Turtle Island Characters

Turtle Island Character List

Narrator, “The Call of the Wild”

The narrator of this poem uses his platform as a cry for political justice. The narrator believes that the coyote that once used to reside in all humans had died and made us weak as a consequence. The narrator suggests that humans, who once used to hunt and gather and hold great respect for the earth, have grown out of touch with the natural world. As such, the narrator argues, we no longer deserve to reap the resources of the earth, for we no longer respect and revere it as we once did.

Coyote, “The Call of the Wild”

The coyote that the narrator references often throughout the poem is a metaphorical representation of the instinctual connection humanity once had with the earth. The coyote is a creature that is fundamentally connected to the earth. It hunts from it and collects from it. Its instincts allow it to work in tandem with the natural world and, therefore, it respects it greatly. The narrator argues that the coyote in modern humans has been lost, which is a metaphorical way of suggesting that humans are no longer bound by our instincts; we have lost all respect for our earthly surroundings.

Narrator, “The Uses of Light”

The narrator of this poem has great respect and reverence for the natural world. He chooses to dedicate this poem to the many miraculous uses of light. His emphasis is particularly on the way animals and plants utilize natural light. The narrator personifies a series of natural creatures—including rocks, deer, and trees. He then explores and explains how each of these creatures utilizes the sun’s light. The trees, for example, use the light to feed and nourish their roots and leaves, while rocks are merely warmed by it. Ultimately, the narrator is making a point about the numerous ways in which our planet provides the resources that is needed to nourish both us and itself.

Plants, Animals, and Objects, “The Uses of Light”

The plants, animals, and objects in this poem are all personified to have thoughts and perspectives regarding the uses of sunlight. The poem, which is partially told from these perspectives, is used to share how each one thinks about the natural world. The deer, for example, use light to heighten their other senses of smell and sound and help it to access the natural world around it. Trees utilize the sunlight to feed their roots and leaves, allowing them to bloom and flourish. In short, these characters all work together to show how sunlight has many vast and undeniable uses.

Narrator, “As for Poets”

The narrator of this poem, being a poet himself, wants to pay his respects to the poets of the world, who choose to dedicate their poetic efforts to exploring the natural world. The narrator highlights six different types of poets. The narrator describes each poet’s approach and emphasizes that poetry is an art form, and that the poetic artists deserve to be recognized and uplifted.

Poets, “As for Poets”

The narrator of this poem describes six different poets. The narrator characterizes these poets using different aspects of the natural world. The water poet, for example, approaches poetry much like the water moves. These types of poets are free to move in any direction they want; their imagination is limitless. Space poets, for example, are characterized by their out-of-this-world imagination. They are not constrained by reality, but rather use their poems to explore abstract and imaginary topics. In this way, the poets of this poem serve the purpose of exemplifying and characterizing the habits and approaches of numerous different types of poets.

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