Summary Of Allen Ginsberg's America
analytical Essay
1849 words
War, Minorities and Labor Unions The 1950’s beatniks gather around coffeeshops, writing and grumbling about the unfairness of the government and society’s closed mind. Today, youth gather around their laptops and type away, despairing over the unfairness of the government and society’s closed mind. Allen Ginsberg’s poetry embodies those angry youth. His unique choices in diction, symbolism and imagery artfully conveys his criticism against the wrongdoings of Uncle Sam and his subjects. Through his poem America, Ginsberg reaches out to all generations of people and exposes the ethical mistakes that both the government and society as a whole make, and these mistakes are classic in the sense that it is always a mistake that everyone keeps repeating. In Allen Ginsberg’s poem America, he sloughs off a lot of disappointment in the first two lines, saying “America I’ve given you all and now I’m nothing/ America two dollars and twenty seven cents January 17, 1956” (lines 1-2). The words create this image of a tired man, broke, walking through the streets the day of January 17. The date is unusual in that it has absolutely no historical significance, a contrast with all the other things mentioned in the poem, save for the fact that January 17 is the date the poem was …show more content…
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how allen ginsberg's poetry embodies those angry youth. his unique choices in diction, symbolism and imagery artfully conveys his criticism against the wrongdoings of uncle sam and his subjects.
- Analyzes how allen ginsberg's poem america depicts a tired man, broke, walking through the streets the day of january 17, 1956.
- Analyzes how ginsberg's crestfallen tone shows that, as a citizen, the government let people down.
- Analyzes how guilt-tripped the government, asking when america will be angelic, and complaining about capitalism, citing the evils of consumer culture. the spirit of capitalistic private ownership lead businessmen to create their own rules.
- Analyzes how ginsberg rambles about william burroughs, a beatnik who escaped to morocco, and his rebellious extortions. this imagery uses symbolism seen often in eastern art and literature.
- Analyzes how ginsberg and his contemporaries dreamed of communism, but african americans saw it as the ultimate tool for equality.
- Analyzes how the intensity of corruption varies in places and time eras, but it is present. ginsberg's poetry would be thicker and angrier if he lived today.
- Analyzes the sociological impact of ginsberg's "america sacco and vanzetti must not die" case, which shows distrust over immigrants at the height of the red scare.
- Analyzes how ginsberg glazes over the poem, but he still hasn't given up on his country and fellow men.
- Analyzes how allen ginsberg's america is a giant rant of what is wrong during his generation. he uses heavy imagery and plant symbols to illustrate his point.
The crestfallen tone shows that, as a citizen, the government let people down. Ginsberg thinks that all the economic recovery America gained was through human suffering, since the Depression made a rebound after America started marketing weapons to Europe in World War Two. Uncle Sam has made war the national business. How could you be patriotic towards a country with “libraries full of tears” (12), a country whose history is full of
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In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the poem "america" by tony hoagland reflects on how people's minds are clouded by small-scale items, money, and the unimportance of those items.
- Analyzes the themes of consumerism, capitalism, and greed in hoagland's poem.
- Analyzes how hoagland uses metaphors and imagery to give insight on thoughts of the teacher and his dreams and knowledge.
- Analyzes how the metaphor of "rivers of bright merchandise" gives an image of modern day consumerism.
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734 wordsRead More - Analysis Of Richard Blanco's 'America'analytical essayDifferent Culture Poems are forms of communication that give an applicable view of the past, present and future events. Reading the poem titled “America”, written by Richard Blanco brought me memories from my childhood in my parent’s house and also what is happening now in my house as a parent. The poem explains how one person doesn’t have all the knowledge about something. It also, describes the daily life struggles I experienced during my childhood, when my parent 's and I moved from our hometown to live in another town becuase of their work and it brings to light the conflict of cultures I and my children are going through since we moved to United State of America . Poems are significant because in the poem titled “America”
In this essay, the author
- Explains that different culture poems are forms of communication that give an applicable view of the past, present and future events.
- Analyzes how the poet wrote about tia miriam, who boasted about using peanut butter for hair conditioner and relaxer, but didn't know how to use it as jelly for food.
- Analyzes how the poem "america" shows that not all households in america eat the specific food or drink that has been assigned to a particular occasion due to the poverty of the household, their belief or heritage.
- Analyzes how the poem "america" makes the point that children also do think about comments their parents or older family members make in their household.
