Poetry · Chapter
Nothing and Something explained
This poem contrasts the dismissive attitudes of various individuals—a beauty, a mother, a young man, a merchant, and a voter—who claim that the dangers of alcohol are 'nothing' to them, only to later face tragic consequences that make it 's
What happens
This poem contrasts the dismissive attitudes of various individuals—a beauty, a mother, a young man, a merchant, and a voter—who claim that the dangers of alcohol are 'nothing' to them, only to later face tragic consequences that make it 'something.' It concludes with a call to action, urging readers not to idly sleep but to stand with God against the destructive forces of sin.
Themes in this chapter
Social Injustice and Class
The poem illustrates how alcohol abuse devastates families across social roles, from a mother's son to a merchant's family, and criticizes societal indifference that enables such tragedies.
Resilience and Sacrifice
The final stanza calls for personal sacrifice and active resistance against sin, emphasizing the need to 'learn to labor, live and fight' for a righteous cause.
Characters to notice
- Unknown Narrator
The narrator presents a moral lesson through a series of vignettes, warning against indifference to the dangers of alcohol.
Key passages
“It is nothing to me, the beauty said, With a careless toss of her pretty head; The man is weak if he can’t refrain From the cup you say is fraught with pain.”
A beautiful woman dismisses warnings about alcohol, blaming the drinker's weakness rather than the drink itself.
This stanza introduces the theme of denial and its consequences.
“It is nothing to me, the young man cried: In his eye was a flash of scorn and pride; I heed not the dreadful things ye tell: I can rule myself I know full well.”
A young man arrogantly claims he can control his drinking, rejecting all warnings.
This highlights youthful overconfidence leading to ruin.
“It is nothing to me, the merchant said, As over his ledger he bent his head; I’m busy to-day with tare and tret, And I have no time to fume and fret.”
A merchant, absorbed in his business calculations, refuses to concern himself with the alcohol problem.
This shows how economic preoccupation can lead to moral neglect.
“Is it nothing for us to idly sleep While the cohorts of death their vigils keep? To gather the young and thoughtless in And grind in our midst a grist of sin?”
The poem asks whether we can remain passive while death and sin ensnare the young and careless.
This rhetorical question shifts the focus to collective responsibility.