Fond Memory

This poem is about a young boy who fighting to retain his Irish culture in a world dominated by anglo ways. He knows that he would be better off if he just accepted the anglo culture and became one of them, but he always seems to hold onto to his original culture and fight off the powers of conformity.

In this poem a number of things figuratively represent the conformity of English culture. The woolen clothing and rationed food all represent the conformity of English culture. The most significant example of English conformity in this poem is when Boland speaks of the magna carta and the Hanoverians. The Magna Carta was an agreement between the English monarchy and the English aristocracy limiting the powers of each respected branch. It was meant to keep the English crown from becoming to powerful. The Hanoverians were the house of English Monarchs who ruled from the 18th century to the early 20th century. They were extremely powerful and extended colonial english rule throughout the world. The juxtaposition of these two historical references in the poem implies that the English crown gives false promises to its subjects and ultimately the power of monarchs and injustice in general will out itself in English culture.

While there are example of English conformity in this poem, there are also examples of the survival of Irish culture. When the protagonist goes home and listens to his father sing the hymns of the famous Irish poet Thomas Moore while intoxicated, this represents the survival of Irish culture. But there is also a hidden warning at the end of the poem to all Irishmen who yearn for independence from England. The last stanza speaks of the collective pain that Irishmen share and the power of this collective pain to unite Irishmen. He states at the end of the poem that Irishmen must do more than feel sorry for themselves in order to gain independence from England, they must better themselves.