SlideShare a Scribd company logo
1 of 19
Download to read offline
The Unknown Citizen Poem Analysis
Message Exchange Three Messages Citizen, Old, and Anyone Many may say that within every piece of literature, object, and spoken word there is a
deeper meaning, or perhaps a hidden message. These hidden meanings are often hard to find and require more thought. In the three poems "The
Unknown Citizen","Old Age Sticks" , and "Anyone lived in a Pretty How Town" there is a hidden meaning behind each word. Some could say that
they all tie together in some way. The three messages from these three poems will be examined in the paragraphs below. Here is the way these three
messages, can be deciphered within each text. In the first poem "The Unknown Citizen" we can see that Mr. W.H. Auden is diving into a more
elaborate view of how he believes that the government just views this man as a number. For example when Mr. Auden says "Was he free? Was he
happy? The question is absurd: Had anything been wrong, we should certainly have heard". (Pg.775) In this line this shows that the government
only cared about statistics. They did not care much about whether or not if he was satisfied in his life or if he wanted anything more to do. All they
seemed to care about was the reports they had about his life. When he says "Yet, he wasn't a scab or odd in his views" (Pg.775) Mr. Auden is
explaining the this unknown citizen was not particularly different in his views and that he did not particularly stand up for things he believe in. This is
makes him just another person, and nothing special about him. With this text it is easily shown that sometimes all you are in society is a number. This
unknown citizen did not disturb the universe as many people strive to do in their lives.
In the poem "Old Age Sticks", we can see the deeper meaning behind it at first it may be the hardest thing in the world to read, but that is because
Mr. E.E. Cummings uses words to create confusion. However, the meaning behind this is that the young continue to grow old and the old try to tell
the youth what to do and what not to do which is super controversial for example, "Old age sticks up Keep off Signs and youth yanks them down"
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
The Unknown Citizen by W.H. Auden Essay
The Unknown Citizen by W.H. Auden The poem that I am going to talk about is the Unknown Citizen by W.H Auden. I am going to talk about what I
first glimpse in the poem but then after further study what you actually see. At the start of the poem under the title it has a serial number, also it shows
that he is getting a monument erected in honour of him. This already gives you an expectation of him. An expectation that he has done something great
in his life.
When you look at the serial code at...show more content...
We learn that the Unknown Citizen has never been fired and that he was satisfactory, at first I thought that this was ok, but after further analysis I seen
that the fact he got fired was a negative, the way that it is wrote out, instead of him staying at the same company the author says he never got fired, It
also talks about how he was satisfactory. This man is getting a monument to him in his honour for being satisfactory?
Yet again there is another report on him, this time from his Union. At first it when it talks about "Our report shows it was sound" I thought nothing of
it, but further readings of it talks about the Union being sound, generally Unions are opposed to the Government, it looks as if this Union is sanctioned
by the Government.
Yet again there is report about him, but this time it is from the Social Psychologist, they delve into every facet of your life, from your professional life
to your home life. They social psychologist does not report on you, he/she spies on you, on what you do, wear, act and think.
The Unknown Citizen is a regular guy, he is popular with his mates, he likes a drink he is a normal guy. So if they had a report on the regular average
guy, then they would have a report on everyone, I realised this after 2 or 3 reads of the poem. The
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
Analysis Of The Poem ' The Unknown Citizen '
"The Unknown Citizen" by W.H Auden and "next to of course god america i" by e.e. cumming are two poems that deal with similar issues. They
both address the issue of dying soldiers and blame blind patriotism for the deaths of these soldiers. The theme of both poems deals with the need
for citizens to become more outspoken and follow their own beliefs instead of simply following their country. However, each poem addresses a
topic that isn't found in the other poem, and the poems themselves are structurally different. Auden's poem is simply a description of a man who
lived in the past. It is very reasonable to say that this man lived in the first half of the 20th Century, considering the fact that Auden states that the
average person owned: "a phonograph, a radio, a car and a Frigidaire" (line 21). At the beginning of the poem, the man is described as a "saint" (4).
However, as the poem/description continues, it becomes apparent that he was hardly a praise–worthy person. He was simply a man who did what he
was told. In Bruce Meyer's essay, he states that "the Unknown Citizen was a law–abiding veteran and union member who served his community
through his very facelessness and his participation in a consumer society" (par. 9). He was never "odd in his views", meaning that he was completely
conformed to the views of the nation (Auden 9). The poem continues to describe this excessively normal man, and at the end of the poem, Auden
