“Woman’s Work” by modern Dominican-American work writer Julia Alvarez is a short but provocative poem, both in terms of its form and content. Being composed in tercet, which is one of the most sophisticated versifications, the writing demonstrates that a female author can be talented and competent. Those features are peculiar to the central character as well, who self-actualizes through housekeeping and tries to inspire her daughter to follow her example. Such an unexpected, uncommon synthesis of dull everyday activities and the idea of progress makes the reader regard life itself from a different angle. The poem drives to the conclusion that routine is not necessarily an obstacle to developing an inner self; hence, nothing is impossible in this world.
The key motif of the writing is doing the work not simply effectively and efficiently, but carefully, passionately, and with inspiration. At the very beginning, Julia Alvarez asks, suggesting that a human can be a creator not only in opera or in sculpture: “Who says a woman’s work isn’t high art?” (Alvarez, line 1) The opening verse makes it clear that the way one sees the surrounding world depends directly on their attitude to it. Simply stated, a person who believes in his or her own ability to create will do so, notwithstanding the seeming lack of a favorable background.
The main theme of “Woman’s Work” is detectable in the metaphor that frames the poem. The framing apparently serves to symbolize that, in the course of time, the author mastered what her mother had taught her initially. The mother instructs in the first verse: “Keep house as if the address were your heart” (Alvarez, line 3). Although the daughter did not choose to be a diligent homemaker, she applied that principle to composing, which helped her to become a successful work writer. The given literary element appeals to the readers’ fantasy as well as conceptual thinking, making them speculate on how dedicated a person needs to be in order to develop as a creator.
In addition, the storyline of the poem comprises numerous examples of how thoroughly the character did her housework. That, according to the author, made her activity “nothing less than art” (Alvarez, line 12). The flashbacks of that kind help the reader to imagine the overall picture, which allows for more substantial emotional feedback than simply telling a story. By such means, the author seeks to show the degree of her mother’s attachment to her normal activities and illustrate the above-mentioned metaphor. She highlights as well that nothing is impossible on the condition of putting in sufficient effort, regardless of what exactly an individual does. “It is not the places that grace the men, but men the places,” – this proverb is a probable motto of Julia Alvarez, which her mother may have inculcated in her.
In conclusion, “Woman’s Work” is an inspiring and motivating poetical writing, notwithstanding its relative shortness. Notably, it exemplifies how anyone can become a creator, even if there does not seem to be any appropriate surrounding. The author’s most important message is that any activity, including routine ones, requires maximal dedication and emotional attachment. According to Julia Alvarez, such an approach can enable everybody to change the fragment of the world that is around him or her.
Work Cited
Alvarez, Julia. “Woman’s Work.” Genius, Web.