Spoon River Anthology, Part 5 summary
Part 5 of 246 · 1 min to read the part
In Robert Fulton Tanner, the speaker recalls a rat biting him during a demonstration of his patented trap, then compares human existence to a trapped animal’s struggle. He presents wealth, marriage, and status as bait, while Life becomes a cruel watcher whom people cannot attack or escape.
What happens
- Robert Fulton Tanner recalls being bitten by a rat while demonstrating his patented trap in his hardware store.
- He contrasts the rat’s ability to bite its captor with a person’s inability to strike back at Life.
- He compares birth to entering a room and worldly desires to visible bait behind wires.
- Once the bait is reached, Life appears and watches the trapped person eat and struggle.
- Life mocks the captive until the person’s suffering becomes boring.
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What happens while Tanner demonstrates his patented trap?
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