writes: "Was he free? Was he happy? The question
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
In the world today, society has created individuals that conform to the expected norms and those that rebel against them. In each of the pieces selected
there is a character that conforms to meet the needs of the society. A conformist is someone who follows the rules that are given to them without any
complaints. Each of the three literary writings has a character that is considered rebellious within the norms of society. A rebellious person is someone
who does not follow the rules that are given to them. The poem "The Unknown Citizen" by W. H. Audenis mainly about an unnamed man who is a
conformist, because he listens to all the rules that are made for the society. On the other hand, the short story "A & P" by John Updike and the play
"Antigone" by Sophocles there is a conformist character which enforces the rules set in place, and a rebellious character which goes against the
principles of society. Each author depicts a character to represent the conformist and rebellious individuals within today's society.
Within the three different literary writings there is a character that acts as a conformist. W.H. Auden created a main character in "The Unknown
Citizen" that does not appear to want to do anything for himself, but rather for the others within his community. In line five W.H. Auden states, "for in
everything he did, he served the Greater Community" (497), meaning this man is known to be a good person because he did not just do something for
himself, but for the
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
Poem Analysis: The Unknown Citizen Essay
The Average Man
W. H. Auden satirizes the United States as an entity, which restrains individual advancement. Through depersonalization, the government rewards those
who actually never do anything. However, the "Unknown Citizen" has a monument built as a symbol of his perfection. Thus, Auden's "The Unknown
Citizen" shows how the government makes each individual merely a number unless they do not conform to society's norms.
The monument of the "unknown citizen" is erected not to honor the memory of a man, but to show how he is the perfect example of a good citizen
(Auden). In this poem, the citizen is just an average person who never stands out among the rest of the population. For example, "Yet he wasn't a scab
or odd in his...show more content...
Auden ends the statement with a comma rather than an exclamation to illustrate the inconsequential nature of the citizen working in a factory. Factory
work is monotonous, one shift after another not evoking any emotion. Indeed, the citizen lives a boring life, doing the exact same thing as the average
person. He cannot stand out, for the only way to do so is for the citizen to be different, not fulfilling society's demands.
Throughout the poem, the citizen's actions do not amount to anything but further conformity. For example, Auden states that "And all the reports on
his conduct agree that, in the modern sense of an old–fashioned word, he was a saint" (3–4) which illustrates how all his actions were normal according
to the government's standards. The government considered his actions so good that they call him a saint. Therefore, Auden uses this tone to prove that
living the life of the statistical, average citizen would be boring. Courage defines a hero. The citizen Auden describes is a hero to the government
because he never causes any problems. They even dedicate a statue to him, but he never acts courageously. He follows the crowd and never stands up
for himself. A true hero leads as Abraham Lincoln did when he held the nation together during his Presidency. However, Auden proves that the citizen
follows the crowd with the line, "When there was peace, he was for peace: when there
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
Analysis of The Unknown Citizen by W.H. Auden "The Unknown Citizen", written by W.H. Auden during 1940, is a poem where the speaker, a
representative of the state or government, directs a speech to the audience about a monument being erected for a citizen. Written in free verse, although
using many couplets, this poem is a poem that describes the life of a certain person through his records and documents. This citizen is portrayed as a
normal and average human being who is being honoured for being normal. Auden, however, uses the fact that the state is honouring someone for being
normal to criticise his society. By emphasizing certain grammatical conventions and the structure the author explains the true meaning of this poem,
...show more content...
Throughout the poem, Auden sarcastically shows that the state is erecting a monument for a nobody. Monuments are usually erected as a memorial to
a person with outstanding accomplishments who stand out from the rest of the population. However, this citizen does not do anything that makes him
different from the rest of the population. As Auden writes: The Press are convinced that he bought a paper every day And that his reactions to
advertisements were normal in every way. Policies taken out in his name prove that he was fully insured, And his Health–card shows he was once in a
hospital but left it cured. Both Producers Research and High–Grade Living declare He was fully sensible to the advantages of the Installment Plan And
had everything necessary to the Modern Man, A phonograph, a radio, a car and a frigidaire. Our researchers into Public Opinion are content That he
