“Hickory, Dickory, Dock” by Mother Goose: A Critical Analysis

Introduction: “Hickory, Dickory, Dock” by Mother Goose

“Hickory, Dickory, Dock” by Mother Goose first appeared as a sung nursery rhyme in the late 18th century, with its earliest known publication in 1765 in Mother Goose’s Melody, a classic collection of traditional nursery rhymes. The rhyme is simple yet rhythmic, designed for young children with its playful cadence and repetitive sounds. Its main qualities include personification, as it features a mouse running up and down a clock, and a sense of time awareness, as the clock strikes each hour. The main idea of the rhyme is to engage children with a whimsical story while introducing them to the concept of time and numbers in a fun and memorable way.

Text: “Hickory, Dickory, Dock” by Mother Goose

Annotations: “Hickory, Dickory, Dock” by Mother Goose

1. “Hickory, dickory, dock,”

• Literal Meaning: This line contains playful, rhythmic words that don’t have a literal meaning in English. It could be interpreted as imitating the sound of a clock ticking or a mouse scurrying.
• Symbolism/Interpretation: The nonsensical nature of this phrase suggests a playful tone, common in nursery rhymes. “Hickory” and “dock” might mimic the sound of an old-fashioned pendulum clock, establishing a rhythmic beat and setting the scene for the rhyme. Some scholars believe this type of repetitive language was used to engage children in early speech patterns.
• Historical Context: This line is typical of nursery rhymes from the oral tradition, where sounds are used to capture children’s attention. The phrase “hickory dickory” may be a corruption of old counting systems, similar to “eeny, meeny, miny, moe,” which could be remnants of ancient counting or word games.

2. “The mouse ran up the clock;”

• Literal Meaning: A small mouse scurries up a clock, perhaps using it as a surface to climb or explore.
• Symbolism/Interpretation: The mouse is often interpreted as a symbol of smallness or quickness. In nursery rhymes, animals are frequently anthropomorphized, and their movements are used to captivate young listeners. The clock could represent the passage of time, a central theme in the rhyme. The climbing mouse may also depict curiosity or motion through time.
• Cultural Significance: Clocks were significant household objects in older times, representing routine and the passage of time. The image of a mouse running up the clock could also reflect the interaction between nature and man-made objects in a domestic setting.

3. “The clock struck one,”

• Literal Meaning: The clock strikes the hour of one o’clock, producing a sound.
• Symbolism/Interpretation: The striking of the clock signifies the passage of time. In traditional settings, clocks would often have a chime to mark the hours, which helps structure the rhyme. The number “one” may symbolize a beginning or a point of change, where the mouse’s action transitions from climbing to descending.
• Historical Context: In older times, clocks did not have digital displays but rather used chimes or strikes to indicate the hour. This line reflects how time was kept before modern clocks. The act of the clock striking one could also be metaphorically linked to an important event or moment of realization.

4. “And down he run,”

• Literal Meaning: The mouse, startled by the striking of the clock, runs down quickly.
• Symbolism/Interpretation: The mouse’s descent represents a reversal of its previous action (climbing up). It could suggest that time, or the sound of the clock, causes reactions in nature or life. The mouse’s quick movement downwards may also reflect the suddenness or inevitability of time’s impact.
• Phonetics and Rhythm: The change in the direction of the mouse’s movement mirrors the musical quality of the rhyme, adding variety and flow to the action. The simplified grammar (“he run” instead of “he ran”) is typical of oral traditions, particularly in older nursery rhymes.

5. “Hickory, dickory, dock.”

• Literal Meaning: This line repeats the rhythmic, nonsensical words from the first line, creating a circular structure to the rhyme.
• Symbolism/Interpretation: The repetition of the opening line serves to bring the rhyme full circle, suggesting a cycle, much like the repetition of time on a clock. This could symbolize the continuous nature of time – it always moves forward and repeats, and life follows this rhythm.
• Effect on Audience: For children, the repeated rhyme creates a sense of closure, while reinforcing the rhythm and flow of the poem. This is a typical technique in nursery rhymes to help young children remember and recite the rhyme easily.

