There's a little bit of a David and Goliath situation going on in "Storm on the Island." In this poem, man and nature are in opposition to one another (they don't exactly have a harmonious relationship). The people are trying their best to survive, but nature is throwing the works at them, adding insult to injury with a dried-up, tough land and vicious windstorms.
The people try to shelter themselves from nature's onslaught by building sturdy little houses, but you get the feeling that, even though these people seem pretty tough, they're no match for Mother Nature, especially when she's all worked up. Ultimately, the people just have to wait the storm out in fear and hope that it passes quickly, leaving minimal damage in its wake.
Questions About Man and the Natural World
- Of all the elements these people endure, what seems to be the biggest natural threat?
- Why do you think there is no hay or trees growing on the island?
- Why would a storm on the island be any worse than a storm that occurs inland? What's the difference?
- What threat does Mother Nature pose to the people on the island? Exactly what bad things can happen as a result of the storm?
Chew on This
The people on the island are usually fine with Mother Nature; it's just that the storm has made them more fearful of nature for the moment.
Actually, the people on the island live in constant fear of Mother Nature—that's kind of the whole point of this poem. You should live in fear, too (yipes!).