator repeatedly talks about how skilled his father and grandfather were with the spade, which symbolizes their passion for digging the land. The narrator continues admiring his father saying, “By God, the man could handle a spade/ Just like his old man.(Heaney 15-16”  It has clearly been shown that digging the land has been the popular choice in the narrator’s family, but the narrator’s own interest has not been expressed yet.; whether he will follow his father’s steps that he admires, or not. 

Later we learn that as much as the narrator admires his father and grandfather, he recognizes that digging is not for him. He laments, “But I’ve no spade to follow men like them.(Heaney 28)” While the narrator accepts and respects his predecessor’s choice, he is not afraid to state his tool of choice, the pen. The narrator displays how he has the same passion his father had, but with a pen, saying, “The squat pen rests; snug as a gun.(Heaney 2)” However, it is unclear if the narrator will succumb to his father’s influence to dig the land and ignore his own passion.

Towards the end of the poem, the narrator has decided to “dig” in his own unique way. At this point, the narrator has gone over his admiration for his ancestor’s devotion to digging the land while recognizing he wants to stray from that path. The narrator reaches a conclusion, saying, “Between my finger and my thumb/ The squat pen rests./ I’ll dig with it.(Heaney 29)” The narrator has shown that he will pursue his own passion, being as devoted as his father and grandfather, yet without a spade.

Seamus Heaney uses symbols in his poem to show us the narrator’s appreciation of his family tradition, yet decides to pursue his own passion. He decides he doesn’t want to use a spade to dig, but instead wants to write using a pen. The way the narrator uses these shows us that appreciating the work of those that come before you is perfectly fine, but we should follow a path that inspires us.

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