To Help the Monkey Cross the River

The speaker has a bird’s eye view of the river and the monkey swimming across it. They also hold a rifle, signifying the power of human technology, and believe they can control the fate of the monkey. In this, the speaker is akin to a superior being who watches the affairs of others and seeks to intervene as needed. The intentions and efficacy of this superior being shift throughout the poem. In the beginning, it seems they are intensely worried about the monkey’s fate—anticipating dangers the creature cannot. The speaker wants to rescue the monkey from predators by pulling the trigger of their rifle. This is analogous to a deus ex machina, or an act of god—a plot device where an unexpected power suddenly resolves a helpless situation.

It turns out that the speaker’s motive is not to kill the predator, which symbolizes life-threatening danger, but only to hurry the monkey along. Thus, the speaker wants to save the monkey by instilling fear in it. The monkey is too foolhardy in its innocence. This is an ironic twist on the idea of a benevolent god. If the speaker represents a superior being, their modus operandi is difficult to understand.