Foster 1

Aureliana Foster

O’Meara

English Lit

17 November 2021

Follow the Leader

The “School Children'' by Louise Gluck refers to conformity within the school education

system where it is expressed through figurative language and symbolism. In the first stanza it

shows the preparation of the women getting their children ready for school. In line 4 it has a

simile of “like words of another language” where the apples send a message to their teachers

possibly for establishing a standard communication between the teachers and the student’s child.

It is expected to understand that there is only one way of communication. By trying to

understand the correct way of communication, it will be easier for one to fit in with society. In

the stanza the children should that they have different communication styles therefore the school

will then conform to what is expected. Individuality within school is taken away by trying to

learn another “language” they use. In the second stanza there is a hyperbole signifying the power

a teacher holds, “those who wait behind great desk”. The use of the word “great” shows the

authority where then the children have to obey the rules. As the teacher’s desk is faced towards

the students is shown as the leard and one who overviews each student so they can make sure

everything is orderly. If a student misbehaves or is not on task, the teacher can correct the student

immediately to put everything back into an organization where everyone is on task. Another

poetic device used is symbolism to express the representation of the structure within schools. In
 Foster 2

stanza 3 it says, “How orderly they are – the nails on which the children hang their overcoats of

blue or yellow wool”. This stanza helps understand that the colors of blue and yellow is a

symbolism of their childhood. Once the children come into school to hang up their coats where it

creates a sense of loss of innocence and loss of childhood because it is orderly and strict. By the

nails arleardy drilling into the wall, it is already expected that once they enter in their classroom

it is them for them to hang up. By each child hanging up their coats, it is already organized with

presents showing how the school is training them to create certain habits and have it become

extinct as soon as they walk in. Another symbolism is used in stanza 4, “gray limbs of the fruit

trees”. The gray limbs indicate a sense of hopelessness where there's nothing left to give. The

color of grey indicates depression or loss due to the absence of color. Children, as stated

previously, are represented with brighter colors and happiness. The limbs of trees are very small,

deteriorating branches which create a non-child friendly image. At the beginning in the poem it

has a fully grown tree with apples but over time it shrivels where no apples can be gathered. Due

to the limited amount of apples, it shows the progression over time that conformity has happened

within the school system. As these children go forward with their education, the children become

more synchronized and closed minded due to the lack of expression.