The Starling

The starling symbolizes the struggle of both creative stagnation and of growing up. Upon hearing the pauses and the flurry of action coming from the daughter’s room, the speaker is reminded of the bird who “was trapped in that very room” (Line 17), paralleling the way the story is trapped inside the daughter’s head. When the bird came inside, the speaker and their daughter never tried to capture the bird and force it out; instead, they “retreated, not to affright it” (Line 19) and allowed the bird to find its own way. This suggests that creativity cannot be forced, only encouraged. There is also a parallel in the way the bird goes through damaging and traumatic experiences before it escapes to the trials of coming of age, suggesting the obstacles the daughter will face as she grows older before making her way into the world...