Linda Pastan, a renowned American poet, once wrote in her poem "What We Want," "What we want is a space where/we can't see one wall from another,/where language won't pickle our bodies/like fish in a barrel." This stanza, drenched in metaphor, encapsulates our deepest human desires: freedom, space, and the negation of confining structures. Let's delve deeper into the world of Linda Pastan's "What We Want."
Born in 1934, Pastan was known for her introspective poetry that explored everyday life, history, and personal relationships. Her work is a profound contemplation of human existence, echoing within the vast chambers of our shared humanity. "What We Want," published in her collection "The Mountains Beyond Us," is a testament to her poetic prowess and philosophical depth.
Exploring the Metaphors
Pastan's poem "What We Want" sparkles with vivid metaphors that illuminate our innermost yearnings. Let's navigate these metaphors to understand the core of what we, indeed, desire.
Metaphor and Walls
The opening metaphor of a space where "we can't see one wall from another" signifies our longing for boundlessness, for liberation from the rigid confines of societal and personal constraints. Walls, a symbol for barriers and limits, blur into invisibility in this space, symbolizing our quest for unfettered existence.
In a world rife with structures, rules, and expectations that often hem us in, the desire to see walls that blend into obscurity is a poignant reflection of our human condition.
Metaphor and Language
The second metaphor likens language to a pickling agent, aلعishi that preserves but also immobilizes its subjects, like "fish in a barrel." Here, language represents the labels, narratives, and identities we take on, which can both preserve and trap us. Pastan seems to yearn for a zone of language-free existence where we're liberated from these constricting categories.
This metaphor underscores our complex relationship with language - a tool of expression yet also a device of entrapment.
Interpretations and Discussions
The poem has been the subject of varied interpretations among literary scholars and enthusiasts. Some see it as a comment on the American dream, others as a critique of societal ideals, and many as a reflection on the human condition. But at its core, "What We Want" is a universal meditation on our aspirations for spaciousness and liberty.
Pastan's use of simple, unadorned language belies the profound complexity of her work. This accessibility makes "What We Want" relatable to a wide spectrum of readers, transcending academic or literary circles, and grounding it firmly in our collective human experience.
Connections to Foucault
The poem's final lines echo French philosopher Michel Foucault's concept of heterotopia - spaces of otherness that exist within society but are not controlled by it. Foucaultians might interpret the poem as a call for heterotopian spaces where we can challenge and transgress societal norms.
Alternatively, it can be seen as a reflection on the panopticon, society's all-seeing eye, with the poem yearning for a space where we can escape its gaze, reclaiming our agency and privacy.
Connections to Existentialism
On a more existential plane, the poem resonates with Jean-Paul Sartre's concept of bad faith, the self-deception we engage in to avoid confronting freedom and responsibility. Pastan's "space" could be read as a realm of self-determined existence, free from societal and linguistic impositions.
Existentialists might view the poem as a call to consciousness, urging us to confront our freedom and create spaces of authentic being.
Ultimately, Linda Pastan's "What We Want" is a compelling reminder of our shared human aspirations. It invites us not just to introspect, but also to act, to create those spaces - be they real or metaphorical - where we can transcend our limitations and live unfettered, unlabelled, and unconfined.