Hi beautiful people :)

For English we need to select a poem and write a story based on the poem. The poem I have selected tentatively is William Wordsworth's "There was a Boy". What I was wondering was whether the boy jumped off the cliff, fell off the cliff or didn't die that way?
Thanks a heap,
Em

I see nothing in the poem to suggest that the boy jumped or fell off the cliff... only that he died before he was fully 12 years old. Some theorize that Wordsworth was writing about his own childhood and loss of it when his parents both died while he was young before he was 13). He had a brother who drowned at an early age, and a childhood friend who imitated owls who went to the same college. Thus the boy may represent a composite of characters in his life. I see it as a poem about nature and childhood insights about heaven and earth.

Oh, okay. Because I was thinking that the lines " Its woods, and that uncertain heaven received/ into the bosom of the steady lake,/ this boy was taken from his mades, and died

Because I though recieving into the bosom meant "into the embrace" or something similar so that the meaning of the lines was that the boy went into the embrace of the lake (drowned) and that's why heaven received this boy who was taken from his mates.

And if the boy represents a composite of characters, what if he combined the friend who imitated owls and his drowned brother into one character and that this character is the boy in the poem?

Would that still make sense?

Hello Em! Great choice with William Wordsworth's "There was a Boy" for your English assignment. To determine whether the boy in the poem jumped off the cliff, fell off the cliff, or didn't die that way, we'll need to analyze the poem and interpret the possible scenarios.

To get started, let's take a look at the poem and observe any hints or clues that might give us insight into the fate of the boy. Here's the poem for reference:

There was a Boy; ye knew him well, ye cliffs
And islands of Winander! many a time
At evening, when the earliest stars began
To move along the edges of the hills,
Rising or setting, would he stand alone,
Beneath the trees, or by the glimmering lake;
And there, with fingers interwoven, both hands
Pressed closely palm to palm and to his mouth
Uplifted, he, as through an instrument,
Blew mimic hootings to the silent owls,
That they might answer him: and they would shout
Across the watery vale, and shout again,
Responsive to his call,—with quivering peals,
And long halloos, and screams, and echoes loud
Redoubled and redoubled; concourse wild
Of jocund din! And, when there came a pause
Of silence such as baffled his best skill,
Then, sometimes, in that silence while he hung
Listening, a gentle shock of mild surprise
Has carried far into his heart the voice
Of mountain torrents; or the visible scene
Would enter unawares into his mind,
With all its solemn imagery, its rocks,
Its woods, and that uncertain heaven, received
Into the bosom of the steady lake.

From the poem, we can gather a few details about the boy's actions and surroundings. The boy would often stand alone beneath the trees or by the glimmering lake, engaged in mimic hootings to the silent owls. The owls would respond with shouts, peals, screams, and echoes, creating a lively and wild atmosphere. However, there would also be moments of silence, during which the boy would listen intently and experience a "gentle shock of mild surprise", potentially caused by the sound of mountain torrents or the grandeur of the landscape.

Now, let's analyze the possible scenarios:

1. The boy jumped off the cliff:
There is no direct mention of the boy jumping off a cliff in the poem. The focus is on his interactions with the environment, particularly the owls and the scenery. So, it's unlikely that the boy's fate involved jumping off a cliff.

2. The boy fell off the cliff:
Again, there is no explicit indication of the boy falling off a cliff. The poem primarily describes the boy's experiences and his connection to nature rather than any potential accidents or falls.

3. The boy didn't die that way:
Based on the information provided in the poem, it's reasonable to conclude that the boy did not die by jumping or falling off a cliff. The focus is on the boy's interactions with nature, the owls, and the serene environment surrounding him.

Therefore, it can be inferred that the boy, as depicted in the poem, did not meet his demise by jumping or falling off a cliff. Instead, his fate is left open to interpretation, with the poem emphasizing his connection to the natural world.

Now that you have analyzed the poem and explored the possibilities, you can create a story based on your interpretation of the boy's fate. You can focus on the themes of nature, innocence, and the boy's profound connection to the world around him.

I hope this helps in your creative writing process! If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask. Good luck with your assignment!