Point of View

“Among School Children” is written in the first-person point of view using the pronoun “I”: “I walk through the long schoolroom questioning” (Line 1). The “I” pronoun remains consistent through the first four stanzas, appearing at least once through these compact sections. However, the pronoun never appears again through the remaining four stanzas. In the second half of the poem, the narrative becomes more philosophical as the speaker considers the impact of history, religion, culture, and mortality. Although it is still being told from the same voice, the speaker’s focus is less on themself and more on the wider world. By the final stanza, the speaker is voicing broad artistic philosophies and questions about the human condition. At this point the first-person speaker has transcended their individuality and become absorbed into a more omniscient view.

Language and Meaning

In the tradition of the majority of...