Traveling Through the Dark
William Stafford's poem "Traveling Through the Dark " explores the inner turmoil of a driver who comes across a pregnant doe that has been killed by a hit-and-run driver. The speaker, also a driver, is in a hurry and traveling through the dark with a specific purpose. As he is driving, he comes across the dead deer on the edge of the Wilson River.
Feeling a sense of obligation to prevent any further accidents, the speaker stops and drags the deer into the canyon. However, upon touching the deer's side, he realizes that it is still warm and that there is a fawn inside waiting to be born. This realization fills the speaker with a mix of emotions including pity, anger, and frustration. He even wonders if there is any way to save the fawn, but he knows that it is impossible for the fawn to be born without its mother.
Despite his love and pity for the fawn, the speaker realizes that any delay would be a waste of time. He pushes the doe into the river and continues on his journey, with the car's lights guiding him towards his destination. The poem ends with the speaker's contemplation of the finality of death and the acceptance that his love and pity cannot change the fawn's fate.
Question Answers :
1. What is the central idea of the poem?
Answer : The central idea of the poem "Traveling Through the Dark" is the moral dilemma faced by the speaker when he comes across a dead doe on the side of the road and realizes that she is pregnant. The speaker must decide whether to leave the doe and continue on his way, or to try to save the unborn fawn.
2. Show how the action develops stanza by stanza in the poem.
Answer : The action of the poem develops as follows:
Stanza 1: The speaker is traveling in the dark and comes across a dead doe on the side of the road.
Stanza 2: The speaker stops to examine the doe and realizes that she is still warm and pregnant.
Stanza 3: The speaker is filled with mixed emotions as he tries to decide what to do. He even wonders if the fawn can be saved, but ultimately realizes that it cannot be born when the mother is dead.
Stanza 4: The speaker makes the difficult decision to push the doe into the river and continue on his way.
3. What does the traveler feel when he touches the dead doe?
Answer : When the traveler touches the dead doe, he feels a sense of pity and sadness for the loss of life. He may also feel anger towards the hit-and-run driver who caused the doe's death.
4. Do you agree with what the narrator did? Why?
Answer : Whether or not one agrees with the narrator's decision depends on personal values and beliefs. Some may argue that the narrator was justified in making the difficult choice to prioritize his own safety and the safety of others on the road. Others may argue that the narrator should have tried harder to save the fawn, even if it was unlikely to survive. Ultimately, the narrator's decision is a complex and difficult one that raises ethical questions about the value of human life versus the value of animal life.
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