Analysis of Work of Atrifice

A WORK OF ARTIFICE (Free Verse)

The bonsai tree

in the attractive pot
could have grown eighty feet tall
on the side of a mountain
till split by lightning.
But a gardener
carefully pruned it.
It is nine inches high.
Every day as he
whittles back the branches
the gardener croons,
It is your nature
to be small and cozy,
domestic and weak;
how lucky, little tree,
to have a pot to grow in.
With living creatures
one must begin very early
to dwarf their growth:
the bound feet,
the crippled brain,
the hair in curlers,
the hands you
love to touch.

Free Verse; The poem is free verse and has no specific rhyme scheme, an ironic feature of the
poem because of the way it contrasts with the lack of free nature of women in society as depicted
by Pierce. The structure is significant by using short and simple line, the poet emphasizes the
confinement of both the bonsai tree and women.

Diction

The bonsai tree

in the attractive pot
could have grown eighty feet tall
on the side of a mountain
till split by lightning.

“split” conveys injury. Harshness of the word indicates a force that caused death. The tree is split
by the lightning. Weak bonsai is killed before it has chance to grow its potential

But a gardener
carefully pruned it.
It is nine inches high.

“pruned” conveys the gardeners manipulative action on the tree. The gardener will prune the tree
until he has molded it to his liking

Every day as he
whittles back the branches
the gardener croons

“whittles” conveys the action of the gardener on the tree. Whittles means to carve away little by
little. The gardener becomes dominant and exercises his will over the tree. The tree is his art to
design and carve. He “whittles back the branches” to reveal his own vision of the tree
Every day as he
whittles back the branches
the gardener croons

“croons” to describe the way that the gardener executes his work. Each day, the gardener sings
while he carves the tree. It is not a chore to him but an activity of enjoyment. He is joyous and
celebrates the beauty of his work. Croons is like a happy song the gardener is happy doing his
job.

It is your nature
to be small and cozy,
domestic and weak;
how lucky, little tree,
to have a pot to grow in

“lucky” is directed towards the life of the tree. The tree is lucky to be the way she is. She is
blessed to have gardener grooming and taming her growth. Without the gardener, she would
suffer freedom. The author uses lucky to point to the sarcastic tone of the poem.

With living creatures

one must begin very early
to dwarf their growth

Dwarf refers to a hindrance of growth. Author conveys the tree must be restricted from her
evolution early in life to achieve effectiveness. The weakness of tree must be promoted, she
cannot be nourished to flourish in her own nature.

It is your nature
to be small and cozy,
domestic and weak;
how lucky, little tree,
to have a pot to grow in.

“small and cozy” and “domestic and weak” are describing the tree existence. The tree expected
to be humble in standing. In small and weak stature, it can be admired. “Domestic” refers to
further expectation of tree to be resolved to a separate sphere of society also allows the
interpretation of tree as female; as a woman barred to the confines of home.

Imagery

Bound Feet
Women suffer the sake of beauty. Since the time of ancient China, women would bind their feet -
a process that included breaking the toes of young girls and binding them to keep them tiny in
order to preserve beautiful characteristic, small feet were thought to represent royalty and
elegance. The image of bound feet that Piercy implements suggests another attempt by society to
incapacitate the freedom of women. Women expected to conform their bodies, despite pain, to
fulfill certain image. The growth of foot is prevented binding like the growth of tree is prevented
by lighting and gardeners and like women is prevented by expectation of society that is meant to
keep women in their rightful place as weak and domestic.

Hair Curlers
Girls and women must exude childish innocence and playful sensitivity in order to be attractive
outside the world

Crippled Brain
Develops an image of oppresion. She must fulfill roles the one given to her rather than one she
has ability to choose for herself. Once brain is depressed by such misguided beliefs, the true
freedom of individual is lost
Figurative Languages

Symbolism
Hands
Symbolize feminity and truth. Soft hands represent loyalty, the hands expected to be cared for,
refined, elegant. Rough hands represent aggresion, faithlessness, and masculinity. Woman hands
never dirty is delicate hands that is pure and perfect

Gardener
Symbol of society attempt to hamper the independence of woman like the gardener there is not
care about the woman but use the woman

Lightning
Symbolize the omnious expectation of societ. Piercy conveys the role of woman as the tree, her
freedom murdered by the expectation and fear of society

The Pot
A woman is expected to be attractive and influence of her home molds her to conform to a
physically appealing image

Metaphor

The Tree
Symbolize the nature of woman