Introduction: “In the Waiting Room” by Elizabeth Bishop
“In the Waiting Room” by Elizabeth Bishop first appeared in 1976 as part of her posthumously published collection, Geography III. The poem is renowned for its introspective depth, focusing on themes of identity, self-awareness, and the nature of belonging. Set in a waiting room of a dentist’s office, the poem captures a pivotal moment in the young narrator’s life as she experiences an intense awareness of herself and others. This revelation is sparked by reading National Geographic, where images and ideas about the wider world force her to confront existential questions about human connection, mortality, and individuality. Its popularity lies in Bishop’s vivid, almost cinematic language, which seamlessly combines the personal with the universal. Through a child’s perspective, Bishop eloquently explores profound themes that resonate with readers, prompting them to reflect on their own identity and place in the world.
Text: “In the Waiting Room” by Elizabeth Bishop
In Worcester, Massachusetts,
I went with Aunt Consuelo
to keep her dentist’s appointment
and sat and waited for her
in the dentist’s waiting room.
It was winter. It got dark
early. The waiting room
was full of grown-up people,
arctics and overcoats,
lamps and magazines.
My aunt was inside
what seemed like a long time
and while I waited I read
the National Geographic
(I could read) and carefully
studied the photographs:
the inside of a volcano,
black, and full of ashes;
then it was spilling over
in rivulets of fire.
Osa and Martin Johnson
dressed in riding breeches,
laced boots, and pith helmets.
A dead man slung on a pole
–“Long Pig,” the caption said.
Babies with pointed heads
wound round and round with string;
black, naked women with necks
wound round and round with wire
like the necks of light bulbs.
Their breasts were horrifying.
I read it right straight through.
I was too shy to stop.
And then I looked at the cover:
the yellow margins, the date.
Suddenly, from inside,
came an oh! of pain
–Aunt Consuelo’s voice–
not very loud or long.
I wasn’t at all surprised;
even then I knew she was
a foolish, timid woman.
I might have been embarrassed,
but wasn’t. What took me
completely by surprise
was that it was me:
my voice, in my mouth.
Without thinking at all
I was my foolish aunt,
I–we–were falling, falling,
our eyes glued to the cover
of the National Geographic,
February, 1918.
I said to myself: three days
and you’ll be seven years old.
I was saying it to stop
the sensation of falling off
the round, turning world.
into cold, blue-black space.
But I felt: you are an I,
you are an Elizabeth,
you are one of them.
Why should you be one, too?
I scarcely dared to look
to see what it was I was.
I gave a sidelong glance
–I couldn’t look any higher–
at shadowy gray knees,
trousers and skirts and boots
and different pairs of hands
lying under the lamps.
I knew that nothing stranger
had ever happened, that nothing
stranger could ever happen.
Why should I be my aunt,
or me, or anyone?
What similarities–
boots, hands, the family voice
I felt in my throat, or even
the National Geographic
and those awful hanging breasts–
held us all together
or made us all just one?
How–I didn’t know any
word for it–how “unlikely”. . .
How had I come to be here,
like them, and overhear
a cry of pain that could have
got loud and worse but hadn’t?
The waiting room was bright
and too hot. It was sliding
beneath a big black wave,
another, and another.
Then I was back in it.
The War was on. Outside,
in Worcester, Massachusetts,
were night and slush and cold,
and it was still the fifth
of February, 1918.
