Alcoholism Essay, Research Paper

The Heavy Bear Who Goes With Me Alcohol, probably the oldest drug known, has

been used since the earliest of societies for celebration, rituals, and other

social situations. In the early 1920?s, society viewed alcohol as more of a

social problem. The 18th amendment was passed to outlaw the consumption, sale,

or trade of alcohol. This action caused much more delinquency, as a result of

gangsters, and other organized crimes against the government. Prohibition was

abolished with the 21st amendment in 1933. The poem ?The Heavy Bear Who Goes

With Me? was written only a few years after prohibition and reflects the true

nature of alcoholism. Although alcoholism was still frowned upon in this era,

Schwartz uses a bear to expose and reflect the true nature of alcoholism. In the

last stanza, ?The secret life of belly and bone? shows that Schwartz feels

that alcoholism is still unacceptable behavior. Schwartz uses physical,

emotional, and psychological aspects of a bear to explain the nature of

alcoholism. Schwartz gives the bear human characteristics that would be true of

an alcoholic, ?Clumsy and lumbering here and there? and ?In love with

candy, anger, and sleep.? Much like bears, people who are alcoholics, may

experience a great deal of difficulty keeping his/her balance or controlling

their emotions. Schwartz furthers this metaphor of an alcoholic by showing a

physical dependence: ?Trembles and shows the darkness beneath.? Due to

withdrawal, an alcoholic may wake up in the morning with tremors and distress

that require a drink for relief. The bear is also eager to engulf his physical

need as shown in the line, ?A manifold honey to smear on his face.? This

strong need for alcohol outweighs what a person knows and understands about the

effect on the body. Schwartz conveys to his readers that alcoholism is an

inevitable burden. He tells us the bear is ?That inescapable animal walks with

me / Moves where I move, distorting my gesture.? It is apparent that Schwartz

feels that alcoholism is a burden. Conflicts with culture may make it difficult

for some people to develop their own stable attitudes and moderate patterns of

drinking. An alcoholic may feel the drinking is a way to become more sociable or

change their mood. The author shows that although the bear appears to be

confident, he has many insecurities, ?The strutting show-off is terrified,

dressed in his dress-suit.? Schwartz shows an unhealthy connection to

drinking, ?A sweetness intimate as the waters clasp.? This line explains the

emotional hold alcohol has over the bear. Using the word ?intimate,? he

shares with the readers what a very personal issue this is for an alcoholic.

When he describes the ?waters clasp,? the reader is able to understand what

a strong grasp alcohol has over him. The bear ?Howls in his sleep because of

the tightrope? to further explain the emotional pain associated with this

illness. Along with physical and emotional duress, the psychology of an

alcoholic is a deep, recurring issue. An alcoholic who has sustained from

drinking is referred to as a ?recovering alcoholic,? not as a ?cured

alcoholic.? The author is unable to freely admit this is a problem for him; he

uses the bear as a scapegoat. Schwartz tells us the story of the bear on his

back. He leads the readers to believe that if it weren?t for the bear that

everything would be okay. He states, ?With whom I would walk without him

near.? If the author could do this and leave his unbearable problems, he feels

it ?would bare my heart and make me clear.? An alcoholic must recognize that

he or she is powerless over alcohol, and seek help from a higher power in

regaining control of his or her life. Alcoholism is an extremely serious problem

it both today as it was yesterday. The poem ?The Heavy Bear Who Goes With

Me? was written to expose a serious problem in an era where there was little

or no help for this serious illness. The disorder is marked by extreme or

compulsive use of alcohol. This horrifying disease strikes millions of

Americans, ?The scrimmage of appetite everywhere.? Schwartz complaints of

the bear and describes it as a continuing problem throughout society. The author

is able to articulate the seriousness of alcoholism using metaphors of a bear. A

reader must read between the lines to understand how Schwartz conveys that

alcoholism affects a person physically, emotionally, and psychologically.