Poetry Analysis Question?

Question:So I need to answer this question about this poem for english class:

How does the theme of dependency correlate to the physicality of the stanzas in "The Red Wheelbarrow".

And here's the poem:

“The Red Wheelbarrow” by William Carlos Williams

so much depends
upon

a red wheel
barrow

glazed with rain
water

beside the white
chickens.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: So I need to answer this question about this poem for english class:

How does the theme of dependency correlate to the physicality of the stanzas in "The Red Wheelbarrow".

And here's the poem:

“The Red Wheelbarrow” by William Carlos Williams

so much depends
upon

a red wheel
barrow

glazed with rain
water

beside the white
chickens.

Notice the shape of each stanza and the similarity to a wheelbarrow. You could also develop a logical flow for the four words: upon barrow water chickens, as the wheelbarrow is a source of water for the chickens thus dependency. Visually, the awakening of seeing something so mundane in a different light is can also be argued as the earlier post stated. It also shows that poems with complex meanings do not have to be ones that consist of excessive words.

1. You can correlate that to a person who contributes his intelligence, talent, and good works but none were recognized to be so.

2. or to a tooth used to grind food but seldom brushed.

3. or to a pet who barks when a stranger is seen but not given enough hygene and nourishment.

I loved this poem the first time I read it. I wasn't used to this kind of poetry and it made me stop and look and think about what poetry meant to me.

I think the question you have been asked is very complex - I can only guess at the answer.

I wonder if Williams is saying that in isolation the red wheel barrow lacks significance. But the rain water glazing it makes it stand out, especially when coupled with the contrast created by the white chickens. The stanzas separated as they are, makes you look at each item (really look) and then you look (really look) at the next stanza and so on.

I should image that you must have had something very ordinary in your life which you hardly noticed - then perhaps, the sun shining through the window lights it up, and then you notice something else beside it which you had never really looked at before.

I don't know if this is the correct answer. This is just my opinion. Hope it helps

It is superb.