- Analyzes how richard blanco discussed how immigrant feel different from the community they lived in in the poem titled "america."
- Analyzes how richard blanco convinced his family to have turkey on thanksgiving day by explaining how lincoln set the slaves and the purple mountain.
- Analyzes how abuelita prepared the poor fowl as if committing an act of treason, so he can celebrate thanksgiving day like any america child.
- Concludes that poems are relevant because they give meaning to the daily clash of cultures between immigrant parents trying to cope with the america culture or the lifestyle of the community they lived in.
1032 wordsRead More - "Out of the rack and ruin of our gangster death,The rape and rot of graft, and stealth, and lies,We, the people, must redeemThe land, the mines, the plants, the rivers.The mountains and the endless plain—All, all the stretch of these great green states—And make America again!” The free America is actually not free, the words on the constitution are just words. The dream has fade away. All these hard working people, all of their bloods and tears had really make the 1 percent of the American’s American dream came true. The reality is such a chaos for the narrator. he has suffered so much from this reality, so he now wants to share his idea to all the readers and try to wake them up, this is not the America that want, this is not the society they want. The American dream does not exist.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how langston hughes' "let america be america again" creates sympathies through metaphor and parallel structure o show that with great economy is built above slavery, blood and tears.
- Opines that man should not be treated differently because of the skin colors.
- Opines that people should not be treated differently because different classes. the lower class suffered a lot from the top class in america.
- Opines that the free america is not free, the words on the constitution are just words. the narrator wants to share his idea to all the readers and try to wake them up.
- Opines that people are on their way to make america be america, but people should treat each other the same and admit that every man is just a man.
832 wordsRead More - Social Pressures Reflected in Ginsberg's Howlanalytical essay...d, was accepted in to the daily works, he proved that the life of one person honestly can change the world. His contribution to literature is the greatest of his time, and should be admired for the courage in adversity shown throughout all his works. A great man, Hubert H. Humphrey once said, "The great challenge which faces us is to assure that, in our society of big-ness, we do not strangle the voice of creativity, that the rules of the game do not come to overshadow its purpose, that the grand orchestration of society leaves ample room for the man who marches to the music of a different drummer." If this is indeed the great challenge facing all of us, Ginsberg certainly pushed America and Americans in the right direction with poems like "Howl," proving that endurance will win out over adversity if we, like
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how ginsberg's howl reflects the social pressures of the 1950s and 60s in america. these men became the basis of an underground network of dissident writers, teachers, artists and filmmakers
- Analyzes how allen ginsberg's "howl" portrays the lives of many of his closest friends and associates, including jack kerouac and neal cassady.
- Analyzes how "howl," published in 1956, is a poem in three parts. the first section explains how allen ginsberg saw "the best minds" of his generation "destroyed by madness."
- Analyzes the social power of ginsberg's statements, and concludes that society was not welcoming to him. he reacted to that through his writing, especially in "howl."
- Analyzes how ginsberg describes almost everything about american culture as a moloch in "howl."
- Opines that moloch's mind is pure machinery, his blood is running money, and his fingers are ten armies. his breast is a cannibal dynamo.
- Analyzes how the third section of "howl" is a striking contrast to the other two parts. it is written directly to ginsberg's lover, carl solomon.
- Analyzes how the subject of ping-pong comes up frequently in "howl," and it is believed to represent ginsberg's emotions in relation to his changing perspective of american society.
- Analyzes how ginsberg in "howl" reflects on his life and points out all the good things. it is ironically the happier end to a blatantly hellish poem.
- Analyzes how the poet, allen ginsberg, has gone through the horrifying experiences described from life in these pages. he has found a fellow whom he can love without looking aside in howl. the spirit of love survives to ennoble our lives.
- Explains that allen ginsberg endured more in a span of thirty years than most would have had to deal with in two lifetimes. his ability to face the world and the society that drove him to such lengths was amazing.
- Opines that ginsberg's contribution to literature is the greatest of his time, and should be admired for the courage in adversity shown throughout all his works.
914 wordsRead More - Analysis of John Steinbeck´s Paradox and Dreamanalytical essayAmericans strive to obtain the American dream, but they fail to realize that it is our own dissatisfaction and anger that get in our way of keeping the American dream alive. John Steinbeck’s, “Paradox and Dream”, describes these paradoxes that linger in almost all Americans lives. Steinbeck shows how Americans believe in these things, but they contradict them by the actions they take or the words we say. He describes how Americans are dissatisfied, angry and intemperate. John Steinbeck portrayed a negative attitude towards Americans and their ideals by displaying how most are dissatisfied and angry, intemperate and opinionated, and believe in these certain things about ourselves that are not always true.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how john steinbeck's "paradox and dream" describes the paradoxes that linger in almost all americans lives. he depicts a negative attitude towards americans and their ideals.