Summary:

• The entire rhyme, though simple, is rich in rhythm and symbolism. The mouse acts as a playful representation of quickness, curiosity, and the reaction to time. The clock is a metaphor for the structured passage of time, central to daily life, especially in the pre-digital era. The repetitive phrases (e.g., “Hickory, dickory, dock”) mimic the ticking of a clock, and the short, rhythmic lines help engage children in early literacy development through sound and timing. The rhyme, like many nursery rhymes, captures the essence of time passing in a playful, whimsical way.

Literary And Poetic Devices: “Hickory, Dickory, Dock” by Mother Goose

Literary Device	Definition	Example	Explanation
Alliteration	Repetition of the same consonant sounds at the beginning of words.	“Hickory, dickory, dock”	The repeated “d” sound at the beginning of “dickory” and “dock” creates a rhythmic effect, enhancing the musicality of the rhyme.
Anaphora	The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses.	“Hickory, dickory, dock” (repeated twice)	The repetition of “Hickory, dickory, dock” creates a cyclical structure and reinforces the rhythm, making it easy for children to remember.
Assonance	Repetition of vowel sounds within words.	“Hickory, dickory”	The repetition of the “i” sound in “hickory” and “dickory” adds to the musical quality of the poem and helps create internal rhyme.
Cacophony	The use of harsh, discordant sounds.	“The clock struck one”	The hard “k” sounds in “clock” and “struck” create a sense of abruptness, mimicking the sudden strike of the clock.
Chiasmus	A reversal in the order of words in two otherwise parallel phrases.	“The mouse ran up the clock; The clock struck one, And down he run”	The first action is reversed in the second half (ran up, down he run), creating a mirror-like structure that enhances the narrative.
Consonance	Repetition of consonant sounds within words or at the end of words.	“The clock struck one”	The repetition of the “k” sound in “clock” and “struck” provides a sharp auditory experience, enhancing the sense of time passing.
End Rhyme	Rhyming words at the end of lines.	“dock” and “clock”	The words “dock” and “clock” rhyme at the end of lines, creating a satisfying sense of completion and rhythm.
Epizeuxis	The repetition of a word or phrase for emphasis.	“Hickory, dickory, dock”	The repeated words “Hickory, dickory, dock” emphasize the playful, rhythmic nature of the rhyme.
Hyperbole	Exaggeration for emphasis or effect.	“The mouse ran up the clock”	Though a mouse might run up a clock, the event is exaggerated for the purpose of storytelling, creating a playful image of a mouse interacting with time itself.
Imagery	Descriptive language that appeals to the senses.	“The mouse ran up the clock”	The image of a mouse running up a clock is vivid and appeals to the sense of sight, helping listeners visualize the action in the rhyme.
Internal Rhyme	Rhyming within a line of verse.	“Hickory, dickory, dock”	The words “hickory” and “dickory” rhyme within the same line, adding to the internal rhythm and musicality of the poem.
Metaphor	A figure of speech that implies a comparison between two unrelated things.	The clock representing time	The clock in the rhyme can be seen as a metaphor for the passage of time, with the mouse interacting with it as a way to represent movement through time.
Onomatopoeia	A word that imitates the sound it represents.	“Hickory, dickory, dock”	The word “dock” could be interpreted as an onomatopoeic imitation of the sound of the clock striking, adding to the auditory rhythm of the rhyme.
Personification	Giving human characteristics to non-human objects or animals.	“The mouse ran up the clock”	The mouse is personified as a character with agency and action, bringing the inanimate scene to life with a sense of curiosity and movement.
Refrain	A repeated line or phrase in a poem or song.	“Hickory, dickory, dock”	The repeated phrase “Hickory, dickory, dock” serves as a refrain, giving the poem a cyclical and rhythmic quality.
Rhyme Scheme	The ordered pattern of rhymes at the ends of lines of a poem.	AABBA	The rhyme scheme follows AABBA, with the words “dock,” “clock,” “one,” “run,” and “dock” rhyming in a predictable pattern that enhances the musical rhythm.
Rhythm	A strong, regular, repeated pattern of sound.	“Hickory, dickory, dock”	The poem’s rhythm is created through its regular meter and the repetition of sounds, making it easy to recite and memorable for children.
Symbolism	Using an object or action to represent a deeper meaning.	The clock representing time	The clock symbolizes time and the passage of time, while the mouse’s movement could represent life’s fleeting and quick nature.
Trochaic Meter	A metrical foot consisting of a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable.	“Hickory, dickory, dock”	The trochaic meter (HIC-kor-y, DIC-kor-y, DOCK) gives the poem its distinctive rhythmic quality, with a falling pattern that matches the mouse’s movement down.

