As the title poem of Rich's seventh book of poems, "Diving Into the Wreck" brings together some major themes of her works, the social roles and stigmas associated with men and women and self-exploration and discovery. A strong believer in sexual equality and liberal ideas about women's role in society, Rich approaches this work as a poetic account of an aquatic explorer searching for the truth behind the myth that is the "wreck."
             Rich's poem doesn't redefine any social standards or directly challenge her patriarchal culture; it does, however, introduce to the reader the idea of the quest that she believes each person should take in order to find their truth. Her purpose reflects a desire to help open the minds of others as opposed to changing their thoughts and ideas for them.
             First having read the book of myths,
             and checked the edge of the knife-blade,
             The first lines alone confirm to the reader that the focus of the poem revolves more around the process of the exploration rather than the analysis of the wreckage. She refrains from complete personal analysis of the wreckage because she herself believes in the individuality of the mind. By describing the tedious process of preparing one's human self for this exploration, Rich conveys to the reader that this journey is not one to be taken lightly, and one must know what he or she is getting into and be ready for what the discovery may bring.
             The last stanza (above) further encourages the reader to embark on their journey.
             Another strong theme of "Diving Into the Wreck" revolves around the "t
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