Annotations: “In the Waiting Room” by Elizabeth Bishop
| Stanza | Annotation |
| “In Worcester, Massachusetts, I went…” | The opening lines establish the setting: Worcester, Massachusetts, where the young narrator accompanies her Aunt Consuelo to a dentist’s appointment. The description of the waiting room and winter atmosphere immediately creates a sense of confinement and anticipation, both of which play a role in the narrator’s heightened sensitivity and eventual existential crisis. |
| “The waiting room was full of grown-up…” | Bishop describes the waiting room filled with “grown-up people” wearing heavy winter clothing, emphasizing the contrast between the young narrator and the adults around her. The ordinary details—overcoats, lamps, and magazines—highlight the mundane setting, which makes the surreal internal experience the narrator is about to undergo even more jarring. |
| “My aunt was inside what seemed like…” | While her aunt is with the dentist, the narrator passes time by reading National Geographic. Her fascination with the magazine’s contents, from volcanoes to exotic images, foreshadows the deepening awareness of a broader, unfamiliar world. This quiet curiosity will soon lead to an unexpected realization about identity and existence. |
| “the inside of a volcano, black, and full…” | Bishop catalogs various images the young girl encounters in the magazine: a volcano, explorers, unsettling depictions of people from foreign cultures, and graphic images. These images expose the narrator to concepts of death, cultural difference, and physical oddity, symbolizing her first encounter with the strangeness of the human condition. |
| “Suddenly, from inside, came an oh!” | The sudden sound of her aunt’s pained cry interrupts her reading, drawing her back into the present. The aunt’s cry is an ordinary but startling reminder of vulnerability and pain, contrasting with the magazine’s exotic images. This cry triggers an unexpected reaction in the narrator, blurring the line between herself and her aunt. |
| “I wasn’t at all surprised…” | The narrator feels a profound shock, realizing that she has momentarily experienced her aunt’s voice as her own. This line captures her unsettling, almost mystical, feeling of merging identities, leading her to question her sense of self. It hints at the idea that individual identities are interconnected, an essential theme in the poem. |
| “Without thinking at all, I was my foolish…” | Bishop conveys the narrator’s confusion and fear as she feels herself falling, detached from reality and caught in an existential crisis. This sensation of “falling” suggests her disorientation and dread, as she realizes her individuality is fragile, even arbitrary. The poem explores the limits of self-perception and identity. |
| “I said to myself: three days and you’ll…” | To ground herself, the narrator recalls her upcoming birthday, a fact that she repeats in an effort to anchor her identity and separate herself from the others. This internal monologue reflects her attempt to resist the dizzying realization of her own “oneness” with humanity and to stop the feeling of disassociation. |
| “But I felt: you are an I, you are an…” | Bishop explores the formation of the self, with the narrator becoming aware that she is an “I,” an individual yet part of a larger collective (“one of them”). This realization brings both fear and curiosity, as she questions her connection to others and the inevitability of her place in the human experience. |
| “I gave a sidelong glance…at shadowy…” | The narrator glances at the other adults, seeing only fragmented, impersonal details (knees, boots, hands) rather than whole people. This partial view emphasizes her sense of alienation and detachment, while also illustrating her reluctance to confront the full implications of her self-realization. |
| “I knew that nothing stranger had ever…” | Recognizing the gravity of her experience, the narrator feels that nothing could surpass the strangeness of this moment. Bishop highlights the shock and wonder of self-awareness, suggesting that this experience is formative, unique, and perhaps even beyond rational comprehension. |
| “What similarities—boots, hands, the family…” | The narrator searches for the commonalities that connect her to others, pondering the shared traits that bind humanity together. This introspective line reflects the poem’s central theme: the simultaneous isolation and interconnectedness of individuals within a shared human experience. |
| “How had I come to be here, like them…” | The narrator reflects on the randomness of existence and her place among others. Her astonishment at “overhearing” a cry of pain (her aunt’s voice) underscores her awareness of shared human vulnerability, a key motif in the poem that resonates with the young narrator’s growing comprehension of mortality and individuality. |
| “The waiting room was bright and too hot…” | The setting, once ordinary, now feels overwhelming and oppressive, mirroring the narrator’s emotional turmoil. She envisions waves closing in, symbolizing the crushing realization of her own existence and connection to others. Bishop skillfully conveys this intense, almost claustrophobic realization of belonging to a collective humanity. |