- Analyzes how john steinbeck shows how americans are dissatisfied and angry with many things in their life.
- Analyzes how steinbeck shows how americans are intemperate people who always want things to go the way they want. they also use the paradox that states, "a vegetarian among us would outlaw the eating of meat."
- Analyzes how steinbeck explained how americans believe in certain myths about themselves that in most cases are not true. they believe that they can take care of themselves, but most don't know how to butcher a pig.
- Analyzes how steinbeck's "paradox and dream" creates a negative attitude towards american people and the ideals they have. he uses paradoxes to show how americans are unappeased and frustrated with many things.
654 wordsRead More - Allen Ginsberganalytical essayGinsberg’s poems were that of a revolutionary and showed his dislikes of American Society and the Injustices throughout America. Ginsberg’s most recognized and an earliest poem was Howl and other poems written in 1956 (Ostriker 4). Howl being one of Ginsberg’s most infamous poems has been translated to the T. In Alicia Ostriker’s criticism of Howl she relates Ginsberg’s “Meloch” in part two of Howl to many of the evils that befall this nation today (5). Ostriker states, “Ginsberg’s mind forged Meloch likewise as oppressiveness of a modern industrial and military state, excluded from reason. Ginsberg’s Meloch is also the modern version of Mammon, the capitalism of unobtainable dollars… running money… electricity and banks. (7).” Howl records in veiled fashion, the humiliation and crippling of a population of immigrants to shores, which promised, hope and produced despair (3). In the poem Howl’s (1956) first lines, “ I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked dragging themselves through the Negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix. (Ginsberg, Howl)” Ginsberg is speaking of the destruction that drugs have caused in American Society and America’s addiction to drugs.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how ginsberg relates his dislikes towards the capitalist economy and the injustices in america to capitalism.
- Analyzes how helen vendler says these lines summed up the poem's rage towards capitalism and capitalism’s imperialistic shadow.
- Narrates how they used to be a communist when they were kids, and they're not sorry.
- Analyzes how ginsberg questions america's past and present policies dealing with communist countries.
- Analyzes how ginsberg is reflecting on america's foolish reactions to communist russia referred to as her and america as him.
- Analyzes how ginsberg challenged government issues of privacy and personal freedom while earning himself a spot on the fbi's potentially dangerous and subversive list.
- Analyzes how ginsberg gained the attention and followers of the beat generation through his poems and lectures.
- Analyzes alicia ostriker's "howl revisited: the poet as jew" in the american poetry review.
- Analyzes helen vendler's book, "allen ginsberg: in soul says: on recent poetry.
- Explains that allen ginsberg started his infamous life as a revolutionary and poet of the beat generation when he attended colombia university.
- Analyzes how ginsberg's more politically inspired poems include hadda be playing on the jukebox, america, and industrial waves.
- Analyzes how ginsberg's anger over the widespread corruption in america is seen in the following lines.
- Analyzes how ginsberg struggles with his dislikes, grievances and hopes of and for america in his politically inspired poem america.
- Opines that the russia wants to eat us alive. she wants our cars from out our garages.
1588 wordsRead More - Allen Ginsberg: The Beat Generationanalytical essay...ortant to understand when examining the Beat Generation since many of its readers sympathized with the message that the pocketbook poem successfully conveyed, allowing Ginsberg to have great influence on his future actions towards the Beat movement.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that allen ginsberg was born in newark, new jersey on june 2nd, 1926. his mother, naomi, suffered from multiple mental illnesses and was institutionalized several times.
- Analyzes how ginsberg became a leading apostle of the so-called beat movement. he advocated free, unstructured composition, allowing him to write down and publish his thoughts and feelings without revision.
- Explains that ginsberg's personal and artistic development began after he began friendships with william burroughs and jack kerouac.
- Explains that allen ginsberg, gary snyder, jack kerouac, william burroughs, and lawrence ferlinghetti used their writing to convey their opposition to the cultural and aesthetic standards of previous generations.
