Hoeing By John Updike Analysis

“Hoeing” and the Personalities It Shapes Among all cultures, some form of work takes place and the form of work can vary. There are businessmen and women who work in the office, Doctors and nurses who work in hospitals to farmers and ranchers who work outdoors. No matter what people consider to be work, it will have one factor in common and that is that it in some way molds people. The poem “Hoeing” conveys that working is an important part to how many people’s characters are shaped. The most widespread proof that working can shape a character has been instigated by many of our parents. In most households it is common for the kids to have certain duties or chores. Even though most kids, like me for example, don’t enjoy or take pleasure in work, many will argue that it was very beneficial and a lot of experience was gained. Even John Updike, the author of “Hoeing” said, “How many souls have been formed by this simple exercise.” He conveys that doing simple tasks motivates us to do other work that perhaps gave us the attitude and drive to continue to do work. It also forms character by
This is better to learn this as kids because once we get out into the real world we cannot just receive things anymore. If our parents just gave us things and we did not learn how to work for something we would get out into the world and just expect things to come to us. We all know that is not how the real world works. In the second stanza of “hoeing”, John Updike talks about hoeing the cracked and dry earth in order to reveal the moist soil underneath that would eventually bring forth life. Just like how working at something will eventually be rewarded. Even if it is not a physical reward, there is the compensation of knowing our own value and that triumphant feat of knowing that a task was completed. This broadens interests and creates values for character