Breathing is used metaphorically in literature and poetry to explore themes of oppression, personal struggle, and the human condition. It symbolizes a struggle for freedom and suffocation by external pressures or personal issues. Writers like Ginsberg, with the echo of Walt Whitman, utilize the breath's symbolism to enhance their work's emotional impact and societal critique.
The textual excerpts presented relate to themes of breathing, struggle, and expressions of internal conflict and external pressures. These narratives often use the act of breathing as a metaphor to explore broader issues such as oppression, personal angst, and the human condition.
For instance, the phrase "I can't breathe" has become a powerful symbol within the Black Lives Matter movement, representing the fight against racial injustice and police brutality. Additionally, writers like Allen Ginsberg in "Howl" evoke this metaphor to communicate a sense of desperation and urgency.
In literature and poetry, the breath serves as a fundamental element of life, a signifier of emotional state, and a measure of existential authenticity. The struggle to breathe can symbolize a struggle for freedom or an overwhelming feeling of suffocation due to societal pressures or personal predicaments. Literary works leverage the significance of breathing to add depth to their commentary on life and physical existence.