This question is based on Selected Poems from Johnson,R.et al (eds.): New Poetry from African (ed); Poems of…

Analyze the question: George Herbert's "The Pulley" is a metaphysical poem. The question asks what literary device the title represents.

Explain the concept:

• Fable: a short story, usually with animals, that teaches a moral.
• Euphemism: a mild word used in place of a harsh or unpleasant one.
• Allegory: a whole work in which characters and events stand for deeper moral or spiritual meanings.
• Symbolism: an object or image that represents an abstract idea.

The poem: God creates man and pours out gifts on him: strength, beauty, wisdom, honour, pleasure. He holds back one gift, rest, so that man will not rest in the gifts themselves and forget the Giver. Because man lacks rest, he stays restless and is pulled back to God, "toil... weariness." The pulley is a device that lifts or draws something upward.

Solution: The "pulley" is not a literal pulley. It stands for the restlessness or weariness that draws man toward God. An object is being used to represent an abstract idea, so the title is an example of symbolism.

You could argue the poem as a whole has allegorical features, since it retells a creation story with a moral. But the question asks specifically about the title, which is a single object standing for an idea. That is symbolism. It is also not a fable (no animal characters) and not a euphemism (nothing is being softened).

Tip: When a question asks about a title or a single object that stands for an idea, think symbolism. Think allegory only when the entire story or poem works as an extended representation.