What is the deep interpetation behind Margaret Atwood's poem Asparagus?

Question

I understand the basic meaning of her being a bit jealous of the man who is asking the protagonist for advice, but im trying to figure out the "hidden" message behind it and the poems theme. I have tried google one million times and cant find anything and its driving me crazy!

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

Really excellent poems (and this is one, in my judgment) reward re-reading. Keep at it.

No poet will "hide" meaning from readers. Instead, it's all laid out there for us, but so much is compacted into such little space that it can be difficult to "get" it all.

That said, look for the following: First of all, the conversation about the man's relationships takes place as the various courses of a meal are served. Pay attention to the parallel progress of these two events.

Second, see what you can make of the title.

Finally, where theme is concerned, imagine you are inside the mind of the speaker. What is she going through. It certainly appears that she is thinking one thing and saying quite another. Why is this?

There's no cause to be frustrated when confronting something complex like this. Relax your mind and enjoy the process.

Best wishes!