English - Elizabeth Bishop: The Prodigal

Themes of The Prodigal

Avoidance of Truth

Addiction & Despair

Hoping for a fresh start (Longing for Redemption)

Avoidance of Truth Quotes

"The brown enormous odor he lived by"

"He hid the pints behind a two-by-four"

"he felt the bats' uncertain staggering flight"

"The brown enormous odor he lived by"

Conveys how the prodigal accepts an unpleasant reality. He's accustomed to filth — echoing addiction or self-destruction.

"He hid the pints behind a two-by-four"

Hiding drink symbolises denial and self-deception.

This literal concealment reflects a deeper emotional repression (Bottling up feelings) — something Bishop battled in her life due to alcoholism.

"he felt the bats' uncertain staggering flight"

The bats' flight serves as a powerful metaphor for human fragility, especially in moments of doubt or fear.

Their uncertain movement in the night—traditionally associated with mystery or danger—mirrors the character's psychological state, enhancing the poem's overall atmosphere of unease and tension.

Addiction & Despair Quotes

"He thought he almost might endure / his exile yet another year or more"

"He thought he almost might endure / his exile yet another year or more"

reveals the character's internal struggle and fragile hope. The word "almost" conveys hesitation and uncertainty, meaning it's hard to keep going and his determination is shaky.

The mention of "exile" emphasizes separation, isolation, and emotional hardship. The line expresses a hesitant acceptance of pain, showing strength mixed with uncertainty.

Hoping for a fresh start (Longing for Redemption) Quotes

"The lantern - like the sun, going away"

"the first star came to warn"

"But it took him a long time / finally to make his mind up to go home."

"The lantern - like the sun, going away"

This simile compares the fading lantern to the setting sun, linking a small, everyday object to a grand, cosmic image.

It subtly conveys the idea of light fading — a loss of warmth, safety, or even hope — as the day ends.

"the first star came to warn"

Bishop transforms a natural image into an ominous symbol, suggesting that with nightfall comes emotional dread.

This line personifies the star, giving it purpose — it doesn't just appear, it warns.

"But it took him a long time / finally to make his mind up to go home."

The final lines offer a glimpse of eventual change — but the delay is crucial. Bishop captures the slow, painful journey of someone reclaiming their life. Possibly a nod to her own delayed sobriety.

(The poem avoids first-person voice)

Bishop distances herself from the subject — possibly because she sees too much of herself in the prodigal.