‘Not Waving But Drowning’ by Stevie Smith explores the idea of isolation by being misunderstood by the people around you. The poet deepens the reader’s appreciation of the theme by employing imagery, contrast and an ambiguous tone. In the first verse both physical and emotional isolation are explored with the imagery of a drowned man. The first line, “Nobody heard him”, introduces the physical isolation of the man as he was so far away …showed first 75 words of 832 total…

…showed last 75 words of 832 total…seem very personal which deepens the reader’s appreciation of the theme of isolation. Repetition also is used effectively to reinforce the meaning of certain phrases making them stand out helping us to appreciate them, and so the theme, in the context. Isolation is explored deeply as the main theme of the poem showing how important a factor it can be in people’s personal lives and yet not visible to the people around them.