Expressive and persuasive discoveries can be aggravated by need, wonder or curiosity, and eventually, transform the individual’s insight of both their identity and the wider world. Throughout the development of discovery, the individual is frequently confronted with new perspectives and understandings of rigid values and beliefs, and so they are compelled to opinionate their lives and civilization in a dissimilar light. These factors are expressed through Robert Gray’s poetry, which divulges discoveries that result from curiosity and wonder that have a transformative impression on the speaker.
In Robert Gray’s poem, ‘Late ferry’ the protagonist’s wonder for the appealing brightness of development in Sydney Harbor. Consequently, through his wonder, he finds that the illuminations are mentally meaningless therefore enhances a stronger knowledge of himself by seeing peace in the plainness of life. Similarly, ‘Flames and dangling wire’ undergoes a personal interest as he travels through the process of a rubbish dump and discovers the consequences of modern consumerism, whilst the thoughtful and personal poem ‘Diptych’, constructed an individual subjective memories defines the wonder of the poet, who discovers that his parent’s personality’s inherent differences.
Through wonder, Gray’s metaphoric poem, ‘Late Ferry’ examines the discoveries that there is the intricate network of analogies between what he sees and the many other small that triggers the understanding of urbanization, life and death. The poet records his observation through many darkening descriptions “the huge dark harbor” the connotation/symbolism suggests that the look is mysterious, ominous and threatening. As follows their outlook of the ferry, the protagonist portrays the idea of the uncertainties and menacing of life through the juxtaposition of light and shade, “Street lights’ fluorescence// over the dark water, ceaseless”. The concept of light and darkness are constantly being mentioned throughout the poem reflecting the struggle between life and death. The simile of “like chromosomes// uniting and dividing” suggests that the water is both a life force and also metaphorically reinforcing a passage to death “empty darkness// as if into ice”. Through grasping the graphics of the sight the poet is able to activate a more pure knowledge of the harbor and the ferry informed by classical allusion and reinforced by color and light contrast. By the poet’s acceptance of the sights they’re able to alter their understanding of the world and sense what is hidden in the darkness.
Gray’s ‘Flames and Dangling Wire’ leads the protagonist through the path of curiosity to visit a city rubbish dump, which functions as a microcosm of broader Australian society and discover the consequences of consumerism. The protagonist metaphorically communicated the influences of consumerism through “It was an always burning dump” described as a fire burning infinitely with inevitable echoes. Whilst exploring, the poet finds the characteristic nature of humanity to consume and destroy demonstrated through the gruesome allusion to death and the simile “a landscape of tin cans, of cars like skulls”. The abhorrence of the dump was highlighted through the utilization of hellish imagery “forking over rubbish over the dampened fires”, complementing the dystonic landscape. Flames and Dangling Wire was portrayed as an effect of curiosity that has allowed the poet to determine inexperienced findings.
Through wonder and thought, Robert Gray’s poem ‘Diptych” had a protagonist who subjected his dissimilarities and how it affected him. The title itself serves as a metaphor emphasizing the discovery of the differences concerning his parents’ personalities, which balance to originate his identity. Also, the persona also finds a contrast in his mother who is both a “harassed” and “calm” person. Along with the description of his father whom is a “drunkard” who was a dejected pessimist highlighted through the paradox “proclaimed the bitterness of every pleasure”. Regardless of his “callousness”, the poet finds the never-ending promise between his father and he transmitted metaphorically in “mauvish-grey marble dust”. The poet’s discovery was aggravated by surprise and delivered a refined insight into his parents’ starkly different characteristics.
Discoveries are frequently impulsive and attain a renewed perception; often they are created from curiosity, wonder or necessity. Gray’s “Flames and Dangling” wire explores the findings of the persona, which was generated by his inquisitiveness throughout a visit to a dump, whereas his personal “Diptych” reveals his discovery of his parent’s conflicting personalities through wonder. As well as “Late Ferry” revealing the strong metaphoric figures of life and death. It is also portraying strong concept urbanization.
