This is a poem by Alice Walker and a question at the end but I can't figure out the question.
Poem title: "Good Night, Willie Lee, I'll see you in the morning."
Looking down into my father's
dead face
for the last time
my mother said without
tears, without smiles
without regrets
but with civility
"Good night, Willie, Lee I'll see you
in the morning."
And it was then I knew that the healing
of all our wounds
is forgiveness
that permits a promise
of our return
at the end
Question: Consider the death in "Good Night, Willie Lee, I'll see you in the morning." Is any unfinished business here? Explain
"unfinished business" means things that weren't said that needed to be said. Things that weren't done that needed to have been done. After someone dies we will never be able to do those things...so they will always be "unfinished". What do you think the mother might not have said or done?
I see strong religious overtones in this poem. (It reminds me of the endgin of the movie (and book) "A Man Called Peter" by Catherine Marshall which is discussed here by a reviewer:
http://www.amazon.com/review/R901585I6YHX9
The part about "healing of wounds", forgiveness and "return at the end" also seem to have a Christian theme.
I don't see much about unfinished business, other than the power of forgiveness, in the poem.
In Alice Walker's poem "Good Night, Willie Lee, I'll see you in the morning," the speaker reflects on the death of their father and the significance of forgiveness in the healing process. The poem ends with a question, prompting the reader to consider if there is any unfinished business surrounding the death discussed in the poem.
To answer the question, one must closely analyze the poem's content. The speaker describes their mother looking down at their father's dead face for the last time. Despite the finality of death, the mother's words, "Good night, Willie Lee, I'll see you in the morning," indicate a sense of optimism and the belief in a transcendent connection. This suggests that even in death, there is a lingering presence or spirit that the speaker's mother will encounter again.
The phrase "Good night" commonly refers to bidding farewell to someone before sleep, suggesting that the mother perceives death as a temporary separation until they see each other again in the morning. This metaphorical morning could symbolize an afterlife or a spiritual realm where the speaker's father will be reunited with their loved ones.
In terms of unfinished business, the poem does not explicitly highlight specific unresolved matters related to the father's death. However, the emphasis on forgiveness throughout the poem indicates that the healing process is crucial to moving forward. By stating that the healing of wounds is reliant on forgiveness, the poem suggests that unresolved issues, conflicts, or grievances should be addressed and forgiven to achieve healing.
In this context, unfinished business could refer to any unresolved conflicts or unspoken words between the speaker and their father before his death. It could also extend to broader themes of forgiveness and reconciliation within the family or society.
Ultimately, the poem raises the question of whether there are any unresolved matters that need forgiveness or closure related to the death of the speaker's father. It invites readers to contemplate the importance of forgiveness in the process of healing and moving forward even in the face of loss and mortality.