The Importance of Small Things
The Importance of Small Things
By Crystal Majette
“So much depends / upon / a red / wheelbarrow,” regales William Carlos Williams in his brief poem, “The Red Wheelbarrow.” Through this characteristically honest work, Williams displays the importance of agricultural workers for survival in a thriving society. Through imagery, juxtaposition, and colloquial diction for the audience to connect with, he alludes to the relativity of labor. During the early twentieth century, during the era of the Roaring Twenties, when happiness and prosperity were at an all-time high in American society, Williams writes about the importance of a wheelbarrow in his short, free-verse poem. While this poem seems vague at first glance, the author portrays how everyday objects often carry more significance than what can be assumed at first introspection.
The devices of imagery and juxtaposition used in Williams’ poem help to garner a connection between the poet and reader. The poem begins, “So much depends / upon / a red wheel / barrow,” a line which is clear and confusing at the same time. Subtly referencing the working class and farm laborers, the line uses the image of a wheelbarrow as the main focus to elaborate on the importance of agriculture. By using imagery to convey the message, Williams helps create a graphic representation for the poem, bringing in creativity and stimulation to grab the audience’s attention; the covertness of the statement allows the reader to curate their own meaning for the work. This moves onto the idea of utilizing juxtaposition when writing about something as ordinary as a wheelbarrow, rainwater, and chickens. When contrasting all three items against one another, the poem makes one look more closely at the relationship of each item to the other. But what makes agriculture such an important theme to write about during the height of American success?
Cultivation is necessary for a society to thrive, but it weakens when farming culture is in jeopardy. As society continues to grow, it’s important that more people have adequate necessities and resources to live, the most prominent being food and water. Williams’ sentiment, “a red wheel / barrow / glazed with rain / water / beside the white / chickens,” places importance on that aspect of society, the farmland, as the red wheelbarrow symbolizes the culture of farming and labor workers while the water and white chickens represent the people’s necessities. Cultivation is the foundation of civilization, and Williams’ handling of the practice is done with an observant point of view, making the reader find their own interpretations, as opposed to finding one by coercion. The work’s colloquial diction also does not display any punctuation, a resolute aspect meant to assist the reader. By having an outward perspective of the subject, the audience can appreciate that aspect of society, the farm workers and agricultural industry, within their own view of life.
“The Red Wheelbarrow” makes a gallant effort to elaborate on the status of agriculture in civilization by using imagery, juxtaposition, and poignant diction to make an impact poetically. The limited punctuation and syntax of the work establishes respect for a system that many take for granted. The poem having been published during such a prominent time in American history serves as a reminder to maintain humility, a prospect that many Americans in generations to come will quickly forget. Finding significance in something as minuscule as a wheelbarrow can help serve as a reminder that everything has a purpose and to not take for granted the simpler things in life.
