The Poem 'Because I could not stop for Death' talks about the personification of death. Death is personified as a gentleman taking the lady through different phases of life, This Poems essentially brings out the mysteries of life, the childhood ( the school), youth (Gazing grain) , and old age (Setting Sun). The poet describes the journey as a slow drive, passing through all different places symbolizing different stages. The childhood was beautifully portrayed in the form of school where the children played in the ring. As I think, the poet is bringing out the life as a child and how happy it is. Children strove at Recess sounds like the happy moments of childhood where one takes life easily and happily.
Poet describes the adulthood as Grazing Grain and the old age as Setting sun. The sentence or rather - He passed us refers to sun setting, and I think that it has a deeper meaning. When one approaches the old age, they don't even think, how the time is passed by and how slowly we getting closer to death. It is not their intention, but it happens without notice. It does happen, but it leads to eternity.
The flowers is a short story by Alice Walker, which deals with a morning in a young girl's life. It talks about the girl who goes out to pick the flowers and on her way back comes across a person who was murder long ago. Walker reminds us that the childhood innocence can not escape the brunt of the reality.
At this point I want to bring out the similarities between the poem and the story. Death obviously seems to be a common theme between the two. it converys a message that death is inevitable, and is also a part of life. Everybody has to face it. It may come as a surprise as in Flowers, or it could take its own journey as in Because I could not stop for Death.
Another striking similarity between the two, is the description of surroundings as the death approached. The dews drew quivering chill. We passed before a house...