Monday, May 4, 2009

The First Body Paragraph about an Essay on the theme of "Traveling Through the Dark" by William Stafford

Amita Bose
English 8
Mr. Salsich
May 4, 2009


An Essay about the theme of “Traveling Through the Dark”

TS In the poem “Traveling Through the Dark” by William Stafford, the narrator, Stafford, stumbled upon a dead, pregnant deer in the night and had to make the ultimate decision: to push the deer into the ravine below or not. TS After wrestling with his conscience and thoughts for a moment, Stafford pushed the deer into the canyon, not because he wished to do so, but because it was the right thing to do. SD In the poem, Stafford tells us that “to swerve [on the road] might make more dead”. CM When he found the deer, he had to consider not only his wishes, but the welfare of his fellow travelers who might have stumbled upon the slain doe.
CM Even though Stafford had no desire to push the deer over the edge, he realized that he had to sacrifice a small piece of his conscience for the wellbeing of other people. SD Furthermore, Stafford learned that the deer was pregnant when he accidentally brushed her side and felt the warmth of her fawn as it “lay there waiting”. CM The discovery of the unborn fawn added yet another point for William Stafford to consider as he made his decision. CM He had to “think had for [all]” and ponder what the fawn’s life would bring without a mother, and if it was even possible for the fawn to live. CM Stafford realized that it would be a kinder deed to end the fawn’s suffering before it began, so he pushed the deer, with her unborn fawn, into the canyon. CS The decision that Mr. Stafford had to make on that dark night on that desolate road was a truly difficult one, but he had to follow his heart and trust that it would lead him to the right decision.

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