Lit 101 - Analysis of a Fable

In an earlier post, I dealt with the seeming futility of writing, something I return to time and time again. What I seldom get to dwell on is the most rewarding aspect of writing. No, not the money although that is a very, very close second. There is this sublime delight in knowing a person has interacted with this fiction that you have created, making it in essence their own, enriching it with meanings that you did not consciously intend. A friend of mine, Charmaine Valere, gave a copy of "The Hawk" to her lit class for their responses. Here is one of three she sent me.

Written by Tahrel (male, age 20, black-American):

In the short story the hawk symbolizes the appreciation for nature and the mysteries that the written word holds. When a person is not being a television zombie, he or she can appreciate the simplest forms of enjoyment by watching or imagining a sky battle between a hawk and kiskadees. Television has replaced creativity and the actual experience of stories. The story allows one not to be dependent on visual images. The reader of the story is allowed to use his imagination . . . The story alludes to a sort of injustice that happens even with nature. It suggests that life is not always fair, and that one may have obstacles to overcome, such as the hawk. It also suggests that the ground bound or ordinary people are not always able to help out when injustice occurs in other places . . . .