Adam Nieto Ms.

Cardi English 11R, Period 8 22 September 2013 Regents Paragraph Writing Assignment In the poem The Two-Headed Calf by Laura Gilpin symbolism is used to express humankinds reaction towards difference. Gilpin wrote, they will wrap his body in newspaper and carry him to the museum. The wrapping of the calf in newspaper represents mankinds instinct to share the unnatural. Anything that is foreign to human nature creates feelings of discomfort and a lack of understanding. A way mankind copes with this is by sharing their discomfort; in this case it is shared through the newspaper. Abnormalities in our world also invoke human curiosity and a desire for understanding. The poet represents this through the museum, a place where people gather to learn about the unknown and the abnormalities in the world around them.