Living in Sin

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1954

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Summary

Background

Poem Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Symbols & Motifs

Beetle

In the poem, the female character encounters “a pair of beetle-eyes” (Line 13). Rich calls the beetle an “envoy from some village in the moldings” (Line 14). The female does not interact with her male partner in the poem, and, in fact, the only form of direct contact between living entities that takes place in the poem, aside from the cat chasing the mouse, is between the woman and the beetle in the kitchen. Even when living with another person in the same dwelling, loneliness can develop, especially when each individual is performing their own separate, gender-specified activities. Both the beetle and the woman represent their respective tribes, each trying to connect to or relay a message to the other through silent means. The woman, ultimately, has the upper hand if she chooses to sweep the bug away, but the beetle starts out at a higher status, implying something amiss about the woman. In other words, her lack of cleanliness, or attention to domestic work, can lend itself to critters, like a beetle, finding their way into the house.

Keyboard

As mentioned in the Beetle symbol, the woman and man do not interact, but the man does interact with the keyboard, which he finds to be “out of tune” (Line 16), and which he walks away from with a shrug “at the mirror” (Line 17). In a certain way, the keyboard represents the woman or even their relationship. At the time of this poem, men had the freedom to walk away to get a breather or take a break when something was not working or going well. For women, the chance to escape was much more challenging, especially with caretaking and other responsibilities. In this poem, the man goes “out for cigarettes” (Line 18) and possibly other activities. The woman remains in the house making the bed and dusting the tables. It is also important to note that the man declares the keyboard not up to snuff without getting an expert opinion or working to resolve the matter. Perhaps he will later on, but for now it is not a priority and other things occupy his time.

Milkman

The milkman is mentioned twice in the poem, both times as bit of a nuisance for the female character. His presence so early in the morning causes the steps to “writhe / under the milkman’s tramp” (Lines 8-9). The morning time with all of its activities and chores puts the woman ill at ease about her relationship and their arrangement. This uneasy feeling is reflected at the end of the poem with the following simile: “she woke sometimes to feel the daylight coming / like a relentless milkman up the stairs” (Lines 25-26). At night, she is “back in love again” (Line 23), but it is a shaky love because of the relentless nagging in her mind that in several hours she will lose that feeling once again. In the inconsistency of her love, there is consistency in when it rises and wanes, just as the milkman is consistent about making sure she and her neighbors have milk each day for breakfast.