held the proper opinions for the time of year; When there was peace, he was for peace; when there was war, he went. (14–24) The author describes
this citizen as being an overall regular man in society, who did not change or impact the world by any means. He was a normal man who bought a
paper every day
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
The Unknown Citizen Auden
In the late 1930s, many countries struggled politically and economically because of the governments that rose up after the first world war. Though at
first the United States prospered after the war, they soon fell into the Great Depression. To some Americans, the government's attempts to alleviate their
financial struggles made their situation worse. They viewed the government as an overbearing, controlling body that needed reform. One poem written
in 1939 showcases this opinion through a satirical story of a state official praising a citizen who died. W. H. Auden's "The Unknown Citizen" criticizes
the government for not truly caring about its people.
The government commends its citizens only when they do not interfere with the state's agenda. In this poem, one specific man is what the state
considers an ideal citizen, so they build a monument for him after he dies. The words of this poem are their tribute to this citizen for his respectable
life. Their ideal citizen, though, is one who blindly follows their rules; for example, they check all the reports on his conduct and call him a "saint"
because they see no official complaints against him (line 4). They also say he had "the proper opinions for the time of year" (23). Basically, they are
happy that his opinions matched theirs, whether it be in politics, education, or war. The last line of the poem neatly summarizes the government's
motives. The speaker of the poem says, "Had anything been wrong, we should certainly have
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
What Is The Tone Of The Unknown Citizen
The advancement of technology allows the government to access more information about their citizens. "The Unknown Citizen" tells a story of a
citizen's life to death through the eyes of the government. The government seeks to publicize their superiority so they may receive more fame and
glory, but while doing so, they magnify their faults. In the poem, W. H. Audenuses formal word choice to create a serious tone with a sarcastic effect
and irony through the lack of a rhyme scheme and knowledge about the citizen to illustrate how the government knows many statistics and facts about
the citizen; however, the government loses details about his personal life in the process. Auden's wording appears to be serious and understanding
during the death
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
The Unknown Citizen by W.H. Auden Essay
The Unknown Citizen by W.H. Auden The Poem "The Unknown Citizen" by W.H. Auden is a satire. Its narrator is the state. In this, the state pays
tribute and describes a successful and positive product of its efficiency and effectiveness. In other words, it builds the character later described to the
reader as "the perfect citizen." The narrator speaks as if he is delivering a speech or common tribute using words and phrases that are familiar to the
reader. Using such imagery helps the reader paint a clear picture of the character. The subject or character is illustrated as a hardworking, common, tax
paying, proud – to – be American citizen living in an obvious post Depression setting. The post Depression...show more content...
By that we can define our setting and later on helps us begin our characterization. The narrator uses words and phrases familiar to the reader such
as (8), "Fudge Motors Inc."; the reader would think it to be Ford Motors Inc. A technique used by the author for both imagery and humor purposes.
The narrator describes the subject in a way that is like the character himself. Common, conversational, easy to understand with a touch of
understood humor. The author uses examples from daily life to get the point of humor and fact across to the reader. (20) "And he had everything
necessary to the Modern Man" (21) " A phonograph, a radio, a car, and a frigidaire." (25 & 26) "He was married and added five children to the
population, Which our Eugenist says was the right number for a parent of his generation." Lines 5–15 are clear and accurate examples the narrator
gives in better quality detail to clearly state the character's success in his being common. Although, the above is found to be satirical. The narrator goes
on to describe a man that he
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
Synthesis Essay On Being Old
You're not going to be young Forever Time waits for no man. As a human race, we understand that the minute we come into this world our clock of
life begins to tick. Among all the species on Earth, humans are the only ones that truly understand the passage of time. Due to this understanding, we
also understand that our time will eventually run out. How do we know when we have grown old and our time is soon spent? When we are young
we picture high school as being older or better yet, old. But truly when high school does come than college is old. As you grow older than old seems
farther away. Wystan Auden and E. E. Cummings were poets that wroteThe Unknown Citizen, old age sticks, and anyone lived in a pretty how town,
one message that all three of these poems brought was getting old is not fun. First off, in Citizen, it tells of a normal man, a man that does not do
anything special and is the perfect role model for what an average citizen should be like. This man does what he is told and does not do anything
