An Analysis of Olive Senior's 'BirdShooting Season'

 

An Analysis of Olive Senior's 'BirdShooting Season'

Bird hunting is a sport that is often engaged in for enjoyment or competition purposes. In her poem, 'Birdshooting Season, Olive Senior shows the activities and attitudes of people who are connected to this sport.

 

Stanza 1

This stanza shares that the men are very close to their guns during this season. Men come from far to prepare for birdhunting in the speaker's father's house.

Stanza 2

The women work hard all night preparing the food and drink for the men to carry with them. They are described as being unhappy. Also, before they leave out the men drink rum that is not diluted by water.

Stanza 3

The men leave in the darkness with their packs and guns.

Stanza 4

The children watch the men as they go. The boys look forward to being birdhunters one day and the little girls want the birds to escape so the men will come home empty-handed.

 

Literary Devices

 Contrast: There is a contrast between how the little boys and the little girls feel about birdshooting. The little boys look forward to the day when they can participate in birdhunting while the little girls are more protective of the birds. The little girls say, 'Fly Birds Fly' because they want the birds to escape being killed and the little boys anticipate joining the men or taking their place.

 There is another contrast because the women are described as 'contentless' as they prepare the meals and beverages for the men. This gives the idea that they are doing these tasks out of duty and not because they are as invested as the men. Also, they may very well be feeling burdened by all the work they have to be doing.

 Personification: The 'men make marriage with their guns' and 'the house turns macho' are examples of personification. They are used to show the effect birdhunting has on the men and other things. By saying that the men marry their guns it highlights how serious they are about ensuring their guns are in good condition for what they are about to do. They are close to their guns during this season. The house 'turns macho' because of the presence of the men who have come from far to prepare for birdhunting. For these men birdshooting is a very masculine sport and this is the energy they project.

Diction: 'make marriage' 'turns macho', 'hunters', 'contentless', 'longing' and 'whispering' are examples of words and phrases that are used to present the varying sentiments of the people involved in the poem to the birdshooting.

Imagery: The poem gives examples of the food and drinks that are being prepared by the women such as hot coffee, chocolata, cerassie, wrap pone and tie leaf. This is done to show the reader how much is done for this occasion. 

War imagery is also projected because words like 'hunters', and 'guns' are using to give the impression that the men are going to wage a war - a war on birds.

Themes: man versus nature, gender roles, masculinity, childhood experiences

Tone: reflective, pensive, serious

QUICK TIP: As you examine the poem, pay attention to how words are used to present the meaning of the poem.

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