Traveling Through Darkness by William StaffordIn his poem “Traveling Through Darkness,” William Stafford introduces the reader to the difficulty of choosing a man. Immediately the scene is set, the driver, who is “traveling in the dark” (line 1), comes across a recently killed deer. At first, his decision as to what to do with the deer is easy; he knows he must push it away for the safety of other motorists, but then a closer examination of the deer reveals new circumstances to the man. His decision is now puzzling and his line of action is unclear. Through his use of metaphor, symbolism, and personification, Stafford alludes to the difficult decisions that arise along life's path and the consequences that follow. By using these stylistic devices, William Stafford illuminates death as a consequence of certain decisions. To illustrate the theme of death, Stafford presents a metaphor connecting the literal path to the path of life. In the first stanza, the road is described; it is narrow and is called “Wilson River Road” (line 2). Additionally, the reader has the impression that the road is very dark, and therefore isolated. The only lit section of this road is the section that man is currently traveling. Symbolically, this represents the present in man's life. The path already traveled symbolizes the past. Man is unable to see him because of the darkness; yet it is implanted in his memory through his experiences. Furthermore, the man literally cannot see further down this road, only as far as the headlights allow him. Likewise, the future of our lives remains to be discovered. As can be seen, Stafford's metaphorical description...... middle of paper ......g takes all factors into account. This personification adds to the development of the poem and illustrates how we are all influenced in our decisions. Through his explanation and description throughout this poem, Stafford creates the image of the path of life and illustrates how the decisions we make are all interrelated and have consequences. “Traveling Through the Dark” reveals the difficulty of life and the difficulty of properly dealing with the problems that naturally arise as one progresses on life's path. The greatest obstacle that can arise throughout this progression is death, which must be handled properly, as William Stafford proves through his use of metaphor, symbolism, and personification. Works Cited: Stafford, William. “Traveling through the darkness. » Sound and Sense. Eighth edition. Ed. Laurence Perrine. Orlando: Harcourt doubled, 1992.