that is bad or shamed upon. Auden states, "He is fully sensible to the advantages of the Installment Plan" (line 19) This normal citizen did not do
anything that would cause people to believe that he would ever have a mental break down. He was perfect in all ways. As he grew older he had a
family, he had 5 children. One would think that he lives a great life no family issues or job problems. Therefore when he died no one notice him,
some may even ask was he happy? Did
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
The Unknown Citizen By. Auden
The Unknown Citizen Analysis The Unknown Citizen, written by W.H. Auden, is a satirical poem declaring the petty accomplishments achieved by an
unnamed citizen in a presumably American or industrialized society. Through several readings of the poem, many would not even consider the
Unknown Citizen as a poem, but rather, a letter of recommendation or a speech for a political election. The only obvious characteristic of this piece
resembling a poem is the rhyming scheme. Other than rhyming, there are no apparent similes, onomatopoeias, or any other widely–used literary
devices. This strengthens the tone and setting of this poem, for the diction and overall language is meant to be interpreted as thoroughly formal, literal,
and professional. From the very first line, the reader is given a common but accurate stereotype of the government. It reads: "He was found by the
Bureau of Statistics to be". This provides the common assumption that the bureaucracy and government don 't consider the common citizen a human
being, but rather a numerical value or worth. Also, although there is no negativity told of the citizen in question, the compliments seem rather petty and
are told so through the excessive use of litotes and double–negatives. Some examples include: 'no official complaint '; 'never got fired '; and 'he never
interfered '. In this lack of economic writing, the narrator, presumably a businessman or bureaucrat, describes this citizen with insignificant or average
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
The Unknown CItizen by W.H. Auden Essay
"The Unknown Citizen"
"The Unknown Citizen" by W.H. Auden, is a commentary on government and the materialism of modern man. The poem is written in the form of an
obituary inscribed on a monument built by the government in commemoration of an average, upstanding, and decent community member. Throughout
the passage, the speaker lists facts about the citizen's life which he believes prove that the deceased was a valuable person. In actuality these facts
represent nothing more than the socially accepted values and actions instilled in society by materialistic views. This makes the government appear
unconcerned with the true thoughts and feelings of its people, seeing them only as statistics. We can see this in the subtitle "To...show more content...
And if he hadn't lived like this he wouldn't have had his phonograph, radio, car, and frigidaire. However, it was also this conduct that turned him
into a follower, unable to make decisions for himself. This is shown in lines 23 and 24 when the speaker says, "he held the proper opinions for the
time of year; When there was peace, he was for peace; when there was war, he went. He even had five children, which was the right number for a
parent in his generation". He did everything by the book just like everyone else of this time. In the final lines of the poem Auden uses irony to show the
government's role in creating a certain society. In Auden's eyes the government considers a working–class income, good credit, and a sense of national
loyalty and social duties to be the only things necessary to make one's life complete. He seems to feel that, by insisting on material wealth, society
has given government an opportunity to control its actions by creating a world in which a "desirable" lifestyle can only be obtained by adhering to a
strict set of ideals and philosophies. The poem can also be viewed as a spoof on certain aspects of the typical middle–class lifestyle. It mocks what
many feel are necessities of modern life and points out man's lack of true feeling for himself and others. But, most importantly, it paints a picture of a
world in which people are willing to give up their personal dreams,
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
The Unknown Citizen Research Paper
The Unknown Citizen is a danger to society. One example of this is JS does nothing at all to have freedom and be different. Another example of this
is that he is the normal nothing more nothing less he just goes with the flow and doesn't care about being different. In The Unknown Citizen JP does
nothing at all to be different. For example when there was war he went and when there was peace he was for peace, If the government liked something
he liked it too. He didn't have his own opinion or his own thoughts about anything. Another example on how The Unknown Citizen is a danger is that
he is the normal nothing more nothing less he just goes with the flow and doesn't care about being different. Since JS doesn't care about being different
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
The Tone of Irony in The Unknown Citizen Essay
"The Unknown Citizen," a poem written by W.H. Auden, alludes to a time of great change in American history, where the poem is meant to mock the
government's viewpoint of the perfect role model for an unrealistic, impractical citizen. The author, W.H. Auden, writes and intends for the historical
