‘The Cold Within’ by James Patrick Kinney: Summary & explanation

The poem ‘The Cold Within’ by American Poet James Patrick Kinney describes the tragic death of six people from different backgrounds, who are placed around a fire in bitter cold, holding on to their log off wood. But more than the bitter cold, it’s their discrimination towards one another that result in their death in the end.

In ‘The Cold Within’, the six men are full of hostility towards one another. The white man is a racist whereas the black man is full of revenge. The rich considers the poor ‘lazy’ and the poor thinks that the rich doesn’t deserve. One of them is intolerant towards the other religion and the last one is extremely selfish and refuses to help because he thinks he will not get back the favour. They all die in the end, even though everyone could have survived had they not let their selfishness, prejudice, malice and suspicions let in the way.

Mother Teresa had rightly said that “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” Discrimination, based on race, class, and religion is one of the biggest threats that mankind faces today; it’s like a ticking time-bomb waiting to obliterate humans from the face of the earth. It’s high time that human beings rise above these petty things and show more warmth, compassion and empathy, which is missing from the people in ‘The Cold Within’. A society full of humanity, where people trust one another and have warmth for others, can call itself civilised and progressive, and is better prepared to take on greater adversities.

In ‘The Cold Within’, the six men are guided by animosity against each other. The white man shows prejudice towards the black, and the black man is full of malice against the white men. The rich man is greedy, stingy, and thinks the poor are ‘lazy’; whereas the poor is full of bitterness and envy’s the rich. One of them is intolerant towards the other religion, and the one is extremely selfish and refuses to help because he thinks his favour will not be returned. They all die in the end, even though everyone could have survived had they not let their prejudice and malice let in the way.

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