Snake

In the poem, "The Snake," the author talks about a snake's actions- how it climbed out of the shade and on a stone to dry, and then quickly disappeared- and then says that he longs to be like the snake.  In the poem, the snake is a symbol of American authors and their ascent to approval by Americans, as well as their descent from popularity.  When the snake "glide[s] out of the mottled shade," it is illustrating the way that authors slowly begin to come into the light where readers can see them and their work.  The snake is on a stone and perched above the ground which shows the superiority and powerfulness of the authors, but also their vulnerability to being critiqued and not accepted.  In the illustration, the snake is in a striking position, showing that it is ready to attack, and this can show that once authors reach the top, they are ready and willing to defend their works.  The speakers tells his audience how the snake slowly "drew away" and then how it quickly left.  This is a representation of how American authors become less popular and then leave when there are changes in the time periods of American Literature.  Right before the snake leaves, the author talks about the snake's shadow, and this shadow is a symbol of the impact that the author had on Americans and American Literature.  The shadow may be big or small, but it is always there.  In the illustration, the snake has a small shadow, but the contrast between the shadow and the rest of the picture is great, showing the big impact that authors can have on American Literature.  Also, the snake is casting a shadow on himself, which shows that authors triumphs and struggles impact their own selves and that they can learn from each of these.  The last two stanzas are the speaker talking about his longing to be the snake, which shows that there were many American authors who wanted to be heard and accepted or famous.  In the illustration, the landscape in the background creates the shape on an incline, and shows the "hill" that American authors have to climb in order to be recognized for the work.  The last line says, "And I may be, some time," and displays the hope and optimism about their futures that lies in Americans.