Fear And Fear In Louise Erdrich's Poem 'Captivity'

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This poem dramatizes the struggles and fear that a hostage faced when in captivity. The poem titled “Captivity” by Louise Erdrich, is about a woman reflecting on her times when she was held captive and the anxiety that she felt. While she eventually is rescued, the speaker notes that her time spent as a hostage took a toll on her life as she no longer finds purpose and does not know what to do with her life. The poem is about how fear and terror changed the mindset of this captive. The poem begins with the narrator describing being alone in the woods. She is being dragged through the water, by a mysterious man which develops the sense of imprisonment. She describes the man’s language as not human and she turned to prayer to find strength.