The Example

Song Meaning

The lyrics present a stark, almost fable-like contrast between John Henderson, a man consumed by intellectual despair, and his sister Mary Lunn, who embraces a life of unrestrained pleasure. John’s “gloomy looks” and “desperation” stem from his “unbelieving” nature and excessive reading, making him a “pest.” Mary, equally unbelieving, finds joy in drinking, dancing, and boisterous interactions, embodying a carefree, almost hedonistic existence. The central tension lies in their divergent responses to a lack of faith, with the narrative voice observing and ultimately judging both. While John’s intellectualism leads to a “decline” and paralysis, Mary’s “dissipation” ultimately leads to a long life, though she becomes an “appalling bore.” This ironic twist suggests that neither extreme—intellectual brooding nor unbridled indulgence—guarantees a fulfilling end. The most striking craft element is the almost clinical, detached narration that delivers a darkly humorous, anticlimactic punchline. The purported “moral” about not “monkey[ing] with the Creed” is delivered with tongue firmly in cheek, especially after detailing the unfortunate fates of both the pious-seeming John and the pleasure-seeking Mary. The poem’s structure, moving from character sketches to their eventual, unexpected demises, builds to this ironic pronouncement. These lyrics land with a peculiar, unsettling effectiveness because they subvert expectations of moral consequence. Instead of a clear reward for piety or punishment for sin, the poem offers a bleakly comic commentary on the futility of seeking definitive answers, whether through faith or through living. The narrator’s final, glib pronouncement underscores the absurdity of trying to impose simple morals on complex lives.