Circular Saws Fred Cogswell Analysis

A scar by definition is “a mark remaining (as on the skin) after injured tissue has healed.” However, if you delve beyond this primitive explanation it is evident that scars cannot only be strictly physical. Our wounds are equally as present internally as they are externally. In the free verse poem “Circular Saws” Fred Cogswell utilizes figurative language to employ a narrative that challenges the definition of what a scar truly is. Cogswell begins the poem by presenting the personal and relatable experience of acquiring a scar. He explains that these scars are essentially what makes us human, and are vital as they pose constant reminders of what we must avoid. What becomes increasingly evident throughout the poem is that the dangers around

Mae is portrayed as an irresponsible mother as she chases wealth whereever it leads her and consequently doesn’t have the ability to care for her only child, Walter. Mae exemplifies exactly how she is a “Circular Saw” in a couple of [distinct maybe?] ways. Firstly, at the very beginning of Secondhand Lions, the film shows Mae dropping Walter off with his uncles. Without context, this seems like a perfectly humble act, however, the intention behind this is not to drop him off for a couple of nights to have quality time with his family. Rather, the intention is to abandon Walter completely as Mae attempts to obtain Uncle Hub and Garth’s fortune, as she simultaneously flees to Vegas to fraud her way to wealth and abundance. This displays her negligence towards others quite clearly, and it goes to show that even the ones closest to her are susceptible to her apathy and narcissistic attitude. On the outside, all that can be seen is a selfish mother who is so indulged in herself and mesmerized by money that she is not able to raise her son. It is so effortless to leave the understanding at this, to be spooked by Mae’s flaws and her ridged edges and believe her to be some sort of villain. Nonetheless, the movie Secondhand Lions makes the brave choice to display to viewers a glimpse into why Mae has become a so-called “Circular

Walter is a young adolescent, merely fourteen years old who is left stranded at the home of his two uncles in Texas, quite literally in the middle of nowhere. Viewers' first impression of Walter is that he is actually a very timid and hesitant character unsure of the situation he has been put in. Walter has undergone hurt and hardships from his past just like his mother Mae. The difference between the two is that Walter has not allowed these moments to define and eat relentlessly away at him. He has not accepted his past to be normal, or justified things that should not be justified. Walter has recognized his traumas and has been able to move on creating a life that isn’t based on the events that drag him down but on who he is as an individual and how he wishes to create his life. Walter is seen making active decisions which differ from the ones instilled by Mae. For example, the first couple of days that Walter stays with the uncles he is visibly anxious as he strives to find ways to bond with Uncle Hub and Garth who are both emotionally distant and have zero clue about what raising a child entails. As the movie progresses Walter flourishes from the reserved and introverted boy he once was to an outgoing, intellectual, and profoundly curious boy. Walter is able to make this growth by putting a stop to the cycle of becoming a “circular saw”, although he is young he is