Big changes are a'comin'! "The Layers" is all about transformations. The speaker describes his cyclical journey through life filled with turns and twists, ups and downs, and lots of new beginnings. Internal (or conscious) shifts take place within the speaker as he makes his way through the external world. Wait for the big realizations in the latter half of the poem. It's like Kafka's The Metamorphosis, but you know, less disgusting.
Questions About Transformation
- What obstacles does the speaker have to overcome in order to experience a transformation?
- How does the speaker describe changing in the beginning of the poem versus the end of the poem?
- Is Kunitz overly obsessed with transformation in this poem?
- Why is the speaker so determined to change, anyway?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
According to "The Layers," personal transformation is not easy to achieve, but it's always possible. So keep at it, gang.
In "The Layers," the speaker is only able to change after he's dealt with his baggage from the past (and we're not talking suitcases, people).