Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"The Self-Made Man" by Marvin Bell is a poignant meditation on identity, belief, and the complex relationship between the individual and cultural or religious institutions. Through the lens of personal reflection and the symbolic journey of his father entering Heaven, Bell explores themes of legacy, the search for meaning, and the construction of self within and against the backdrop of broader societal narratives.

The poem opens with the speaker's decision not to subscribe, likely referring to the rejection of conventional religious beliefs or practices as Christmas approaches. This act of refusal sets the stage for a deeper exploration of what it means to construct one's identity independently of established frameworks.

The imagery of the speaker's father entering Heaven as "a foreign representative to a Christian country" and the gates closing slowly introduces a sense of transition and the crossing of thresholds. This portrayal suggests a negotiation of identities and beliefs, as the father figure navigates the boundaries between the familiar and the unknown, between life and the afterlife.

The notion that the father's address in Heaven is "a Biblical secret" evokes the mysteries of faith and the afterlife, underscoring the inherent uncertainties in concepts of paradise and eternal reward. The speaker's belief that the father hovers there, transformed into a statue entitled "He Goes to His Reward," reflects the human need to memorialize and make sense of the lives of loved ones within the context of religious or spiritual narratives.

As the poem progresses, the statue's belief in itself symbolizes the internalization of roles and identities that individuals often undergo, suggesting that belief and self-perception are deeply intertwined and self-reinforcing.

Bell's contemplation of belief as "a mixture of alphabets, unrolling and unfolding from all directions" portrays the complexity and diversity of human thought and the ways in which language shapes our understanding of the world. The assertion that "The word is our landscape, it will never leave us" highlights the power of narrative and language in constructing our realities and guiding our actions.

The speaker's journey across "the Great Divide and the oceans" and the standing "for the weddings of our objections though they cancelled themselves and departed" speaks to the pursuit of conviction and the inevitable confrontations with doubt and contradiction that characterize the human experience.

The poem concludes with the speaker's recognition of the impossibility of containing oneself "like a garden" and the freedom found in the company of friends to choose and act according to one's own desires ("I 'can' what I 'may'"). This closing line emphasizes the speaker's assertion of agency and the continuous process of self-making against the backdrop of societal expectations and personal beliefs.

"The Self-Made Man" is a reflective and layered exploration of the ways in which individuals navigate the landscapes of belief, identity, and community. Through his nuanced portrayal of personal and spiritual journeys, Marvin Bell invites readers to consider the complexities of selfhood and the enduring quest for understanding and authenticity amidst the myriad influences that shape our lives.

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