The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman Poem Analysis

Gormans poems present a clear motif of hope. Gormans poems show us clear examples of hope by using examples such as covid. That even in dark and even isolated times there is a way out. Gorman uses clear images to help us understand hope. 

In Gormans poem the miracle of morning presents a straightforward message of hope. This poem advocates for hope by using not only images but by also using stanzas full with a bunch of advice. In the 3rd stanza Gorman says “While we might feel small, separate and all alone, our people have never been more closely tethered. Gorman paints a clear picture that going through hard times can only leave you stronger and that even though people might feel alone and desperate we as a country have never been more together as a whole. Gormans use of alliteration and use of everyday language such as in stanza 4 when Gorman states “so on this meaningful mourn we mourn and we mend, like light we cant be broken, even when we bend.” Gormans use of alliteration to help use get a better understanding of the toll that covid and also all of the protests that are going around the tolls they have taken on us and also that even with all of the deaths surrounding us we can we can unite and come together so in the end we come out stronger. Gormans entire poem is about finding hope by uniting. She uses her words to help us as readers better understand that it's not always about finding someone to blame in these hard times but it's about but to try and focus on the positive aspects of life instead, like togetherness and love so that we can better unite as one to form a better society.

Gorman starts her poem “The Hill We Climb” by talking about the dark times America has gone through. Coronavirus, Protests and social inequalities that is all associated with that never “ending shade” Gormans references to in the opening line of her story. Gormans uses a lot of figurative language to show that motif of hope. In her first stanza she states “we have braved the belly of the beast” meaning to be at the heart or center of something that is a dangerous situation. That image could have been suggested by the sea in the previous lines. Requesting the biblical story of Jonah, who in the old testament was swallowed by a big fish and survived in its belly. That line was written by Gorman to send the message of hope because if America braves the belly of its beast then we are able to prepare ourselves through any hard time or difficult situation to come. Gorman uses that opening few lines of the poem to  draw you in and really build on that  idea of hope being the big motif in all 3 of her poems, for example in Gormas poem she states “And yet the dawn is ours before we knew it. Somehow we do it. In these few opening lines of the poem Gorman draws on the idea of dawn suggesting a new start. A very fitting motif for the inauguration of the new president. Gorman is hopeful as she states that the United states isnt broken but merely “unfinished”. It's a work of progress and it can be improved. In the second stanza of Gorman's “The Hill We Climb” Gorman Acknowledges that . Yes, America is a country that is not perfect. “ That doesn't mean that we are striving to forge a union that is perfect. We are striving to form a union with purpose.” Gorman differentiates between realistic and unrealistic goals. Such as trying to form a union that is perfect which is an unitable goal and then to try and form a union with purpose which is an attainable goal. Gorman also uses a play on words by using alliteration of the words perfect and purpose to help us kinda get the idea of being perfect or trying to create something perfect out of our heads so we can focus on trying to create things like “a union” that she mentions with purpose.