Mirror by Sylvia Plath Essay Example

class encompasses various groups, including small business owners, Squibs (individuals born to magic families without magic abilities), and poorer families like the Weasleys. This category represents the majority of wizards and witches. Muggle-borns are also typically part of this class, although exceptionally skilled muggle-borns have the potential to rise to higher ranks. Considering other magical creatures/beings, I believe that beings such as house elves, giants, centaurs, goblins, and particularly house elves should be categorized at the lower end of the proletariat class.

Contrary to the belief that all wizards are considered bourgeoisies and above them, I disagree. While they may hold a slightly higher position in the social hierarchy, they are still oppressed by wealthier and more powerful wizards. Additionally, the second stanza utilizes the diction motif of a "lake." Although a lake has more depth than a mirror due to its three-dimensional nature, both the mirror and the lake only reflect superficial appearances. This suggests that the mirror is highlighting the insignificance of its third dimension and equating itself with a lake.

The concluding lines of the poem express this concept: "In me she has rowned a young girl, and in me an old woman / Rises towards here day after day, like a terrible fish." These lines contrast a "young girl" who is now "drowned" in a "lake" with an "old woman" who emerges from within the mirror. The traditional associations of happiness and joy with youth are no more, as they have been metaphorically submerged. Instead, there is an unhappy aging woman nearing the end of her life. The comparison of the old woman to a "terrible fish" symbolizes death's approaching presence,

just as fish rise to the surface when they die.

At the end of the stanza, it becomes clear that Sylvia herself is revealed and the mirror no longer fully reflects reality, showing instead biased ideas about appearances and darkness. The poet is positioned in front of the mirror, searching for something while occasionally being obstructed by darkness and shadows. In the first stanza, Plath compares herself to the mirror and expresses her outer self. In the following stanza, Plath uses a lake as a metaphor for herself, as it is another reflective surface where a woman explores her deeper identity.

An old woman regularly visits a lake, despite being disturbed by the image reflected in it. This highlights the inherent human desire to perceive oneself truthfully, even when the reflection is not desirable. Plath suggests that the moon and candlelight are deceitful because they have the power to conceal people's imperfections. Now, Plath relies on these deceptive lights to hide her true identity, symbolizing how individuals deceive themselves by obscuring their true selves with material possessions such as wealth.

The text discusses the frustration and agitation that a woman feels when she sees herself in the mirror. Each morning, she looks at her face and sees the darkness being replaced. The last two lines portray how the older woman is aging and feeling scared about growing older. The imagery of a young girl drowning emphasizes how she feels that she has wasted her youth.

The society's preconception of perfection, youth, and eternal beauty is also related to this matter. The mention of the fish serves as a metaphor for the swift passing of youth, slipping

away like a fish from one's grasp. This poem conveys a sorrowful tone, yet it remains an authentic reflection. Sylvia essentially describes the experience of growing older, intertwining her personal perspective into it. The poem is skillfully written and I found pleasure in both reading and delving into its analysis. While most parts are self-explanatory, there were certain lines that demanded deeper contemplation.