Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Bestiary U.S.A.: Snail," Anne Sexton uses the image of a snail to explore themes of vulnerability, isolation, and the inescapable force of external pressures that disrupt a quiet existence. The poem’s simple yet powerful imagery allows Sexton to delve into the contrasts between the snail’s self-contained world and the invasive, destructive forces that inevitably intrude.

The poem begins with a vivid image: "The snail in his museum / wears his mother all day." This line immediately establishes the snail as a creature deeply connected to its past, carrying the weight of its lineage—its "mother"—on its back. The "museum" suggests a place of preservation, where the past is both remembered and displayed. The snail’s shell, then, becomes more than just a protective covering; it symbolizes the history and identity that the snail cannot escape. This "museum" is both a shelter and a burden, a place of safety that also traps the snail within its own memories and experiences.

Sexton continues with the description, "he hides his mysterious bottom / as if it were rotten fruit." The "mysterious bottom" of the snail, hidden away, suggests a reluctance to expose oneself to the world. The comparison to "rotten fruit" evokes a sense of decay, as though the snail’s most private self is something shameful or corrupt. This hiding is not just physical but emotional—a refusal to engage with the world out of fear or self-preservation.

The following lines further emphasize the snail’s desire for solitude and detachment: "He desires not the kiss. / He desires not the radio. / He desires not directions to Paris." The repetition of "He desires not" underscores the snail’s rejection of human pleasures, symbols of connection, communication, and adventure. The kiss represents intimacy, the radio communication, and directions to Paris the allure of travel and new experiences. The snail, however, is content with none of these, choosing instead to remain within the confines of his shell, uninterested in the external world.

Sexton writes, "He desires to lie in his fragile doorway / scratching his back all day." Here, the snail’s contentment with his simple, repetitive existence is highlighted. The "fragile doorway" of his shell represents the thin boundary between his internal world and the outside. The act of "scratching his back all day" suggests a life of small comforts and minor, self-sufficient activities—an existence that is inwardly focused and self-contained.

However, this peaceful existence is shattered in the final lines: "All this is very well / until hands come like a backhoe / to bring him to the kitchen. / They keep his house. / They swallow the rest." The sudden appearance of "hands like a backhoe" introduces a violent intrusion. The backhoe, a powerful and destructive machine, contrasts sharply with the delicate nature of the snail’s world. The hands force the snail out of his safe space, bringing him to the kitchen—a place associated with consumption and destruction in this context. The phrase "They keep his house" implies that while his shell might be preserved, the snail himself is consumed, "swallowed" by the very forces he sought to avoid.

Through "Bestiary U.S.A.: Snail," Sexton explores the tension between the desire for self-preservation and the inevitability of external forces that disrupt and destroy that fragile peace. The snail’s retreat into his shell, his rejection of the outside world, and his ultimate fate at the hands of others serve as a poignant metaphor for the human condition—the delicate balance between isolation and vulnerability, and the inevitability of external pressures that can overwhelm even the most guarded of lives.

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