Noiseless, Patient Spider by Walt Wittman explores the complex theme of finding meaning in a meaningless world. Similar to the story of Sisyphus the spider in the poem is stuck in a vacant land surrounded by nothing but open space, constantly creating webs and then tearing them back down to no avail. The spider represents the speaker who feels as though nothing he does allows him to find meaning in his life and he finds himself hoping that his web might finally catch something. 

We believe the answers to the speaker’s problem lie in Natasha Bedingfields fantastic song “Unwritten”. The central metaphor at the heart of this song is that of the speakers life as a story beginning the song by saying I am unwritten the speaker than makes it clear she is writing her own story

The pen’s in my hand ending unplanned

This strongly connects to the romantic idea of nonconformity and individual experience. The speaker refuses to allow her life to be controlled by others around her

I break tradition sometimes my tries are outside the lines

Bedingfield makes it clear that in order to find meaning in your life you have to take decisive action and steer your own ship. She then writes

Reaching for something in the distance, so close you can almost taste it, release your inhibitions, feel the rain on your skin

The something in the distance here is meaning and joy and the only way you can reach it is to feel the rain on your skin. Bedingfield uses this metaphor of rain hitting your skin to represent living your life in the moment. Not only does this further connect to the romantic idea of connecting with nature but it also answers the question to Whitman’s big question. In order to find meaning in life you have to stop reaching and searching for it and instead release your fears and feel the rain on your skin.