Of Wolf and Man

Questions for Discussion and Writing

1. To gain insight into the song’s basic meaning, apply the SOAPSTone method of poetry analysis:

• What is the subject of the song?
• What occasion do you think the song is intended for?
• Who is the intended audience for the song?
• What do you think the purpose of the song is?
• Who is the speaker in the song?
• What is the tone of the song (the speaker’s attitude toward the subject)?

2. “I hunt, therefore I am” is an allusion to a famous formulation by the French philosopher Descartes: “I think, therefore I am.” What rhetorical point do you think this line in the song is intended to make?

3. Discuss the use of nature imagery in the poem. What themes and mood (the emotions elicited by the song) do these images help develop? Cite specific details from the song.

4. How would you interpret the meaning of the expressions “Earth’s gift” and “call of the wild” in the song? (The Call of the Wild is the title of a popular novel by the American writer Jack London.)

5. What do the speaker’s references to shape-shifting imply? (Consider phrases such as “feeling I’ve been” and “hair stands on the back of my neck.”) What does it mean to “seek the wolf in thyself” (line 39)? What do you think the meaning of life is, according to the song?

6. “In wildness is the preservation of the world” (line 38) is a phrase used by the naturalist writer Henry David Thoreau (author of Walden) in his essay “Walking.” Discuss its meaning in the context of this song and in a more general sense. What is the “better day” (line 36) referred to in the song, and in what sense might it be “later than you realize” (line 26)?

7. The song reflects a wolf’s perspective and experiences. What do descriptions such as “all senses clean” and “back to the meaning of life” imply about modern people’s typical mental and physical state?

8. How does the musical style of the song contribute to its overall effect? Cite specific details.