context of his poem to be in the late 1930's, when America was going through the Great Depression. Citizens were losing a sense of nationalism for
America and had begun to negatively view the government. During this time period, the government had also begun to distribute Social Security cards
with personalized federal numbers to American citizens, which was the mark of depersonalization in America's political system. As a result, the tone is
one of...show more content...
"Our Social Psychology workers found...," from Line 12 demonstrates the citizen's active social life. "Our researchers into Public Opinion...," from
Line 22 represents the citizen's ideal public involvement and choice of activities such as going to war and having children. "Our Eugenist says...,"
from Line 26 reflects the citizen's supposedly correct number of children, according to the government. "Our teachers report...," from Line 27 displays
the citizen's correct choice of avoiding interfering with American educational systems. "...we should certainly have heard," from Line 29 represents the
speaker him/herself, along with the American government and its early decision of assuming that if nothing else but the good was reported about the
citizen, then the government would have heard otherwise. In all these lines, the speaker associates the describing of all aspects of the citizen's life
with his acquaintances from the government. The speaker is uniquely portrayed in this poem through certain qualities that he possesses: being
observant and being detached. All positive and only positive events that have occurred in the citizen's live are recorded by the government; no
negative events are to be found in his life. The speaker takes special note of the citizen's military service (Line 6), perfect employment (Lines 7–8),
Union participation (Lines 9–11), social life (Lines 12–13), newspaper customs
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
Unknown Citizen Literary Analysis
Knowledge from the Past
(Literary analysis on Citizen, Old, and Anyone) Ever since a child is born they are immediate following into a system when the are label by their
physical traits they are believe to stay with them all throughout their life to identify who they are even at the age of 98. This system is like a trap with
question that no one is able to truly find an answer to simple question like: Are you happy, Are you Free? William Hugh Auden wrote Unknown
Citizen, which talks about a political sense of freedom and directly is question the system that everyone is living in. Another writer by the name of
E.E.. Cumming wrote Old age sticks and Anyone live in a pretty how town, Both talk about growing old and aging; one comparing youth to the old,
and the other about loneliness and finding love. Each story has a central message, Unknown Citizen follow the system unconsciously, Old age sticks
youth vs. the old, and Anyone lives in a pretty how town love is all you need to be happy and successful in life. Proposed in Unknown Citizen
everyone is trapped in a system that is try to keep them in order to follow the rules. In the story it says, "And that his reactions to advertisements
were normal in every way" (line 15 Citizen). Normal in every way, so to be just like everyone else, it is what is expected of this man to follow the
rules to the "T". Only following the rules, this man has never thought for himself to question! Am I happy? Am I Free? The simple answer is no,
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
'Capitalism, Marxism tells us, thrives on exploiting its labourers'– Auden presents a dominant undermining theme in The Unknown Citizen where the
protagonist is portrayed to be acting in a conformist manner and thus accepting their lives under Government control and restriction. Through the use
of force and threat, the protagonist's life are being overpowered by rules on how to live their lives in what is deemed to be in a 'normal way'. Auden,
throughout his illustrious collections of poems, philosophically, warns his audience of the dangers of State and its governing's, often lending itself to
a fictional Marxist society which Auden warns the readers against abiding by these rules. Doing so Auden insinuates that you are mocking yourself if
you do not expose your individuality. Undermining Communism and its theories Auden, specifically in the Unknown Citizen, slanders a state which
fundamentally is an autocratic dictatorship therefore, Marxist readings can be applied. As a result we see the states repression, exploitation and
denigration of its supposed valued followers. Therefore, the Unknown Citizen is lavished with undertones of irony and a sense of mocking against
people who abide by the law of the State. It is Auden's way of saying simply; do not live your life like this. The state essentially exploits its labourers
which in my understanding is not too dissimilar from how Marxists themselves view Capitalist societies. Tremendously Ironic that this is how Auden
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
The Unknown Citizen : Character Analysis
Conforming traps you
In the '50s people used to straightly follow the rules of normality, All a person could wish for was being like the others, integrate in the society. But as
much they tried to be like the others, as they were losing their individuality. It's right in the '50 that the movie Pleasantville takes place, two high
school seniors, David and Jennifer, are catapulted into the tv show Pleasantville, a black and white city where people live pleasant lives, without
