Plog # idk.....4. i think......From The Frontier Of Writing

In Seamus Heaney's From the Frontier of Writing, Heaney uses the conceit of soldiers and inspection in order to create the theme of interrogation of writing. Heaney also uses positive and negative diction to illustrate how writing breaks one down as they go through all of the "interrogation", yet after the struggle and the inspection, they arise a new person and become stronger.



As I stated, Heaney uses the conceit of soldiers and inspection in order to create the theme of interrogation of writing. An example of this is "posted soldiers" in the 8th stanza. This quote illustrates how the soldiers were on constant guard and never left their grounds, and relates to the interrogation of writing because the soldiers can be seen as critics, so according to this, since the soldiers are posted and never go anywhere, that implies that critics never go anywhere and they will always be there to "inspect" one's writing. Another similar example is in the first stanza with " the troops inspect its make and number and, as one bends his face towards your window,". This example not only illustrate the conceit of inspection, but it contributes to the theme of interrogation because the troops can be seen as an editor and as they "inspect its make and number", its demonstrates how they always make corrections and have to inspect the work in order to make sure that the work is sufficient. These two prime examples illustrate the use of conceit, which creates the theme of interrogation because the speaker's writing is being inspected.

Heaney also uses positive and negative diction in order to demonstrate interrogation causes one to break down, yet they arise and become free. An example of transition is in the first four stanzas, the speaker uses words such as " stops", "inspect", "eyeing", "Pure interrogation", "quiver in the self", and ..."repeating data about you". These words/phrases illustrate how the speaker feels at that moment, and how all the interrogation is affecting him and his writing. However, in the last two stanzas, the speaker's diction changes and begins to use words such as "...you're through, arraigned yet freed", "past armor-plated vehicles, and "between the posted soldiers flowing and receding", which all illustrate the fact that the speaker has gone through all of the pressures of interrogation and inspection, has gone through all of the ups and downs, critism, judgment, and pure interrogation, but the speaker has made it through. So from that, the speaker has become stronger and a better writer.

Overall, Heaney uses conceit and positive/negative diction in order to create the theme of interrogation and to illustrate how one's writing is broken down and torn apart from such interrogation, yet one can arise and make it through.