Blog Post 4

Adrienne Rich’s later part of her life was full of turmoil. Her marriage ended in divorce, and her husband later committed suicide. Not long after, Rich came out as a lesbian. In the midst of all of this Rich was an activist for women’s rights and openly a Vietnam War opponent. Since many things in her life seemed to be a complicated mess, I can be argued that the wreck in her poem “Diving into the Wreck” is symbolic of several things. However, this poem can be read most convincingly as a metaphor for her internal struggle regarding her sexuality, which is the wreck.

            One of the main parts that points to the wreck being her sexuality is the lack of punctuation in the poem and the use of first person in the story. This lack of punctuation resembles someone’s inner dialogue or a stream of consciousness. Since sexuality is often not manifested physically, it makes sense that this inner struggle has manifested itself on paper. This poem being a written version of her inner conflict is also supported by the use of first person. First person in this poem makes it seem like the author is writing down her thoughts and first hand experiences instead of writing about other people’s experiences, as it would be if she was writing about world events.

            Another reason the wreck can best be read as her sexuality is the references to her feelings of constraint, a feeling that would happen if one was attempting to suppress their emotions, consciously or subconsciously. For example, she says, “My flippers cripple me…” It is ironic that she says these are uncomfortable because they are seen as tools to help one thrive in her current situation. This could be representative of the fact that society supposedly gives you the tools to succeed, but only in the way that society sees success. Since homosexuality was not yet “normal” in the early 1970’s, the tools given to her by society would have been restricting rather than helpful, like the flippers and the mask.

            The “mask” is mentioned many times and could be a reference to the front she has to put up in society. As mentioned earlier, at the time this poem was written (the early 1970’s), homosexuality was still not widely recognized as being okay. Rich says she goes to investigate the wreck wearing “… [a] grave and awkward mask.” The fact that the mask makes her feel muted and uncomfortable mirrors the feelings of someone who has to constantly hide their identity.

            Lastly, the fact that it is a wreck that she is describing is one of the most convincing arguments for the wreck conveying an internal struggle. There are many things that happen above water that are disastrous that are equivalent in magnitude to a shipwreck. However, the fact that she uses a shipwreck is symbolic. It shows that what she is attempting to discover or explore is not accessible on the surface. Also, water is distorting; it distorts sounds and light, which often cause confusion. A wreck also rests on the ocean floor, which is generally very deep and relatable to being as close to the core of the Earth as one can go. All of these things combined point to the sea being the equivalent of her mind, and the wreck being her internal struggle with her sexuality.