Lateferryexplorestheinherentideatobelongcloudstherealitythatconformitycreatesaculture

whereindividualityissuppressedandthattheactofseverancetonormalityultimatelyresultsto
change.Lateferryencapsulatesthemomentoftransitionbetweentheferryandthemooringsto
indicatetheuncertaintyandramificationsofchangeandthediscoveriesthatdivulgeasa
byproduct.ThisnotionisexpressedeloquentlythroughGraysstyleofimagistwritingandthe
extensiveliterarydevicesthatheemploystodisplaythisbelief.

Disconnectionfromthenormallowsforsignificantdiscoveriesthatrenewouroutlookonourselves
andothers.Thisideaisevidentthroughtheportrayalofthepersonaandtheferryashestaysto
watchfromthebalcony,asitgoesupintothedarkharbour.Thesymbolismofthebalconydepicts
thecomfortzoneofhumannaturewhereasthedarkharbourrepresentstheabyssafterdetaching
fromsolace.Theadjectiveshugeanddarkestablishesanintimidatingimageofthevastabyssin
contrasttothevulnerabilityoftheboatrelaysthereluctanceforchange.Furthermore,the
personificationofthewhitelightsfeelnervouslyintheblacknesscoupledwiththesimilelike
handsafterthelightswitchindicatesthatchangeischallengingandconfrontinghoweveritis
throughthesedilemmasdiscoveriesasaresultareintenselymeaningful.Theconnotationsof
nervouslyandblacknessrevealsthehesitantnatureofhumanstoventureintounknownwaters
whichcanchangeonesworldview.Moreover,repetitionofdarkthroughoutthepoemhighlights
themultifacetednatureofdiscoveries,whetherpositiveornegative,provocativeormeaningful.
Therefore,itcanbeseenthatdiscoveriesariseinonesseverancefromconformityallowsfora
freshperspectives,ontheworldandourselves.

Asseeninthepoem,Grayprojectsthenotionthatchangeisinevitableandinexorableyethe
stressestheimportanceithasonanindividualsperspective.Firstandforemost,thetitleLate

ferryalreadyestablishesthisidea.Theconnotationsoflateisindicativeofmankindsreluctance
tochangeduetotheobstaclesandhardshipsthatariseasaresult.TheprotagonistquotesIstay
towatchfromthebalconyrevealsthestagnantandrootednatureheupholdswhichinhibits
personalgrowthwhicharisefromdiscoveries.Additionallythepersonificationoftheferryasit
wadesnowintothebroadsharplycontrastswiththemotionlesspersonaastheferrycontinuesto
movedownthewater,furtherandfurtherawayfromitssecurity,itmovesfurtherintotheunknown
beforefinallydisappearinginthelightsoftheharbor.Thesymbolismillustratestheuncertaintyof
theventureisanessentialhumanexperienceasapersoncanexperienceeventsthataretruly
uniquewhichpropelsgrowthinanindividualratherthanstayingstagnantorregressingbothof
whicharedetrimental.Theveryactofvoyagingfromknownwatersintouncertainodysseyresults
inchangeandthisservesasafoundationofdiscoveriesthatareofparamountvalue.Henceforth,
whilstchangeisinevitable,theconsequencesofitareintenselymeaningfulduetothefactthey
alteronesviewnotonlyofthemselvesbutthegreaterspectrum.

RobertGraysLateferryfocusesonthemultifaceteddiscoveriesmadeasaresultofstraying
fromnormalityandtheinevitablenatureofchange.Byexploringthispoem,wecometo
understandthatchangewithinonesselfandthediscoveriesthatpeakoutasaresult
reinvigoratestheirviewnotonlyofthemselvesbutthegreaterspectrum.Theuniqueadventureof
anindividualshapestheiroutlookandultimatelyoffernewunderstandingspreviouslynotmade
availableifstagnant.