knowing emotions and doing what they are supposed to do. "The Unknown Citizen" is a poem that takes care of a conformed person too, this individual
is so anonymus that doesn't even have a own name. This person lives a life that is completely ordinary, and the conformist state puts him on a pedestal
trying to spread the model
"ordinary is right".
When people conform they don't discover themselves and the world around them, they are trapped into a cage that keeps them from their freedom.
Wearing a mask is much easier than putting ourselves into the game, it's when we embrace our individuality that we are able to feel and take colours.
In both, the movie and the poem, there's somebody questioning if they are actually free, or happy in that world which is characterized by a complete
social flattening, "Was he free? Was he happy?
The question is absurd: had nothing been wrong we certainly have heard". In Pleasantville David and Jennifer, after an initial confusion, try very hard
to change the situation, waking all the people around the from the daydream of normality they are trapped in. In Auden's poem history shows us that
it's been possible to go on and create a world that is more free.
Regarding the truths of the characters in both Pleasantville and The Unknown Citizen the characters wear masks to seem normal, ordinary, anonymus,
to fit in with all the others. In
Pleasantville, people's masks are black and white: they hide under a concrete layer of pale grey.
One significant scene of the movie, that indicates what said before, is the scene when the mother is starting to take colours, and she is so shamed by
that, that she puts on black and white makeup in the same way actors and actress used to put on the greasepaint,
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
The Unknown Citizen Explication Essay
Alek Haugen
Advanced Placement English 12
Dr. Werner
05 March 2012
The Unknown Citizen
By W. H. Auden
Several conflicts are dramatized in The Unknown Citizen, the most prominent being: conformity of the middle class, government manipulation, and the
loss of individualism to the standards of an average citizen. The speaker of this poem is non–traditional as the poem is, in fact, an inscription on a
"marble monument erected by the State." The inscription is dedicated to a "JS/07 M 378"–presumably, "The Unknown Citizen," although this term only
appears in the title. The Unknown Citizen is essentially an elegy, a lament for the dead, written by either a government official or a strong believer in
the government. This becomes clear...show more content...
Among his "praises," for example: "When there was peace, he was for peace: when there was war, he went" (24). In this, it becomes clear to the
reader that you do not want to be an average citizen; you do not want this to be your elegy. Some critics argue this, however, as Auden stating that there
is nothing disgraceful in being unknown. The poem is, above all, a satire of the way conformity hinders the individual and leaves ridiculous and solely
external distinctions between human beings. Auden presents an allegory in The Unknown Citizen that begins even before the poem itself. The phrase
"Unknown Citizen" appears only once–in the title. This term is an immediate allusion to and parody of the "Unknown Soldier," especially considering
the details of who the poem is dedicated to and the fact that it is found on a marble monument, much like those one might expect to see in Washington,
D.C. where the United States is home to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The "Unknown Solider" is a soldier who cannot be recognized after being
found in battle. This sometimes–controversial idea can be interpreted to mean that many people die as unknowns because they lived uninfluential
lives. Aside from this large allegory, the poem uses only a few rhetorical devices. In line four, for example, "...in the modern sense of an old
–fashioned
word, he was a saint" is quite an exaggeration because being "one against whom there was no official complaint" is hardly saintly (2). Another
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
The Unknown Citizen By Auden
"The Unknown Citizen," written by W. H. Auden, is a poem that describes a man who lived a life most people would see as ideal. The man
illustrated by this poem did what society expected him to do, which resulted in a model life. This poem, however, can be seen in more than one way.
Some may see the story in the poem as a description of a man who had an unfulfilling life because he did exactly what was expected of him. Instead
of trying something new, exploring the world, or making a change, the man did what everyone else regarded as acceptable. W. H. Auden's poem can be
seen from two perspectives: the man who lived an ideal life that many people sought to have or the man who lived an unfulfilling, ordinary life which
caused him to blend in...show more content...
W. H. Auden's poem, "The Unknown Citizen," is a great example of this because one can find at least two meanings within the poem. One person
could see the poem as a description of a perfect man while someone else could see the poem as a message to be unique and make a change in the
world. The man in the poem fulfilled society's expectations, but at the same time, the man may not have had a fulfilling life. These two ideas could not
be the only interpretations of the poem. Other readers may discover their own meanings or explanations of the poem. Overall, the speaker in "The
Unknown Citizen" describes the life of an unknown man, but the reader must decide the message behind being
Get more content on HelpWriting.net