Themes: “Hickory, Dickory, Dock” by Mother Goose

1. Time and Its Passage: The clock is central to the rhyme, symbolizing the passage of time. The striking of the clock at “one” emphasizes a specific moment in time, representing the idea of time as something measurable and structured. The mouse’s interaction with the clock—running up before the clock strikes and down after—illustrates how time influences action and movement. This theme reflects the inevitability of time moving forward, which is a concept both simple and profound, even in a children’s rhyme.
2. Routine and Repetition: The rhyme is structured around repetition, both in the actions of the mouse and the refrain “Hickory, dickory, dock.” The cyclical nature of the poem, with the mouse going up and then down the clock, mirrors the repetitive routines of life. Clocks, which mark time consistently, further emphasize this theme of routine. The repetition of phrases within the poem itself reinforces this idea, as the predictable rhythm mimics the regularity of daily life.
3. Curiosity and Exploration: The mouse’s action of running up the clock suggests a sense of curiosity and exploration. Mice are often seen as small, inquisitive creatures, and in this rhyme, the mouse’s movement up the clock may symbolize a desire to explore new environments. The subsequent reaction to the clock striking one—running back down—could signify the balance between curiosity and caution, as the mouse retreats from the sound.
4. Cause and Effect: The rhyme also reflects the theme of cause and effect. The mouse’s action of running up the clock results in the clock striking one, which in turn causes the mouse to run down. This sequence of events teaches children a simple lesson in actions and their consequences, showing how one event can lead to another in a logical progression. The structure of the rhyme, with each action leading to a reaction, reinforces this theme throughout the poem.

Literary Theories and “Hickory, Dickory, Dock” by Mother Goose

Literary Theory	Explanation	Application to “Hickory, Dickory, Dock”	References from the Poem
Structuralism	Focuses on understanding the underlying structure of texts, language patterns, and binary oppositions.	In “Hickory, Dickory, Dock”, the poem follows a clear structural pattern with its repetitive rhythm and binary oppositions (e.g., up vs. down).	The repeated phrases (“Hickory, dickory, dock”) and binary actions (mouse running up the clock, then down) reflect the structure of language and actions.
Psychoanalytic Criticism	Analyzes unconscious desires, fears, and motivations within texts and characters’ actions.	The mouse’s behavior (running up the clock and quickly retreating after the clock strikes) can symbolize a psychological tension between curiosity and fear.	The mouse running up the clock suggests a drive for exploration (id), while the retreat after the clock strikes reflects a reaction to fear (superego).
Feminist Criticism	Examines how gender roles, power dynamics, and societal expectations are portrayed in literature.	While “Hickory, Dickory, Dock” lacks overt gender references, the rhyme can be analyzed in terms of domestic space (the clock) and how roles (like a mouse) are perceived.	The mouse, often associated with timidity, operates within a confined domestic space, reflecting traditional associations of vulnerability and smallness.

Critical Questions about “Hickory, Dickory, Dock” by Mother Goose

1. What role does time play in shaping the actions of the mouse?
   Time is a central element in “Hickory, Dickory, Dock”, represented by the clock that the mouse interacts with. The line “The clock struck one” indicates a specific moment that causes a reaction from the mouse—running back down. This suggests that time, or the awareness of time, dictates the behavior of the characters within the poem. The question encourages reflection on how the poem portrays time not just as a mechanical process, but as something that impacts living beings. The mouse’s reaction to the clock striking one can be seen as a metaphor for how humans react to time and its inevitable passing.
2. How does the repetitive structure of the poem affect its meaning?
   The repetition of the phrase “Hickory, dickory, dock” and the cyclical nature of the mouse’s movement up and down the clock highlights a sense of routine and predictability. This structure suggests that life, like the ticking of a clock, follows a regular rhythm. The rhyme’s repetition mirrors the mechanical, predictable movement of time itself, making readers question how much of life is shaped by routine. Does this reflect a sense of comfort in predictability, or does it hint at the constraints imposed by time on living beings, symbolized by the mouse?
3. What is the significance of the mouse in the poem, and why was this animal chosen?
   The mouse in “Hickory, Dickory, Dock” plays a curious role, climbing up the clock and then retreating when the clock strikes. As a small, often overlooked creature, the mouse could symbolize vulnerability or innocence, but also curiosity and agility. The choice of a mouse may reflect the relationship between humans and small animals, often viewed as pests in domestic spaces. By questioning why a mouse was chosen instead of another animal, readers can explore deeper ideas about smallness and insignificance in the larger scheme of time, symbolized by the clock, a dominant object in the setting.
4. What does the interaction between the mouse and the clock suggest about the relationship between nature and technology?
   In the poem, the clock represents a man-made object that measures time, while the mouse represents nature. The line “The mouse ran up the clock” suggests an interaction between these two realms, as a natural creature engages with a mechanical object. The poem presents a scenario where nature (the mouse) is influenced or even controlled by technology (the clock), as the clock striking “one” causes the mouse to retreat. This could be interpreted as a comment on how the natural world adapts to or is constrained by human inventions and technological advances, raising questions about the impact of technology on living beings.

