The groundhog

The Groundhog In Richard Eberhart’s poem “The Groundhog,” the speaker analyzes the death of a groundhog. The groundhog, described as “lying dead” and maggots eating away at its flesh, is used by the speaker to show an understanding of life. Through the metamorphosis of the dead groundhog, the speaker portrays death and its cruelty. The speaker, once filled with happiness, transforms into a state of sadness as he observes the decay of the groundhog. …

…discovery of life, for he shares the same fate as the decayed groundhog. In Richard Eberhart’s poem “The Groundhog,” we as readers notice that death shares a common bond with all individuals. Like the groundhog, we too will decay and share the same consequences as the groundhog. In the speaker’s work, we come to the realization that life is filled with death and that we must accept this ongoing occurrence to advance ourselves.