More Related Content

Recently uploaded

The basics of sentences session 3pptx.pptx
The basics of sentences session 3pptx.pptxThe basics of sentences session 3pptx.pptx
The basics of sentences session 3pptx.pptx
heathfieldcps1
 
Russian Escort Service in Delhi 11k Hotel Foreigner Russian Call Girls in Delhi
Russian Escort Service in Delhi 11k Hotel Foreigner Russian Call Girls in DelhiRussian Escort Service in Delhi 11k Hotel Foreigner Russian Call Girls in Delhi
Russian Escort Service in Delhi 11k Hotel Foreigner Russian Call Girls in Delhi
kauryashika82
 
1029 - Danh muc Sach Giao Khoa 10 . pdf
1029 -  Danh muc Sach Giao Khoa 10 . pdf1029 -  Danh muc Sach Giao Khoa 10 . pdf
1029 - Danh muc Sach Giao Khoa 10 . pdf
QucHHunhnh
 

Recently uploaded (20)

Mehran University Newsletter Vol-X, Issue-I, 2024
Mehran University Newsletter Vol-X, Issue-I, 2024Mehran University Newsletter Vol-X, Issue-I, 2024
Mehran University Newsletter Vol-X, Issue-I, 2024
 
Advanced Views - Calendar View in Odoo 17
Advanced Views - Calendar View in Odoo 17Advanced Views - Calendar View in Odoo 17
Advanced Views - Calendar View in Odoo 17
 
The basics of sentences session 3pptx.pptx
The basics of sentences session 3pptx.pptxThe basics of sentences session 3pptx.pptx
The basics of sentences session 3pptx.pptx
 
Sociology 101 Demonstration of Learning Exhibit
Sociology 101 Demonstration of Learning ExhibitSociology 101 Demonstration of Learning Exhibit
Sociology 101 Demonstration of Learning Exhibit
 
Explore beautiful and ugly buildings. Mathematics helps us create beautiful d...
Explore beautiful and ugly buildings. Mathematics helps us create beautiful d...Explore beautiful and ugly buildings. Mathematics helps us create beautiful d...
Explore beautiful and ugly buildings. Mathematics helps us create beautiful d...
 
ComPTIA Overview | Comptia Security+ Book SY0-701
ComPTIA Overview | Comptia Security+ Book SY0-701ComPTIA Overview | Comptia Security+ Book SY0-701
ComPTIA Overview | Comptia Security+ Book SY0-701
 
Python Notes for mca i year students osmania university.docx
Python Notes for mca i year students osmania university.docxPython Notes for mca i year students osmania university.docx
Python Notes for mca i year students osmania university.docx
 
Introduction to Nonprofit Accounting: The Basics
Introduction to Nonprofit Accounting: The BasicsIntroduction to Nonprofit Accounting: The Basics
Introduction to Nonprofit Accounting: The Basics
 
Measures of Central Tendency: Mean, Median and Mode
Measures of Central Tendency: Mean, Median and ModeMeasures of Central Tendency: Mean, Median and Mode
Measures of Central Tendency: Mean, Median and Mode
 
INDIA QUIZ 2024 RLAC DELHI UNIVERSITY.pptx
INDIA QUIZ 2024 RLAC DELHI UNIVERSITY.pptxINDIA QUIZ 2024 RLAC DELHI UNIVERSITY.pptx
INDIA QUIZ 2024 RLAC DELHI UNIVERSITY.pptx
 
Russian Escort Service in Delhi 11k Hotel Foreigner Russian Call Girls in Delhi
Russian Escort Service in Delhi 11k Hotel Foreigner Russian Call Girls in DelhiRussian Escort Service in Delhi 11k Hotel Foreigner Russian Call Girls in Delhi
Russian Escort Service in Delhi 11k Hotel Foreigner Russian Call Girls in Delhi
 
Measures of Dispersion and Variability: Range, QD, AD and SD
Measures of Dispersion and Variability: Range, QD, AD and SDMeasures of Dispersion and Variability: Range, QD, AD and SD
Measures of Dispersion and Variability: Range, QD, AD and SD
 
psychiatric nursing HISTORY COLLECTION .docx
psychiatric  nursing HISTORY  COLLECTION  .docxpsychiatric  nursing HISTORY  COLLECTION  .docx
psychiatric nursing HISTORY COLLECTION .docx
 
Energy Resources. ( B. Pharmacy, 1st Year, Sem-II) Natural Resources
Energy Resources. ( B. Pharmacy, 1st Year, Sem-II) Natural ResourcesEnergy Resources. ( B. Pharmacy, 1st Year, Sem-II) Natural Resources
Energy Resources. ( B. Pharmacy, 1st Year, Sem-II) Natural Resources
 
