18 pages • 36 minutes read
A Great Need
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Symbols & Motifs
Climbing and Journeys
“A Great Need” depicts a group of people traveling over potentially perilous terrain. Ladinsky describes the journey as a climb (Line 4). Climbers move upwards over a more extended period of time,, working hard to surpass challenging areas; mountain peaks frequently symbolize end goals or the best outcome. For example, “pinnacle” means both the most successful point and a mountain’s highest point. When the speaker says, “We are all holding hands / And climbing” (Lines 3-4), it means that “we” are climbing towards an endpoint.
Nevertheless, Ladinsky never mentions a summit or peak within the poem. Instead, he focuses on the journey’s risks, implying that the speaker must focus on the journey. The real value comes from what people do to move forward: creating and maintaining bonds with others.
Touch
Ladinsky places great importance on physical connections throughout “A Great Need.” The travelers surmount the demanding terrain by “holding hands” (Lines 3, 7-12). He further emphasizes the success created by physical touch by directly linking it to love (Line 5). No longer loving feels like dropping another person’s hand. If one let go of that touch, they risk losing that love, or if one lets go of love, they lose that physical connection and safety net.
Terrain
Because “terrain” (Line 7) is the poem’s only concrete description of the land, the terrain feels all-encompassing and could represent anywhere on Earth. At the same time, the word evokes ruggedness and refers to the specific natural features of an area. The speaker does mention climbing, but what they and the other travelers are climbing remains ambiguous. One can scale a mountain using their hands; one can climb a hill or a sand dune, too, arguably both easier to traverse. Since Ladinsky does not describe trees or rocks, he paints “danger,” abstractly, as the terrain’s natural features (Line 10). The surroundings do not matter; it matters only that they pose a danger. The ascent—whether up a mountain or a dune—symbolizes teamwork or community.
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