who cut their wrists three times successively unsuccessfully
Ginsberg presents the strong desires of the generation not to live dull and monotonous lives such as working in "antique stores", instead they would rather cut their wrists in an attempt to escape such a future.
who jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge this actually happened and walked away unknown and forgotten into the ghostly daze
The best minds of Ginsberg's generation are classified as outcasts so much so that even in the event of their death, society would remain unaffected and unaltered.
The river sweats Oil and tar
Eliot explores the themes of nature and non-nature, focusing specifically within the themes on the motif of pollution. Pollution exists as the link between nature and non-nature. In this case the “river” signifies nature whilst “Oil and tar” signify non-nature. It is only through spoiling nature, that “Oil and tar” become pollution.
Eliot successfully captures the industrial state of America during the 1920s through the motif of pollution. Due to the huge boom in industry, more and more waste was subsequently created. Eliot effectively forms a commentary on the negative ways in which society therefore spoils nature through the waste and by-products it creates.
The image of pollution spreading throughout water is particularly effective as it suggests how pollution formed by society becomes almost uncontainable after it has been created. As “Oil and tar” continue to spread further down the river, pollution too continues to spread, spoiling nature and leaving it in a state of ruin.
Additionally through Eliot’s choice of oil and tar as the materials to represent pollution he emphasises the extreme nature and impact that society has upon nature. As the process of removing oil and tar from water is particularly challenging, Eliot suggests the severe significance of the pollution created by society, even perhaps proposing its irreversible nature.
The motif of pollution runs throughout the poem however it could also be said that the poem itself is polluted. The poem being a combination of fragments appears almost jumbled together, each stanza different to another. Pollution in the form of waste or rubbish is jumbled together in a similar way, each fragment within the poem can therefore be interpreted as a different piece of waste that collectively forms pollution.
One thing they cannot prohibit
The White American is deemed powerful, however their power is weakened through the inability to contain or limit the ever growing strength of the African American slaves. Such strength can be interpreted as the individual growing stronger, or African Americans collectively as the entire enslaved race.
They point with pride to the roads you built for them
The white American is painted in a selfish and greedy way. Despite it being African Americans who endured the awful working conditions in order to meet gruelling demands, white Americans claimed the hard work and success as their own.
They taught you the religion they disgraced. You sang
Brown's repetition of "they" and "you" throughout the poem creates a strong division and sense of segregation between the white "they" and the African American slaves.
“I, Too, Sing America” (1926) I, too, sing America.
"I, too, sing America" suggests equality between White and African American people. By repeating the title as the first line of poem Hughes emphasises the equality that exists.
They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes
Segregation is evident, being the "darker brother" he is hidden away, isolated from the white company.
In the home they read white papers and magazines
Examples of a conscious effort to act white.
“Don’t be like niggers” when the children are bad
Despite being African American herself the mother associates her own race and being "bad" with one another. Why would she teach this to her children?
for no great poet has ever been afraid of being himself
The desire to be a white poet results in people wishing to change their identity and who they are. Black poets become afraid of their own identity due to the way in which people will negatively perceive their work and disregard it. I too draw connections to Du Bois who in contrast was able to write to a white audience whilst being respected despite his race.
The river sweats Oil and tar
When exploring nature and the anti nature it is necessary to look at the theme more specifically and concentrate on the significance of pollution within the poem. Pollution links nature and anti nature to one another as in most cases pollution only exists when it spoils something (in this case nature). "The river" (nature) is polluted by the "oil and tar" (anti nature).
hyacinth girl
Is there any significance in Eliot's choice of flower? Does a hyacinth have a particular meaning?
Bin gar keine Russin, stamm’ aus Litauen, echt deutsch.
Why does Eliot use more than one language?
for lack of love alone
many a man is making friends with death
I have promises to keep
What are the promises he has to keep?
I took the one less traveled by
Does he regret his decision or is he pleased that he chose the less popular route?
I spun, I wove, I kept the house, I nursed the sick, I made the garden
Lucinda Matlock's life is made to feel monotonous through Master's use of listing. Despite this however her life is still presented to be joyful and fulfilling.
I must not let her find me writing.
For a second time the way in which she must not be caught writing is described, by repeating this Gilman highlights her limitations once more and suggests how she is a victim of control.
the windows are barred
Gilman again explores the theme of isolation and entrapment, the windows being barred suggests a lack of control and a restriction of freedom.
I was a little thing
Allows the reader to empathise with Du Bois' innocence
gray hills
Levine presents a bleak and gloomy industrial landscape/ruined city.