The Bicycle By Jillian Horton: Poem Analysis

The theme of “The Bicycle” by Jillian Horton is that you shouldn’t let anybody dictate how you should live your life, and you should do what makes you happy instead. This theme is powerful and pronounced all throughout the story, especially after Hannah started to realize what she had been missing out on. The rebellious thoughts began on page 35, when Hannah reminisced about how it felt to feel the wind in her hair, after seeing her friends zip by her on their bikes. Later, she says, “I felt lonely and isolated, increasingly aware of the of the differences between myself and girls like Ilana and Leah.” Hannah yearned to participate in the activities that her friends partake in—like going to Israel club after school—but she refrained, in fear of upsetting Tante Rose. Had Hannah not traded her happiness for Tante Rose’s approval, she would not have to bottle up her continuous feelings of longing and solitude.

Although her decision to ride a bicycle seems insignificant at first glance, it was a major point in Hannah's life. Instead of allowing Tante Rose to control her life, Hannah decides to be her own person for the first time since starting her piano journey. Hannah’s defiance allowed for her to experience a taste of freedom, which helped her realize that going to New York was not her dream, but Tante Rose living life vicariously through her. Hannah was playing the piano only to please other people, not for her own delight. As a result, when her father informs her about the plane tickets to New York, she refuses, firmly stating, “I’m not going”. She stood her ground against Tante Rose and fought for her own happiness and