Blackberry Picking by Seamus Heaney Essay Example

is no longer a baby. His mother takes him to buy a cap, which is a new experience for him. They try on the smallest size but it still doesn't fit due to his short haircut. The cap seller notes that he can fit two fingers under it. Despite this, the mother decides to buy the cap as something for the boy to grow into and use for a long time.

The mother's comment "It's expensive enough" implies a potential financial struggle for the family. The boy's father later comes home and is greeted with dinner, with the young boy leaning against his father's knee to show his small size. Plans are made to go for a walk on Sunday.

As the young boy tries on his cap, his father tells him, "Just you and I. We'll be men together." This new experience fills the boy with pride and a sense of growing up. The following paragraph vividly describes the scene at hand.

The weather conditions were described as warm sun and dry paths, creating a clear image. The young boy eagerly anticipates his walk with his father, which takes them to Fletchers Wood, a place he has never been before, thus adding to his list of first experiences.

While out walking with his father, a Blackberry bush provided the young boy with his initial encounter of the fruit. The event was memorable and meaningful for the child's growth. As they didn't have anything to hold the blackberries in, they repurposed their cap as a makeshift container.

At this point, there is a change in emotions as the mother expresses her anger towards the foolish action. She questions with

frustration, "What were you thinking of?" This intensifies their financial problems and causes the mother's face to contort and turn red while speaking in a high-pitched voice. The boy is witnessing his parents' first argument and is visibly upset.

The child started shedding tears silently while trying to hide his emotions and put up a brave front. Simultaneously, he realized that his parents are distinct individuals, as noted by the writer.

The young boy may have been disturbed by seeing the true nature of people, as evidenced by his statement to learn how to be alone. It's possible that he blamed himself for the argument between his parents and wanted to avoid witnessing it.