In seventh grade social studies, our teacher Mrs. Hebert (pronounced AY-bair here in Louisiana) had us to memorize every stanza of Lewis Carroll’s classic, The Walrus and The Carpenter, as a lesson on life, literature, and legacy:
The time has come, the Walrus said,
To talk of many things:
Of shoes — and ships — and sealing-wax —
Of cabbages — and kings —
And why the sea is boiling hot —
And whether pigs have wings?…
Before then, she had us memorize excerpts of our nation's historical documents, as well as an essay. As I recall, our memorization venture began with the first two paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence, at least up to the words “their Safety and Happiness.”
Of course, the preamble to the U.S. Constitution was the easiest.
The Gettysburg Address was a wee bit difficult because I kept mixing up two lines toward its end, transposing their order during my recitation.
I always had incentive to learn my lines quicky because paired up, we recited them to one another and were through once we achieved success. Then we were on vacation, listening to our classmates and helping them to learn their lines.
That was during my second and last year at N.P. Moss School, before we headed across the city to an all-eighth grade school, and thereafter, were broken up into at least three different high schools, not including the private and parochial ones.
Yet these timeless writings from history and literature have stayed within me throughout my decades and molded my foundation, and for that, I thank Mrs. Hebert dearly.
As an adult, I even used them as one of my writing tips and techniques for writer’s block in a short read I penned, For Shakespeare's Stepchildren: 10 Essential Writing Tips and Techniques : Secrets of Successful Writers.
Whenever I found myself staring at a blank computer screen, I simply started typing from memory, “When in the course of human events…” Or—depending upon my mood, I’d type, “Four score and seven years ago…”
And voilà! Before long, my creative juices resumed flowing and gone was my writer’s block. The key was to just start brainstorming and typing anything that comes to mind, but thanks to Mrs. Hebert, I had history and literature at my beck and call.
As an adult, I reconciled the fact that the Founding Fathers were not including my ancestors when they signed off on many of these documents because they considered them as property and were slaveowners, themselves.
But like the Gentiles in the Bible, I didn’t mind eventually being grafted in even though that shouldn't have had to be the case from the start. After all, we must all be fully grafted to flourish and help the vine grow and grow.
I believe that Mrs. Hebert wanted us to carry these writings not only in our hearts and minds, but to know like the Walrus, that the time will come in life to talk of many things. And today, like most days, definitely marks that time.
We learned as we grew older that there are different people in life: The Walrus, the Carpenter and the young, naive Oysters that others still prey upon to this day. Wouldn’t you agree? Thank goodness, we have the older, wise Oysters who guide us (if we listen), and let us know that there are always options.
We also learned that life is both simple and complex. And we learned that our imagination can take us anywhere we want to go. We are not limited.
We learned that we can debate, and agree to disagree on whether pigs have wings?
For what the poem’s characters symbolized and represented in life, I asked ChatGPT for an analysis of each, and here is its response:
The Walrus
- Charismatic but manipulative figure.
- Represents charming leaders, persuasive influencers, or those who use emotion and empathy to
gain trust. - Feigns compassion (“weeped”) while still participating in harm.
- Symbol of false sincerity, emotional manipulation, or performative morality.
The Carpenter
- Practical, focused on logistics (“cut us another slice”).
- Represents those who follow orders or go along with wrongdoing without questioning.
- May not feign sympathy like the Walrus but still takes part in the act.
- Symbol of compliance, moral detachment, or passive complicity.
The Oysters – Naive & Small
- Innocent, trusting, and unaware of danger.
- Symbolize children, the uninformed, or those new to the world and easily swayed.
- Represent people who follow along due to curiosity, hope, or lack of experience.
The “Wiser” Oysters Who Stayed Behind
- Refused the invitation to walk with the Walrus and Carpenter.
- Represent critical thinkers, cautious observers, or those who “see through the charm”.
- Often viewed as quiet rebels, safety-seekers, or protectors of wisdom.
* * *
Wasn’t that analysis intriguing? I found it to be so.
Reflecting back, Mrs. Hebert could have been a sister or cousin of Aunt Bee from the 1960s popular sitcom The Andy Griffith Show. She was matronly, which may no longer be PC today, but that is the only way I know to best describe her.
Like Aunt Bee, Mrs. Hebert was a no-nonsense person. Unlike Aunt Bee, I don’t recall ever seeing her smile. At 12 years old, we considered her as probably the most stern teacher there. But that trait didn’t faze me because I enjoyed her class and loved history.
I still admire the fact that she made us memorize what she considered as important to our well-being and future.
Mrs. Hebert lived right off Johnston Street in Lafayette in a mauve-colored house. Perhaps, in was once pink but had faded and darkened with time. Sometimes, when my sister and I accompanied my mother to the nearby Kroger’s, we would see her outside garden tending to her flowers as we walked by, and Mama always paused to exchange a greeting or two.
I never knew if there were a Mr. Hebert and even Little Heberts. Nor at my young age did I ever wonder, or even care. She was just Mrs. Hebert—or perhaps, Ms. Hebert—my seventh grade social studies teacher, and that is how she has remained to this day.
I also did not know who the school’s namesake, N.P. Moss, was, nor did it cross my mind.
When the school was renamed as Dr. Raphael A. Baranco Elementary School during my adult years, I knew Dr. Baranco because he had been my father’s dentist and was a prominent African American leader. He was a successful businessman and the first Black elected to the Lafayette Parish School Board.
As time moved on, Kroger became the Jefferson Street Post Office, which was later consumed into a parking lot and what is now the Rosa Parks Transportation Center.
Most of all, I learned in life that history both evolves and repeats itself, and vice versa. And that literature is the thread that weaves life together.
~ ~ ~
I’m Ruth Anita Foote, an award-winning journalist, historian, author, and online entrepreneur — passionate about helping you enhance your business, career, and lifestyle. Whether you need writing, editing, research, or online business development, I’m here to support your growth. My goal is to empower you to elevate your success and make a lasting impact in your field. You can connect to all my social media platforms through Linktr.ee.
