The poem, "Not Waving but Drowning" written by Stevie Smith strongly exemplifies the deceptive attitudes of people when hiding their true melancholy. Smith uses a drowning situation to familiarize the reaction of onlookers and society. In the poem, the victim gives false interpretation to those around him as they think he "[loves] larking" in the sea. He does this to hide his true feelings, similar to how most people attempt to hide their personal misfortunes. Eventually, the victim realizes he needs external help, by then however, the on-lookers ignore him. The onlookers do not reali…
