The Poem in the Orchard - Book Report/Review Example

From the setting, there was an orchard, which could represent a secret rendezvous between two people who had something important to talk about, and who also have something to hide. The male was conveyed as somewhat playful, and could not seem to care less about what the girl really wanted to say. Somehow these lines could imply that he was not regretful of what he has done with the girl, nor does he really care that she might not exactly feel as lightly about what they did that night as he did.

“'How did I know? I thought you wanted it too… I thought you were like the rest. Well, what's to be done?'  (Stuart 514). Based on his tone of voice, he was not serious with the girl, and all he wanted from her was fun and for her to understand that “'Well, boys are like that… Your brothers…'  (Stuart 514)  and that they can do what cruelty they usually do because they are male, and that should be able to explain away their avoidance of taking responsibility for their actions.

'They don't understand it's cruel. It's only a game.'  (Stuart 514). Also, it can be seen from his lines that he was really simply being as honest as he could with her in terms of what he did: “ It's queer and lovely to have a girl…'…' It makes you mad for a bit to feel she's your own, … And you laugh and kiss her, and maybe you give her a ring, But it's only in fun.'” (Stuart 514) The female tone was different, such that it was shown that whatever it was the female character did with the male, it was because she was in reality attached emotionally to the boy, taken from the following lines “ 'I loved you.

I thought you knew I wouldn't have danced like that with any but you.'” (Stuart 514).  And she was also shown to be trying to squeeze out a bit of sympathy or any sign of his wanting to be with her as much as she did with him. The female was shown to be the one who did things because she felt what she was really doing to be right, and she makes her decisions because she actually sincerely believed in the capacity of the male to return what she felt towards him. The female tone sometimes showed her vulnerability, but also showed a typical kind of silent strength during the last few lines of the poem when she somehow made a decision not to tell him what she really wanted to, which could be related to what happened on that night at the dance, when she realized from what he said that it was “'Just the moon and the light it made Under the tree?

'  (Stuart 514) that made all those things happen between them. As the poem had started off with a wrong assumption on her part…' I thought you loved me.' (Stuart 514). she had said. And as was shown in the end, she was very wrong. There can also be a sense of trying to believe what was just said even if it hurt, or was cruel. The whole poem also emphasized a finality to the false beliefs of the female character by repeating in several lines the words 'No, it was only fun.' (Stuart 514), and that is the reason that the girl recanted her original words by saying simply in the end, 'Good night.

’ (Stuart 514). The ultimate question that could really show concisely that the poem would end in a disappointed tone on the female character’s part would be this explanation from the boy answered in a nonchalant way 'And are girls fun, too?' 'No, still in a way it's the same. It's queer and lovely to have a girl…' 'Go on.' 'It makes you mad for a bit to feel she's your own, And you laugh and kiss her, and maybe you give her a ring, But it's only in fun.' (Stuart 514).

And thus the story ends in silence and a promise of the secret being kept a secret in the orchard.