"We are Seven" speaks volumes to me. As I have mentioned, as an Environmental studies major I analyze the literature works which I read, with an expected bias. I attempt to understand the poem by relating the relevancy to Environmental concepts and terms. This poem is a very interesting work; The author attempts to convince the little girl that since two of her siblings are deceased they are no longer present with her on Earth. The little girl refused to believe that two of her siblings were not still present with her on Earth. She states, "Seven boys and girls are we;"she even recalls how she "sits and sings to them". She explains that two are in Wales, two are at sea, and two are buried under the churchyard tree.
This view of death is not widely accepted today, the main ideology teaches that there is an acute separation between the living and dead. However, many cultures such as that of particular Native American and Central African tribes believe that their loved ones do not leave them to enter a different world, but they are either reincarnated into the environment as a member of nature, or are ever present with them, and are able to access them freely.
The little girl's response in "We are Seven" reminded me of these indigenous beliefs which are consistent with an eco friendly environmental ethic, which describes nature as a closed loop. We are nature, we come from nature and we return to nature. If we adopted the ideology of the little girl, we would probably adopt a more sustainable lifestyle, in consideration of the "belief" that we will always be present on Earth despite of what mankind consensus' defines as "death". I interpreted her statements as her believing in a "oneness" with nature,I do not think she believes there is any escape to a heavenly paradise but that humanity is a part of nature and will always be. If we adopt such a belief humanity would probably treat the environment better knowing that both us and our loved ones will always abide there, a belief that would suggest that there is no heavenly getaway.
She concludes by stating "Nay, we are seven". I interpreted this in a way which is a long the lines of my preceding analysis. Seven is usually defined as a perfect, heavenly number. We may be the human race, Earth, nature; that which is human, thus I interpret "Nay, we are seven", as Earth is Heaven.
Excellent. I especially like the way you build up evidence gradually to make your final interpretive point--which is foreshadowed in your title. You might have said a little more--a tiny bit more--about the speaker's world view as a point of contrast.
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