Literary Works Similar to “Hickory, Dickory, Dock” by Mother Goose

1. “Humpty Dumpty” (Mother Goose)
   Both use a rhythmic structure to tell a short, cause-and-effect narrative involving characters reacting to an event (the mouse runs up and down the clock, Humpty Dumpty falls off the wall).
2. “Baa Baa Black Sheep” (Mother Goose)
   This rhyme shares a similar repetitive structure and use of simple, rhythmic language designed to engage young children with easily memorable lines.
3. “Little Miss Muffet” (Mother Goose)
   Both rhymes feature animals interacting with human-made environments and depict a small event (the mouse running up the clock, Miss Muffet encountering the spider) in a whimsical way.
4. “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” (Traditional Nursery Rhyme)
   Like “Hickory, Dickory, Dock,” this rhyme focuses on an animal’s movement (the spider climbing up and down) in a repetitive, rhythmic narrative aimed at young audiences.
5. “Hey Diddle Diddle” (Mother Goose)
   Both rhymes involve animals engaging in fantastical actions (the mouse running up the clock, the cow jumping over the moon), creating a playful, imaginative world for children.

Representative Quotations of “Hickory, Dickory, Dock” by Mother Goose

Quotation	Context	Theoretical Perspective
“Hickory, dickory, dock”	This is the opening and closing refrain, setting the rhythmic and playful tone of the rhyme.	Structuralism: The repetition of these nonsensical words creates a structure that mirrors the repetitive nature of time and routine.
“The mouse ran up the clock”	Describes the action of the mouse engaging with the clock, symbolizing curiosity or interaction with time.	Psychoanalytic Criticism: The mouse’s upward movement can symbolize a subconscious drive towards exploration or achievement (id in action).
“The clock struck one”	Marks a turning point in the rhyme when time asserts itself with the clock striking, causing a reaction.	Marxist Criticism: This can be interpreted as the force of time (or authority) disrupting natural behavior, symbolizing the constraints imposed on life.
“And down he run”	The mouse retreats down the clock after the clock strikes, reacting to the passing of time.	Feminist Criticism: The mouse’s retreat can be viewed as reflecting traditional perceptions of vulnerability and smallness within a structured, male-dominated system (the clock).

Suggested Readings: “Hickory, Dickory, Dock” by Mother Goose

1. Hickerson, Joseph C., and Alan Dundes. “Mother Goose Vice Verse.” The Journal of American Folklore, vol. 75, no. 297, 1962, pp. 249–59. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/537726. Accessed 11 Oct. 2024.
2. Young, Cindy, and Wendy Moulding. “Mathematics and Mother Goose.” Teaching Children Mathematics, vol. 1, no. 1, 1994, pp. 36–38. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/41196138. Accessed 11 Oct. 2024.
3. Haake, Cheryl M. “Mother Goose Is on the Loose.” The Reading Teacher, vol. 43, no. 4, 1990, pp. 350–51. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/20200389. Accessed 11 Oct. 2024.
4. PHILLIPS, MARINA. “A LIST OF POEMS BASED ON CHILDREN’S CHOICES.” The Elementary English Review, vol. 7, no. 9, 1930, pp. 229–34. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/41381385. Accessed 11 Oct. 2024.
5. Stetson, R. H. “The Teaching of Rhythm.” The Musical Quarterly, vol. 9, no. 2, 1923, pp. 181–90. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/738315. Accessed 11 Oct. 2024.