- Illustrates how ginsberg's famous poem "howl" marked his artistic maturity and established him as a leading voice of the beat movement.
- Analyzes how ginsberg's connection with carl solomon in rockland mental hospital inspires him to a triumphant affirmation of spiritual solidarity and love.
- Explains that ginsberg began traveling frequently, visiting burroughs in tangier, spain, italy, vienna, munich, and paris, where he wrote much of "kaddish".
1459 wordsRead More - Literary Analysis Of How Our World Lies By Ginsberganalytical essayA Literary Analysis: How Our World Lies Everyone is always happy in the ‘50’s. With the picket fence, perfect family, fresh cut grass, it is no wonder why everyone wished they lived in the ‘50’s. In Ginsberg’s poem, Howl, pages cut through the fantasy to deliver us the background of this media-portrayed lifestyle. The communism, failed education system, and corruption of the government – a century filled with enough injustice to drive one into madness.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how ginsberg uses the metaphor of moloch to represent all things evil, with the government being a part of that category.
- Opines that the corruption of the early 20th century is no different in this century; the existence of moloch is seen in our day-to-day lives.
- Analyzes how ginsberg's poem, howl, illustrates the corruption in education and government that remains indifferent to the present time.
- Analyzes how ginsberg's poem "i'm with you in rockland" delivered a sense of unity and compassion that the poem lacked because of an overabundance of corruption
- Analyzes how the university of hawai’i's chancellor, tom apple, has been removed from his position.
1450 wordsRead More - A Literary Analysis Of Howl By Allen Ginsberganalytical essayA Cry to Society: A Literary Analysis of Howl by Allen Ginsberg “If people believe it is real, it is real in its consequences.” -W.I. Thomas Could there be people who are consciously aware about how they live and the way society shapes them? The quote that W.I. Thomas, in other words, means that when people think something is true, there will be consequences from that belief. For example, when I was young, these girls for some reason did not like who I was and began to spread rumors about me. Therefore, people believed them.
In this essay, the author
- Explains w.i. thomas' quote that when people think something is true, there will be consequences from that belief. it portrays how each day, people behave and interact with the environment around them yet are unconsciously aware why they do.
- Analyzes how ginsberg's poem howl is not like most poems. it contains no stanzas but many lines, which is a long, grammatically correct sentence.
- Analyzes how ginsberg describes inmates as "impossible criminals with golden heads and the charm of reality in their hearts who sang sweet blues to alcatraz."
- Analyzes how ginsberg is frustrated, confused, questioning the status quo in the poem. he practiced dadaism, an artistic art movement that opposed social, political, and cultural values.
- Analyzes how ginsberg uses moloch as a metaphor for institutions and society today.
- Analyzes how ginsberg's poem, howl, is short and straight to the point. he disregards profanity and obscene actions to emphasize that social injustice is everywhere and that it is okay.
1328 wordsRead More - Ginsberg's America in Timeanalytical essayIn Allen Ginsberg's "America," written in January of 1956, the author admits "I am obsessed with Time Magazine. I read it every week" (Ginsberg 46-47). For this reason I have chosen issue number 24 of volume LXVI of Time, published December 12, 1955, to illustrate Ginsberg's influences by the current national and world events of his time. The cover of this issue depicts the jolly St. Nick behind the beaming bald head of toymaker Louis Marx. This joyous illustration projects how the media sought to spread happiness and Christmas cheer despite national woes such as nuclear arms threats and the country's slow movement toward national desegregation. Ginsberg's dramatic monologue, "America," demonstrates his emotions tied to the Cold War and the Civil Rights Movements which were occurring in the 1950s. In this essay I will examine how Allen Ginsberg's concerns with national policies presented in the poem "America" reflect national concerns as seen in three articles from this edition of Time Magazine including "RACES: Armageddon to Go," "COMMUNISTS: Bhai Bhai in India," and "Science: Radioactivity from Russia."
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how time magazine's "races: armageddon to go" discusses the actions of georgia governor marvin griffin in relation to the sugar bowl football tournament.
- Analyzes how the article influenced ginsberg's "america." it describes the hearty welcome of communist party chief nikita khrushchev into calcutta, india.
- Analyzes how allen ginsberg's "america," written in january 1956, demonstrates his emotions tied to the cold war and the civil rights movements.
- Analyzes how ginsberg acknowledged the collective opinion of american media and populace that communism is evil and a world-wide threat to democracy.
1281 wordsRead More