Point of View

“Death of a Naturalist” is told from the first-person point of view using the pronoun “I”. However, this isn’t immediately apparent; it’s not until precisely halfway through the first stanza that the speaker’s identity becomes visible: “I would fill jampotfuls of the jellied / Specks” (Lines 11-12). This creates an interesting dynamic because once the first-person speaker is identified, the poem takes on a younger voice suited to the young speaker. Prior to this, however, the poem’s voice is more elevated and mature (for instance, a young schoolboy likely wouldn't think “bluebottles / Wove a strong gauze of sound” [Lines 5-6]). Once the first-person pronoun is introduced, the poem moves from the external world to the speaker’s interiority and becomes much more personal. By the end of the poem, the narrative is deeply entrenched in the speaker’s emotional turmoil.

Language and Meaning