Narrator, "December"
The narrator of this poem speaks to the reader in a pleadingly matter-of-fact way. He is nothing more than an observer who wishes to share his observations with the readers. The narrator watches as impoverished men and women work diligently through the cruel, harsh winter weather without any help or thought from their upper-class counterparts. In this way, the narrator uses this poem to implore his readers to be more compassionate towards those who are different from us; he wants society to embrace those who are less fortunate and to love and support one another through each season of life.
Poor Workers, “December”
The poor and impoverished workers in this poem are symbolic of all those lower and working-class individuals who are inherently slighted and limited by the society in which they exist. The cold, harsh December temperament featured in this poem is also symbolic of the remaining members of society—who look upon their lower-class counterparts with disdain and distrust. In this way, the workers are a metaphor for all those individuals whom society has deemed unworthy of care and compassion.
Cynthia, "William and Cynthia"
In this poem, Cynthia is the female counterpart of a failing marriage. Cynthia attempts to keep her marriage alive by engaging her husband; she wants him to share his feelings and emotions. Ultimately, however, Cynthia is forced to confront the reality of her relationship and accept that her husband is no longer receptive to her--likely because there is another woman he has been seeing. Cynthia represents the modern relationship in author Simic's eyes. She is desperate to keep her marriage healthy and happy but is unable to do so because her husband has become hardened to her efforts and emotions.
William, "William and Cynthia"
Though his name is featured first in the title of this poem, it can be argued that William is not the primary subject of this poem. Rather, he merely represents one half of a failed marriage. Throughout the poem, Cynthia works to convince William that their relationship is not lost. William, however, has grown apathetic to her cause and has developed a romantic relationship with another woman. In this way, William is representative of all those who have lost the ability to love and share compassion with those around them. He has become desensitized to the pleas of his wife.
Madwoman, “Early Evening Algebra”
As in many of Simic’s other poems, the madwoman—who is never named—is a metaphor for those members of society who do not fit into the traditional, societal, or cultural mold. The woman travels the cold, wintry cities in the early evenings and, using a piece of chalk she found, mark an X on the back of couples walking around. Though it is never explained why the woman does this harmless act, it is clear that she has been isolated and ostracized because of it. It is possible that the woman sees in the couples around her something that no one else sees—perhaps compassion or a lack thereof—and aims to mark those people accordingly.
