Through the study of the concept of changing self I have realised that change occurs overtime, through various causes and processes resulting in both positive and negative changes to self. However it is the attitude to these changes is the most significant to the results of change. I have come to this conclusion through the study of Gwen Harwood's poems "In the Park" and "Father and Child", "The Door" by Miroslav Holub, "My Back Pages" a song by Bob Dylan (Another Side of Bob Dylan: 1963), and "First Day of School" a cartoon by Michael Leunig (Sydney Morning Herald: February 2002).
"In the Park" by Gwen Harwood presents the reader with the image of a lady sitting in a park looking lethargic whilst surrounded by her young bickering children. It is only through a brief encounter with a former lover that we are displayed with her self-change. Through his vocal response, "Time holds great surprises" as well as his silent self-thoughts "But for the grace of god" we are presented with the idea that in this scenario change has been for the worse. Harwood displays through the use of visual imagery " her clothes are out of date", the use of sensory language " two children whine and bicker" as well as her own final self reflective words, "They have eaten me alive" we realise the cause of this self change has been motherhood. Harwood Subtly suggests although motherhood can be a fulfilling experience, the lady in the poem confronts the task with a degree of negativeness causing a negative result of change. .
By contrasting the self-change of both characters in the scene, the lady's reluctance to change is shown as is her victim like nature as well as her passivity that is reinforced again by her final statement, "They have eaten me alive". Her former lover passes by and moves on whilst she remains static, unable to voice her thoughts to anyone except the wind. Harwood also compares the image of the young child "drawing aimless patterns in the dirt" to the nature of the lady, in a sense the lady is aimless to any new self-change in life.
