"Snow" by David Berman
An Analysis by Henry Schaefer
My Childhood
Introduction
My fondest childhood memories are often found during the winter season. After a light snow, my brother and I would roam around our dreamy neighborhood, gazing in awe at the winter wonderland. The magical aura created by a winter storm is something that I will never forget.
Why did I choose this poem?
David Berman’s poem “Snow,” revived my nostalgic memories of a winter morning, while introducing complex and intricate themes about family life.
David Berman
- David Berman was born in Williamsburg, Virginia on January 4, 1967.
- After graduating from UVA, he moved to New Jersey and formed a indie rock band called the “Silver Jews.”
- Berman and the Silver Jews released a series of albums before he came out with his first collection of poetry, Actual Air, in 1999.
- In 2009, he announced that he would be retiring from music making to focus on screenwriting and poetry.
General Overview
Reading
- In “Snow,” David Berman recreates the conversation between two brothers walking through a field of snow.
- Berman adds tension to the peaceful environment by having the speaker joke around with his younger brother about the cause of angels imprinted in the snow.
Reading of "Snow"
Walking through a field with my little brother Seth
I pointed to a place where kids had made angels in the snow.
For some reason, I told him that a troop of angels
had been shot and dissolved when they hit the ground.
He asked who had shot them and I said a farmer.
Then we were on the roof of the lake.
The ice looked like a photograph of water.
Why he asked. Why did he shoot them.
I didn't know where I was going with this.
They were on his property, I said.
When it's snowing, the outdoors seem like a room.
Today I traded hellos with my neighbor.
Our voices hung close in the new acoustics.
A room with the walls blasted to shreds and falling.
We returned to our shoveling, working side by side in silence.
But why were they on his property, he asked.
Analysis
- David Berman uses various literary devices to develop cohesion in the tone, form, and symbolism.
- As a result of these elements, Berman reveals how a loss of innocence in the household can negatively affect one’s childhood.
Throughout the poem’s narrative, Berman creates a melancholy tone using visual imagery and similes.
Tone
“The ice looked like a photograph of water” (Line 7).
Simile 1
- Berman compares ice on top of a lake to a “photograph of water.”
- By comparing these two images, Berman portrays the ice as clear and solid, as it appears to look like water no longer in motion (frozen by a photograph).
How does this develop tone and theme?
Theme
- This simile creates a cold sensation in the reader, while also slowing down the pace of the poem.
- The ice symbolizes frozen emotion between the two characters.
- Berman suddenly shifts the setting from a white snow field to a frozen lake to reveal how the characters are angry and sad.
“When it’s snowing, the outdoors seem like a room… A room with the walls blasted to shreds and falling” (Line 11-14).
Simile 2
- Initially, Berman makes a direct comparison, stating that the outdoors “seem like a room when it is snowing.”
- The word “room” takes on a positive connotation in this context, as one correlates the falling snow to the warmth and comfort which a “room” in a house can provide.
Line 14
Line 14
- In line 14, Berman shifts the initial comparison, by stating that the room has walls “blasted to shreds and falling.”
- The verb “blasted” has a powerful connotation, implying that the walls of this room have been laid to waste.
Connecting to Tone
Tone
- Berman alters the reader’s initial perception of the atmosphere from homey and comfortable to desolate and gloomy.
- This comparison builds upon the melancholy tone, as the speaker is obviously sad and depressed.
- That fact that he corrects himself by stating that the room is “blasted to shreds,” indicates that something has happened in his life to build a pessimistic view of the snowy day.
Throughout the poem, David Berman does not follow a standard form pattern. Instead, by using free verse, Berman is able to create a disjointed and confused layout, while also building cohesion with alliteration and enjambment.
Form
“Walking through a field with my little brother Seth” (Line 1).
Cohesion
- The first line of the poem directly sets the scene of the narrative and builds the underlying structure.
- Even when Berman jumps back in time when talking about the speaker’s interaction with the neighbors, the reader still knows that the focus of the poem is on the two brothers and their walk through the woods.
Connecting Form and Theme
Form and Theme
- Berman does not use a closed form layout, with alternating meter and stanza lengths.
- This adds a confused and detached feel which match the emotional state of the speaker.
