When a person feels sad or lonely, they usually resort to inanimate objects to comfort
them. When they observe the objects, they compare them to animals or humans by giving them
uplifting tone, use of symbolism, and imagery proves that even the smallest things in life can
please someone.
In Wordsworth’s poem, the uplifting tone is created by his dialogue. The narrator
describes the daffodils as being happy and gives them human-like traits. The description uses
words such as “twinkle” (8), “sprightly dance” (12), and “sparkling” (14) which provides the
reader with a sense that the narrator views nature as happy and peaceful. “Sprightly dance” gives
the flowers personification because the way they are swaying in the wind it seems as if they are
people dancing. This description also helps the reader understand the tone better because of the
word “sprightly”. This word provides the reader with a light and happy feeling. Wordsworth’s
use of this word makes the reader feel joyful, which applies to the overall tone of the poem. His
tone is also conveyed when the narrator relates the flowers to when lying on a couch. The
portrayal of the couch and the narrator’s mood while on the couch contributes to the tone
because when someone lies on a couch, the mood of that person is relaxed and cheerful. Another
way the tone is revealed is in the final stanzas of the poem. The narrator is finally filled with joy
and realizes that the daffodils are more than just flowers.
Along with tone, Wordsworth also uses symbolism to make the reader realize what
Wordsworth is trying to say. The main symbol in the poem are the daffodils. They represent the
narrator’s friends and family. Because of the loneliness of the narrator, he resorts to view nature
through a new lens. He notices that the daffodils behave like a group of people dancing while Murray 2
“fluttering” (6) in the wind. When the narrator realizes this, he feels like the daffodils are his
friends and that they can keep him company in his time of sorrow. Despite his sadness, he finds a
way to break that by coming to nature and just watching. More symbolism is used when the
narrator goes on to talk about the tall grass. The grass is compared to waves flowing in the
breeze also they dance like the daffodils. The narrator sees the grass and is mesmerized by its
flow and tranquility. This symbolism helps Wordsworth convey his tone because the reader can
make the connections between the symbolism and relate it to the feeling and overall meaning of
the poem. Without the symbolism, the poem would feel dry and be hard to understand the full
meaning. Another reason the symbolism in this poem is so important is because it gives it a
Lastly, the images created through Wordsworth’s diction help us determine the true
meaning of the whole poem. Words that are used to produce an image are “waves in glee” (13)
and “stars that shine” (7). The first phrase that Wordsworth uses to display an image makes the
reader think of happiness and delightfulness. Once again, the narrator is describing the tall grass
as being waves. These waves, however, are not just regular waves; they are waves filled with
joy. The image created is small, little waves crashing on the sand, just the picture to describe the
tone of the poem. This image also contributes to the tone because the waves are peaceful and
inspiring. The other phrase gives off an illuminating image because of Wordsworth’s word
choice. The word "shine" is describing the daffodils and how in the wind they twinkle, like a star
would. This image that is created vividly reflects the tone in two ways. One, the words used give
the reader an image relative to the tone. The other way is that it proves that the tone is fluent
In life, people need comfort. They can achieve this by interpreting the small things, such
as flowers. In Wordsworth’s poem, the tone, imagery, and symbolism proves this statement to be
true: even the smallest things in life can bring pleasure to someone.
