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Sebastian Giraldo

Dr. Blanchard

AP Literature and Composition- 4

April 23, 2021

Plants Analysis

Many people view nature as beautiful and it has been explored, conquered, and identified

for years on end by eager learners. However, some people, like Olive Senior, the author of the

poem “Plants”, view plant life as evil. Using figurative language to make comparisons between

plants and human life, Senior displays to his general audience to be wary of those that seem

harmless.

Senior compares plant life to various military terms throughout the beginning of her

poem, which leads to a violent description of how plants work. In the second, third and fourth

stanza of the poem Senior uses words such as “imperialistic”, “armies”, and “conquest” to make

the comparison to militaristic life. Senior says, “invasive seedlings seeking wide open spaces”

(Senior, 14). In this quote, Senior is using imagery to paint a picture of almost a war scenario in

the audience’s mind. Most readers know how war works, so they can imagine different plant

types attacking other for a piece of land to prosper in. “And what about those special agents

called flowers?” (Senior, 21-22). Describing flowers as special agents relates to war because it

makes it seem like the are undercover infiltrating a different species of plant. This quote also

serves to be a smooth transition into his next point.

The second comparison to human life that Senior makes is to the sexual life. When he

first mentions flowers, his tone shifts from gloomy and aggressive, to a more smooth, seductive

tone. Senior says, “the instrument to seduce you into scattering plant progeny” (Senior, 28-29).
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This quote shows how the reader believes that other animals, including humans, are lured in by

this “evil” flower, which then uses us animals to help make more of the flowers. By using

somethings that the general audience is very familiar with, such as the process of reproduction

through sexual intercourse, Senior can easily convey his view on plant life to the reader. Senior

ends his poem by saying, “They’ll outlast us, they were always there one step ahead of us…”

(Senior, 33-34). This quote shows Senior’s overall point on plant life, that is dangerous and

superior to that of human life, and that it will most likely always be that way.

Using comparisons to subjects that are easily understood to the general audience, Senior

depicts plant life as toxic and destructive. Senior uses imagery throughout to help convey his

point and paint a picture for the reader. His tone shifts midway through and he uses a unique

syntax which is helpful in delivering his meaning. Ultimately, Senior wishes to show the general

audience to not trust everything that looks peaceful, and to see the darker side of nature’s most

abundant life, the plants.