- The long pauses in between stanzas show how the speaker is thinking and reflecting about his situation in life.
- This confusing form is held together by the first line which builds the underlying narrative of the work.
“For some reason, I told him that a troop of angels / had been shot and dissolved when they hit the ground” (Line 3-4).
Enjambment
- In this phrase, Berman uses enjambment to connect two lines, adding fluidity to the speech.
- This is the only one of two uses of enjambment throughout the poem, with every other line ending with a period (end-stopped line).
- The use of enjambment draws attention to this line, which is pivotal to the theme of the poem.
Changing Tone
Changing Tone
- After the speaker lies to his brother about the angels, every line is end-stopped.
- The rest of the poem lacks rhythm and flow, which matches the confused and melancholy emotion of the speaker after he comes up with the lie.
“We returned to our shoveling, working side by side in silence” (Line 15).
Alliteration
- Berman draws attention to the final scene by using alliteration.
- In this phrase, Berman repeats the “s” noise in “shoveling,” “side,” and “silence.
- Despite no standard form elements, the alliteration adds poetic feel to the free verse.
Developing Disconnection
- The final scene of the brothers shoveling in “silence” creates a sense of disconnect between the siblings.
- Even though the brothers are “side by side,” they struggle to hold up a conversation.
- By ending the poem in such a manner, Berman shows how the sibling relationship has deteriorated over the course of the day.
Symbolism
Berman’s use of symbolism in the poem draws together all the literary elements to create a definite theme.
“For some reason, I told him that a troop of angels / had been shot and dissolved when they hit the ground” (Line 3-4).
A Universal Symbol
- The speaker tells his brother that the snow angels were created when a “troop of angels” were shot and then “dissolved” in the snow.
- “Angels” are a universe symbol for innocence and purity. The speaker discusses their death, which in turn represents a loss of innocence in the brothers lives.
Developing Theme
Developing Theme
- The whole poem revolves around this loss of innocence and the difficulty the brothers have communicating with one another.
- With the symbolism of the angel, the reader can infer that the children have been let outside to escape troubles within the household.
- The loss of innocence in their family life (symbolized by the dying angels) causes the brothers to become confused and even depressed within this winter wonderland.
Contrast
Contrast
- Berman builds contrast between the speaker’s emotions and the calm environment to highlight the negative effects that growing up can have on childhood memories.
- The speaker pessimistically twists this magical setting into a sorrowful and confusing mess.
Concluding Remarks
Response
David Berman masterfully connects tone, symbolism, and form to develop an atmospheric poem which recreates a coming of age moment.
Changing Perceptions
- While the speaker never directly addresses the cause of his emotional state, Berman’s use of symbolism along with the situation of the narrative (going outside to shovel) strongly indicates that the brothers are dealing with family issues at home.
- What I initially thought to be a nostalgic poem about a happy winter day, turned out to have great complexities that revealed a depressing atmosphere.
Personal Connection
- I can relate to this poem personally due to the accurate portrayal of a younger and older brother.
- Seth, much like myself, is unknowing of his brother’s trickery and struggles to let go of his words. Seth is also unaware of the struggles going on at home.
- The speaker, much like Peder, regrets his decision to lie, yet does not take the steps to solve the situation. The speaker, because of his age, understands that changes are occurring at home and takes it out on his brother.
- Builds a lack of communication.
So What?
- This poem is a must read as it touches on many issues which teens face.
- The disconnect between the siblings, the pessimistic point of view, and the struggle with a loss of innocence are all relatable emotions.
- By reading this poem, one will either gain a greater appreciation for the comfort they have with their family, or a new insight into the causes of their discomfort.
Thanks For Listening!
The End
Works Cited
- “David Berman - David Berman Biography - Poem Hunter.” PoemHunter.com, www.poemhunter.com/david-berman/biography/.
- “‘Snow’ by David Berman Poetry 180: A Poem a Day for American High Schools, Hosted by Billy Collins, U.S. Poet Laureate, 2001-2003.” Planning D-Day (April 2003) - Library of Congress Information Bulletin, Victor, www.loc.gov/poetry/180/039.html.
- Makeeva, Kristina. Frozen Lake Baikal. www.thevintagenews.com/2017/12/09/lake-baikal/.