| “The War was on. Outside, in Worcester…” | Returning to the external world, Bishop situates the scene in a specific historical context—February 5, 1918, during World War I. This detail grounds the narrator’s inner crisis in the harsh reality of a world in conflict, linking her personal revelation to the larger theme of human suffering and shared history. |
Literary And Poetic Devices: “In the Waiting Room” by Elizabeth Bishop
| Literary Device | Example | Explanation |
| Alliteration | “falling, falling” | The repetition of the “f” sound emphasizes the narrator’s feeling of descent and disorientation. |
| Allusion | “National Geographic” | Reference to National Geographic serves as a symbol of the broader world and unfamiliar cultures, sparking the narrator’s existential realization. |
| Ambiguity | “I was my foolish aunt, I–we–were falling” | The ambiguous merging of identities blurs boundaries between the narrator and her aunt, deepening the poem’s exploration of self and interconnectedness. |
| Assonance | “Osa and Martin Johnson” | The repetition of the “a” sound connects words sonically, creating a sense of rhythm and drawing attention to these explorers, symbols of adventure and the unknown. |
| Caesura | “three days and you’ll be seven years old.” | The pause in the middle of this line mirrors the narrator’s attempt to ground herself amid her existential uncertainty. |
| Consonance | “shadowy gray knees” | Repeated “s” and “y” sounds create a soft, eerie tone, reflecting the narrator’s fearful curiosity as she observes the adults around her. |
| Diction | “foolish, timid woman” | Bishop’s choice of words, like “foolish” and “timid,” reflects the narrator’s immature judgment of her aunt, showing the child’s perspective. |
| Enjambment | “and while I waited I read / the National Geographic” | The line continues without pause, mirroring the natural flow of thoughts as the young narrator immerses herself in the magazine. |
| Foreshadowing | “It got dark early” | The early darkness foreshadows the dark, introspective journey the narrator will soon experience, as well as her descent into existential thoughts. |
| Hyperbole | “I knew that nothing stranger could ever happen” | The exaggeration emphasizes the profound impact of the realization on the narrator, marking this moment as life-altering. |
| Imagery | “black, naked women with necks wound round and round” | Vivid descriptions of cultural artifacts and people she sees in the magazine create a strong visual impact, emphasizing the narrator’s exposure to foreign, unfamiliar ideas. |
| Irony | “I–we–were falling” | It’s ironic that the narrator, in trying to differentiate herself from her aunt, feels an intense connection and unity, highlighting the complexity of identity. |
| Juxtaposition | “night and slush and cold, and it was still…” | The juxtaposition of the mundane external world and the narrator’s intense internal experience highlights the disparity between inner and outer realities. |
| Metaphor | “falling, falling, our eyes glued to the cover” | The act of “falling” represents the narrator’s descent into an overwhelming sense of identity and existential realization. |
| Metonymy | “family voice” | Referring to her “family voice” suggests the traits or characteristics inherited from her aunt, symbolizing the connection to her lineage and shared identity. |
| Mood | “The waiting room was bright and too hot” | This description creates a stifling, uncomfortable mood, mirroring the narrator’s anxiety and unease as she grapples with her self-awareness. |
| Personification | “our eyes glued to the cover” | Giving eyes the ability to be “glued” to something personifies the intense, almost hypnotic nature of her reading experience. |
| Simile | “necks wound round and round with wire / like the necks of light bulbs” | Comparing necks to “light bulbs” emphasizes the surreal and shocking imagery the narrator encounters, reflecting her young perspective. |
| Symbolism | “the yellow margins, the date” | The National Geographic magazine symbolizes the wider world, and the date signifies a fixed moment in history, grounding the narrator’s existential awakening. |
| Tone | Reflective, introspective | Bishop’s reflective tone enhances the contemplative and questioning nature of the poem, capturing the narrator’s journey into self-discovery. |
Themes: “In the Waiting Room” by Elizabeth Bishop
- Identity and Self-Discovery: The poem explores a young girl’s burgeoning sense of self as she becomes aware of her distinct identity. In the line, “I was saying it to stop / the sensation of falling off / the round, turning world,” the narrator tries to ground herself in her identity by noting that she will soon be seven years old. This moment reflects the narrator’s attempt to grapple with the overwhelming realization that she is both an individual and part of a larger human collective. The sudden awareness of herself as “an Elizabeth” hints at the narrator’s first recognition of her place in the world, marking a powerful moment of self-discovery.
