A poem is not a poem if it does not have literary devices. There are quite a number of literary devices in 'The River'.
Style and Language
The poem has six stanzas of four lines each. The second line ryhmes with the fourth line. The style of the poem is coversational as the poet lists out both the positive and negative qualities of the River. It is a very frank revelation but the final stanza is a shocker especially when the River is personified as a 'monster' when two stanzas earlier it just been called a 'baby'.
Metaphor
Another literary device used is metaphor. Metaphor the comparison of a person or thing to something else. In the poem, the poet shows similarities between the river and human beings:
The river is described as being a wanderer, hoarder, baby, dancer and monster.
The river is also used as a metaphor by the poet to describe our own journey through life. Just like the river, we start our journey when we are born. Then, we grow up and gradually learn about things and begin to face more challenges. This part is described in the poem when the river meanders through hills and valleys.
In stanza 4 and 5, the river is used as a metaphor to describe our ups and downs, happy and sad moments as we mature.
Stanza 6 portrays the metaphor of the river that describes our behaviour- sometimes we behave like monsters and lose our tempers and hurt or destroy others with our actions. This can be seen in the first line of the stanza when the river turns into a monster and causes destruction.
Personification
If you read the poem carefully, there are some human-like abilities, functions and feelings of the river. All these are used by the poet to allow the reader to get to know the river more closely, mesmerised by its charm yet repelled by its agressiveness:
~The river is a wanderer, a nomad, a tramp - the river takes a form of a person who is always moving from one place to another.
~It is also a winder, where it becomes something that curves and meanders with a life of its own as it 'twists' and 'turns'.
~The river is a hoarder- it is now someone who collects and keeps things.
~ It is a baby- the river is like a baby making gurgling sounds as it flows through the hills and valleys.
~ In stanza 5, the river is a singer, in which it sings a happy song as it flows; it murmurs a low and soft hum reflecting calmness and tranquility.
~Finally, the river is a monster in stanza 6- it has tranformed into a nasty monster that has gobbled tress and may swallow people.
The poem also contains symbols. (Symbol means a thing that stands for something else):
~'Wanderer' symbolises constant change or lack of stability. Not having a place that is permanent can be a hindrance to a man who needs to have a goal or purpose in life.
~ 'Hoarder' symbolises hiding or keeping something safe. We tend to keep close to our hearts the memories or things that are precious to us.
~ 'Baby' symbolises something that is innocent thus creating an illusion that the river is harmless and not likely to create havoc.
~ Lastly, 'monster' symbolises something that is destructive and can wreck the lives of people and the environment when it turns treacherous.
Imagery
Imagery refers to images that we can see when we read and understand the poem. In the poem, the poet has successfully created a clear picture of the river in our mind as we read it:
Stanza 1- the image created is a wanderer;the river is like a nomad or tramp who moves around and cannot sit still.
Stanza 2- the image of the river that slowly winding down hill, twisting and turning.
Stanza 4- the river is portrayed as a baby who is sucking on his thumbs. The baby also makes happy gurgling and humming sounds.
Stanza 5- the river becomes a singer who dances along to the song which echoes throughout the countryside.
Stanza 6- the river is painted with an ugly image~ it is portrayed as a monster that hungrily swallows up trees and human beings.
