On Finding a Small Fly Crushed in a Book

Question 1

Summarise the poem

Answer 1

Death is inevitable and we won’t all be able to leave behind such a shiny legacy like the fly’s

Question 2

What is existentialism and how does it link to the poem?

Answer 2

Existentialism is the belief that we are each responsible for creating purpose in our lives. This connects to the poem as Turner suggests if we don’t create purpose, we don’t leave a good legacy behind.

Question 3

Why might have Turner written the poem?

Answer 3

To reveal the importance of living our life with purpose and being conscious of the legacy we may leave behind.

Question 4

How does Turner explore ideas about death in the poem?

Answer 4

-Suggests that humans perhaps won’t leave such a shining legacy
-Uses caesura in “Now art thou gone: Our doom is ever near”
-Turner is saying that humans have a constant shadow of death looming over them but the colon creates an abrupt pause.
-This marks the beginning of the volta and implies humans’ imperfection
-Alternatively this could represent the unpredictability of when death may occur.
-Turner may have done this to highlight the importance of living life with purpose.