- Human Connection and Universality: The theme of human interconnectedness surfaces as the narrator experiences a strange merging of identities with her Aunt Consuelo. When she hears her aunt’s voice, she feels, “Without thinking at all / I was my foolish aunt, / I–we–were falling, falling.” This line captures her realization that individual identities are not entirely separate; she is connected to her aunt and, by extension, to humanity. The narrator’s experience of this connection leads her to ponder shared traits, asking, “What similarities—boots, hands, the family voice,” that unify people, suggesting a recognition of universal human traits.
- Exposure to the Wider World: Bishop uses the magazine National Geographic as a symbol of the narrator’s first encounter with unfamiliar cultures, geography, and even mortality. The images of “black, naked women with necks / wound round and round with wire” and “a dead man slung on a pole” introduce her to aspects of human experience and the vastness of the world beyond her own. These striking images force the narrator to confront the foreign and often unsettling realities of the world, sparking both fascination and discomfort as she contemplates her place in it. This confrontation with the unknown opens her eyes to the broader, complex human experience.
- The Mystery of Existence: The poem delves into existential wonder as the narrator questions the nature of being. In the lines, “Why should I be my aunt, / or me, or anyone?” the narrator’s existential inquiry reveals her struggle to understand her own existence and the randomness of identity. This questioning represents the innate mystery of why we are who we are and why we are connected to others in the ways we are. The line, “nothing stranger / could ever happen,” captures the profundity of this revelation, highlighting the awe and confusion of confronting one’s own existence and its inexplicability.
Literary Theories and “In the Waiting Room” by Elizabeth Bishop
| Literary Theory | Explanation | References from the Poem |
| Psychoanalytic Theory | From a psychoanalytic perspective, the poem reflects the narrator’s subconscious exploration of self and identity. The shock of hearing her aunt’s voice and feeling it as her own suggests a merging of identities that Freud might interpret as a disruption of the ego, or self-boundaries. | The line, “Without thinking at all / I was my foolish aunt, / I–we–were falling, falling,” exemplifies this blurring of self and other, which Freud might see as a moment where unconscious thoughts challenge the narrator’s sense of a stable, defined self. |
| Existentialism | Existential theory explores themes of self-awareness, individuality, and the search for meaning—core ideas in Bishop’s poem. The young narrator’s sudden awareness of herself as “an I” highlights existential questions about the nature of identity and one’s place in a vast, impersonal world. | When the narrator reflects, “you are an I, / you are an Elizabeth, / you are one of them,” she faces the existential realization of her existence, individuality, and kinship with others, encapsulating the poem’s focus on self and universal human existence. |
| Feminist Theory | Through a feminist lens, the poem can be seen as a commentary on female identity, self-perception, and societal expectations. The narrator’s experience in a female space (accompanying her aunt) and her reaction to images of women in National Geographic reflect her emerging awareness of womanhood. | The narrator’s description of the “black, naked women with necks / wound round and round with wire” reveals her discomfort and fascination with feminine images, which may symbolize her conflicted view of female identity and the societal objectification of women’s bodies. |
Critical Questions about “In the Waiting Room” by Elizabeth Bishop
- How does the poem explore the theme of self-awareness and identity?
