Section+8

In the eighth section, the speaker denounces society's evils, hoping to be free of its negative influence.

The speaker identifies society's corruption through use of a layered structure that reveals more shocking truths with each line that passes. In the very first line of the section, a “little one” is utilized to lead the reader into perceiving innocence until after the speaker looks a “long time” and has to “brush away flies”(140,141) The transition of something so pure as a child to the gruesomeness of flies proves the gradually worsening effects of society on people, as the newborn gradually becomes more vile when he spends more time with the negative influences of society. By brushing away the flies, the speaker attempts to return the child to his original purity and free him from others' corruption. Soon, the speaker comes to view the crowds in the city as they “shout jokes” and throw “pelts of snowballs” in a harmless snowball fight (158). This innocent fighting transitions to "the fury of rous'd mobs" (159), evoking such ferocity that a policeman must come to “the centre of the crowd” (160). Though the fight starts as harmless entertainment, it escalates to create a violent conflict, proving that society brings out man's worst qualities. Its influence continues to feed the people's anger, continually advancing the destruction of their lives. Moreover, lines 155 to 161 all use the word “the” first, which gives speed to the poet’s meter. With each line that follows line 155 a pausative statement disappears until line 161, when the rioters throw “impassive stones." Describing the stones as "impassive" suggests nature's silent disapproval of the incident, remaining stoic to prevent further violence. The speaker stresses that beneath society's seemingly embracive appearance lies a violent nature that consumes man. By creating an escalating rythym through the structure, the speaker proves that society never propels a sense of inner truth as individuals refuse to oppose the violence.

The speaker's diction in the last two stanzas demonstrates his dissaproval of man's violence as he vows to learn from these people's mistake. He ends stanza four and begins stanza five with the word "what" at the start of each line, suggesting his questioning of the rioters' actions. Society's vicious nature bypasses the speaker's understanding; he cannot undesrtand how humans can be so cruel to one another. The speaker concludes by promising to "mind" the "resonance" of these people, but also to "depart" from society (166). Although he disapproves of their actions, he will always hold the memory of this horrific event to remember its horrific results. Society has taught the speaker by warning him against aggression, and although he values this lesson, he recognizes that he must now free himself of its grievances.