"The Story We Know" Literary Criticism

Formalistic Approach: The theme of birth and death pervades "The Story We Know" through the use of the concepts of "Hello" and "Goodbye." In the first stanza, Collins implies that the poem is about greetings, for she writes of handshakes ("Your hand, your name") and states that there is a "Good-bye at the end." In the second, third, and fourth stanzas, Collins writes of how people spend their time between Hellos and Goodbyes. She often uses catologing to create these descriptions ("coffee, the Times, a slow day by the fire, dinner at eight or nine") in order to emphasize the monotony of life. However, in the fifth stanza, one begins to notice the deeper implications of "Hello" and "Goodbye" as Collins describes how "snow begins to whiten the air" and therefore connotes the passing of time. In her final stanza, Collins continues to imply death through her diction: "we close the curtains, oh, we hold each other against the cold white sign." The true theme of the poem becomes clear as Collins states "Hello, Good-bye is the only story. We know, we know." These phrases reinforce the concept of the finality of death. By stating that "Hello, Good-bye is the only story," Collins clarifies the fact that death is unavoidable and permanent. Her final sentence, "We know, we know" emphasizes this belief by implying that the permanence of death is known to all.

Historical-Biographical Approach: Martha Collins was born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1940. Therefore, she experienced her young childhood throughout the years of World War II. Although she experienced this tragedy while she was still very young, the war could have had a strong role in influencing her development, particularly her views of life and death. These views become apparent in "The Story We Know" as Collins emphasizes her belief of the cyclical nature of life, representing life and death through "Hello" and "Goodbye." There is a strong relationship between death and war, particularly World War II, and for an impressionable child, this relationship could have affected her beliefs regarding death for the remainder of her life.