Pitt-Rivers Theories

Why does the narrator rip up the poem at the end of the story?

I. Represents change in mind set

A. Narrator writes alone, in a special place = poetry expresses his thoughts on life

B. "I suppose you could say I'd learned something else in the Pitt-Rivers by accident . . ."

C. "I didn't think there was anything disgusting about them anymore . . ."

D. Observes a real relationship (intimacy) and it changes his views of relationships

II. Couple was the basis for the poem - couple broke, so poem was meaningless

A. Could have been something else at first, but he keep revising it so the couple could have inspired his revision.

B. He has been working on the poem for a long time. By tearing up the poem, he feels the loss, which connects him to the girl feeling the loss of relationship.

C. Being upset about the couple makes him unable to write.