The Admiration of a Mother: An Analysis of Dorianne Laux’s “Girl in the Doorway”
“Girl in the Doorway” by Dorianne Laux is written for anyone who has ever admired someone. In this poem, the speaker watches as her twelve year old daughter seems to grow up right in front of her eyes. Laux uses words pertaining to life and references to light throughout the poem to help illustrate her idea that parents idolize children and their innocence before adulthood.
The use of words referring to life in “Girl in the Doorway” represent the idea that the daughter is growing up. Laux writes, “new life” (5), which expresses how the daughter is growing out of childhood and moving into her life as a young adult. In addition, she includes the word “pulsing” (16) of the light through the window. This seems directly related to the idea of the daughter’s new life that Laux is trying to hint at. The action of pulsing suggests how a heart can beat, creating life. This demonstrates two things: that she has life or will begin anew, and that the light gives her life. These items are illustrated as, “each window pulsing with summer” (16). The idea of a new life can be related to how parents may idolize their children before they begin adulthood. Adulthood connotes growing up or changing childlike ways.
Laux mentions, “goddess” (15) as the word used to describe the young girl in the poem. The dictionary definition of goddess is a woman greatly admired or a female god. Goddesses are usually compared to the idea of heaven. Light is mentioned in the piece as “folds up / all that light” (23, 24). Light continually illustrates the picture of a goddess, which through the diction of goddess explains the mother’s admiration for her daughter. Phrases like, “brief blue stars from her socks” (6) hint again at the sky. The stars that the daughter creates through her socks also emphasize that all of her, even her socks, can be reminded of her goddess-like presence. Because the mother notices the stars that are created, makes the poem connote that the mother is watching her daughter. Laux writes that she is watching close enough to notice the sparks, which suggests that she admires how her daughter moves even the smallest of things.
Furthermore, Laux writes similar words to goddess, “shine” (8), “gold” (14), and “silver” (7) throughout the poem. These words illustrate yet another picture of how the daughter looks and can be related to how the girl is goddess-like. Laux explains, “Her silver braces” (7), which underscores how all parts of the daughter, even on her teeth, show parts of goddess-like features. Near the end of the poem, “fans out like wings under her arms” (21) explain another way how her appearance and actions can relate to her being a goddess.
Because the daughter was given the title of a goddess by the author, the definition of goddess must have a place in the poem as well. The definition suggests that it is an idolized person. The way that Laux describes the girl -- “sun shimmies / through the tips of her hair, the V of her legs” (20, 21) -- shows that she believes that the subject is beautiful. Laux illustrates how she greatly admires the daughter’s beauty and grace. Her grace can be demonstrated through how Laux writes how the child moves: “Dust swirls in gold eddies / behind her. She walks through the house, a goddess” (14, 15). The poet illustrates how her daughter is her idol through these examples.
“Girl in the Doorway” is an accurate portrayal of how parents can not only learn but be inspired by their children. Some are able to realize how inspirational their kids are while they are still young, while others do not see it until their children have grown into young adulthood. The way the daughter is expressed demonstrates the idolization that the author has towards the daughter.
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