- In “In the Waiting Room,” the young narrator experiences a moment of sudden self-awareness that profoundly impacts her understanding of identity. This theme is vividly depicted when she realizes, “you are an I, / you are an Elizabeth, / you are one of them.” This recognition is unsettling for her, as it merges her sense of self with the larger collective humanity, sparking an internal crisis where she questions why she is “one of them.” The poem captures the moment when a child first grapples with the concept of individuality while simultaneously feeling connected to others. This exploration of identity is intensified when she hears her aunt’s cry and, for a fleeting moment, cannot distinguish between her aunt’s voice and her own: “Without thinking at all / I was my foolish aunt, / I–we–were falling, falling.” This instance blurs the boundaries of self, making her ponder her existence as separate yet intertwined with others, a key moment in the formation of self-awareness.
- What role does the setting play in the narrator’s psychological journey?
- The setting of the poem—a dentist’s waiting room in Worcester, Massachusetts—serves as both a literal and symbolic space for the narrator’s psychological awakening. The mundane, confined environment, described as “bright and too hot,” enhances the narrator’s sense of discomfort and unease. It is a place of waiting, emphasizing the theme of transition and anticipation. The narrator’s internal experience contrasts sharply with the seemingly ordinary surroundings, highlighting how profound realizations can emerge in the most unassuming places. The physical confinement of the waiting room mirrors her existential containment within her identity, which she suddenly perceives as fragile. This contrast between the banal setting and the depth of her inner turmoil underscores the poem’s exploration of self-awareness within ordinary contexts.
- How does the poem address the concept of belonging and alienation?
- Bishop’s poem poignantly captures the narrator’s struggle with both belonging and alienation as she grapples with her place in the world. The narrator initially feels separate from the “grown-up people” around her, yet when she experiences the visceral connection to her aunt, she is startled by the sudden unity with others: “I was my foolish aunt, / I–we–were falling, falling.” This merging of identities reveals a paradox of belonging; though she senses a kinship with humanity, she also feels alienated by the strange, uncomfortable realization that she, too, is part of it. This duality is further emphasized when she asks, “Why should I be my aunt, / or me, or anyone?” Here, the narrator questions the arbitrariness of her individuality, suggesting that belonging is both inevitable and isolating. The poem ultimately presents belonging as a complex, sometimes disquieting, aspect of selfhood.
- What is the significance of the images from National Geographic in the poem?
- The images from National Geographic serve as a catalyst for the narrator’s exploration of identity and the wider world. The photographs she encounters—”the inside of a volcano,” “black, naked women with necks wound round and round with wire,” and “a dead man slung on a pole”—introduce her to the unfamiliar and often disturbing aspects of human existence. These depictions of foreign cultures and mortality confront her with the complexity and diversity of the world beyond her sheltered life. The visceral reaction she has to these images, particularly her horror at the sight of women’s breasts, symbolizes her innocence grappling with raw, unfiltered humanity. The magazine, with its vivid and exotic pictures, forces the narrator to reckon with human difference, mortality, and her own place in this larger, often frightening reality, propelling her towards a new understanding of herself and the human experience.
Literary Works Similar to “In the Waiting Room” by Elizabeth Bishop
- “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot
Like Bishop’s poem, this work delves into a character’s inner thoughts and existential doubts, exploring themes of identity, isolation, and the fear of self-discovery. - “Birches” by Robert Frost
Frost’s poem reflects on innocence and the transition to self-awareness, much like Bishop’s exploration of a child’s encounter with a broader understanding of life and identity. - “Ariel” by Sylvia Plath
Plath’s poem portrays a powerful journey of self-realization and transformation, similar to the narrator’s profound moment of identity awareness in “In the Waiting Room.” - “Song of Myself” by Walt Whitman
Whitman’s celebration of individual identity and interconnectedness with humanity parallels Bishop’s themes of belonging and the search for self in a larger world. - “The Fish” by Elizabeth Bishop
Another of Bishop’s own works, this poem also examines human empathy and connection through observation, reflecting on identity and mortality, similar to “In the Waiting Room.”
