"Snow"

“Snow” by David Berman showcases a child’s persistence through repetition and imagery with an inquiring tone. The speaker and his little brother are walking through a snow covered field which brings about feelings of tranquility and images of purity. When the speaker’s little brother, Seth asked the speaker “Who had shot them?” talking about the angels that the farmer shot. Then they went out onto the lake and the ice was so clear that it was “like a photograph of water.” This brings up images of ice skating and fun times but still, Seth asks “Why did he shoot them?” and the speaker answers that they were on his property. He is just repeating his question until he can understand the entire situation. Later, as images of bombs and other distracting things pop into the reader’s head because snow makes the outdoors seem like a “room with the walls blasted to shreds and falling.” Seth returns to his repetitious question and asks why they were on the farmer’s property. The combination of repetition and imagery clearly showcase a child’s persistence because Seth does not stop asking direct follow up questions on the speaker’s answers even while distracting things are happening.