Point of View

“Diving into the Wreck” is written in first-person point of view and follows a linear narrative throughout the poem. The poem’s narrative, while on the surface about diving into the ocean, can be interpreted as an extended metaphor.

However, if we look at the poem in conversation with the collection it is published in, the speaker may represent someone from a group that diverges from the typical societal expectations of the time and therefore has experienced certain struggles associated with that identity. The collection’s focus on themes of gender, sexuality, feminism, power dynamics, and other socio-political topics offers insight into which type of group the speaker may be representing.

It is also possible that the poem is written in a confessional or persona style, where the speaker represents Rich, or a specific individual she has in mind, exploring the depths of their own...