Representative Quotations of “In the Waiting Room” by Elizabeth Bishop
| Quotation | Context | Theoretical Perspective |
| “In Worcester, Massachusetts, I went with Aunt Consuelo” | The opening line situates the poem in a specific, mundane setting, emphasizing the ordinariness that contrasts with the narrator’s internal transformation. | New Historicism – The specific historical and geographic setting grounds the poem in reality, allowing for analysis of cultural and social context. |
| “the waiting room was full of grown-up people” | The young narrator feels surrounded by adults, highlighting her separation from them and her status as a child. | Psychoanalytic Theory – Emphasizes the child’s awareness of the adult world, a significant factor in her identity formation and individuation. |
| “Without thinking at all I was my foolish aunt” | The narrator’s shocking realization of her voice merging with her aunt’s symbolizes a blurring of identities. | Existentialism – Reflects existential questioning as the narrator’s self merges momentarily with another, challenging boundaries of individual identity. |
| “I was saying it to stop the sensation of falling off the round, turning world” | The narrator tries to stabilize herself during her existential crisis, clinging to facts as a grounding mechanism. | Phenomenology – Explores the subjective experience of the narrator, who perceives her identity and reality slipping away. |
| “you are an I, you are an Elizabeth” | The narrator suddenly recognizes herself as a distinct individual, a transformative realization of her own identity. | Identity Theory – Examines the self-awareness that arises when the narrator perceives herself as an “I,” marking a moment of self-identification. |
| “What similarities—boots, hands, the family voice” | The narrator questions the traits that unite her with others, pondering what connects her to humanity. | Structuralism – Focuses on the elements (voice, hands) that signify shared human experience, revealing the structures underlying identity. |
| “Why should I be my aunt, or me, or anyone?” | This line expresses the narrator’s bewilderment at her own existence and identity, questioning the arbitrary nature of selfhood. | Existentialism – Embodies existential uncertainty, as the narrator questions why she exists as herself, touching on ideas of randomness in identity. |
| “How had I come to be here, like them, and overhear a cry of pain” | The narrator reflects on her shared vulnerability with others after hearing her aunt’s cry, emphasizing human connection. | Humanism – Highlights shared human experiences, with the narrator feeling connected to others through empathy and a common experience of pain. |
| “The waiting room was bright and too hot” | The setting becomes stifling and uncomfortable, reflecting the narrator’s internal sense of anxiety and disorientation. | Psychoanalytic Theory – The oppressive setting mirrors the narrator’s growing psychological discomfort as she confronts her self-awareness. |
| “The War was on. Outside, in Worcester, Massachusetts, were night and slush and cold” | References to World War I ground the narrator’s crisis in a larger, shared historical context, linking personal and global experience. | New Historicism – The mention of World War I ties the individual experience to broader historical and social contexts, underscoring collective trauma. |
Suggested Readings: “In the Waiting Room” by Elizabeth Bishop
- Edelman, Lee, and Elizabeth Bishop. “The Geography of Gender: Elizabeth Bishop’s ‘In the Waiting Room.'” Contemporary Literature, vol. 26, no. 2, 1985, pp. 179–96. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/1207932. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
- Flynn, Richard. “ELIZABETH BISHOP’S SANITY: Childhood Trauma, Psychoanalysis, and Sentimentality.” Elizabeth Bishop and the Literary Archive, edited by Bethany Hicok, Lever Press, 2019, pp. 45–64. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.3998/mpub.11649332.7. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
- Travisano, Thomas. “The Elizabeth Bishop Phenomenon.” New Literary History, vol. 26, no. 4, 1995, pp. 903–30. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/20057324. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
- White, Heather Cass. “Elizabeth Bishop’s Calling.” Twentieth Century Literature, vol. 48, no. 2, 2002, pp. 117–49. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/3176014. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
- Treseler, Heather. “‘TOO SHY TO STOP’: Elizabeth Bishop and the Scene of Reading.” Elizabeth Bishop and the Literary Archive, edited by Bethany Hicok, Lever Press, 2019, pp. 17–44. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.3998/mpub.11649332.6. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.