Z Score,T Score, Percential Rank and Box Plot Graph
Z Score,T Score, Percential Rank and Box Plot GraphZ Score,T Score, Percential Rank and Box Plot Graph
Z Score,T Score, Percential Rank and Box Plot Graph
 
How to Give a Domain for a Field in Odoo 17
How to Give a Domain for a Field in Odoo 17How to Give a Domain for a Field in Odoo 17
How to Give a Domain for a Field in Odoo 17
 
Application orientated numerical on hev.ppt
Application orientated numerical on hev.pptApplication orientated numerical on hev.ppt
Application orientated numerical on hev.ppt
 
Micro-Scholarship, What it is, How can it help me.pdf
Micro-Scholarship, What it is, How can it help me.pdfMicro-Scholarship, What it is, How can it help me.pdf
Micro-Scholarship, What it is, How can it help me.pdf
 
1029 - Danh muc Sach Giao Khoa 10 . pdf
1029 -  Danh muc Sach Giao Khoa 10 . pdf1029 -  Danh muc Sach Giao Khoa 10 . pdf
1029 - Danh muc Sach Giao Khoa 10 . pdf
 
Class 11th Physics NEET formula sheet pdf
Class 11th Physics NEET formula sheet pdfClass 11th Physics NEET formula sheet pdf
Class 11th Physics NEET formula sheet pdf
 

Featured

How Race, Age and Gender Shape Attitudes Towards Mental Health
How Race, Age and Gender Shape Attitudes Towards Mental HealthHow Race, Age and Gender Shape Attitudes Towards Mental Health
How Race, Age and Gender Shape Attitudes Towards Mental Health
ThinkNow
 
Social Media Marketing Trends 2024 // The Global Indie Insights
Social Media Marketing Trends 2024 // The Global Indie InsightsSocial Media Marketing Trends 2024 // The Global Indie Insights
Social Media Marketing Trends 2024 // The Global Indie Insights
Kurio // The Social Media Age(ncy)
 

Featured (20)

2024 State of Marketing Report – by Hubspot
2024 State of Marketing Report – by Hubspot2024 State of Marketing Report – by Hubspot
2024 State of Marketing Report – by Hubspot
 
Everything You Need To Know About ChatGPT
Everything You Need To Know About ChatGPTEverything You Need To Know About ChatGPT
Everything You Need To Know About ChatGPT
 
Product Design Trends in 2024 | Teenage Engineerings
Product Design Trends in 2024 | Teenage EngineeringsProduct Design Trends in 2024 | Teenage Engineerings
Product Design Trends in 2024 | Teenage Engineerings
 
How Race, Age and Gender Shape Attitudes Towards Mental Health
How Race, Age and Gender Shape Attitudes Towards Mental HealthHow Race, Age and Gender Shape Attitudes Towards Mental Health
How Race, Age and Gender Shape Attitudes Towards Mental Health
 
AI Trends in Creative Operations 2024 by Artwork Flow.pdf
AI Trends in Creative Operations 2024 by Artwork Flow.pdfAI Trends in Creative Operations 2024 by Artwork Flow.pdf
AI Trends in Creative Operations 2024 by Artwork Flow.pdf
 
Skeleton Culture Code
Skeleton Culture CodeSkeleton Culture Code
Skeleton Culture Code
 
PEPSICO Presentation to CAGNY Conference Feb 2024
PEPSICO Presentation to CAGNY Conference Feb 2024PEPSICO Presentation to CAGNY Conference Feb 2024
PEPSICO Presentation to CAGNY Conference Feb 2024
 
Content Methodology: A Best Practices Report (Webinar)
Content Methodology: A Best Practices Report (Webinar)Content Methodology: A Best Practices Report (Webinar)
Content Methodology: A Best Practices Report (Webinar)
 
How to Prepare For a Successful Job Search for 2024
How to Prepare For a Successful Job Search for 2024How to Prepare For a Successful Job Search for 2024
How to Prepare For a Successful Job Search for 2024
 
Social Media Marketing Trends 2024 // The Global Indie Insights
Social Media Marketing Trends 2024 // The Global Indie InsightsSocial Media Marketing Trends 2024 // The Global Indie Insights
Social Media Marketing Trends 2024 // The Global Indie Insights
 
Trends In Paid Search: Navigating The Digital Landscape In 2024
Trends In Paid Search: Navigating The Digital Landscape In 2024Trends In Paid Search: Navigating The Digital Landscape In 2024
Trends In Paid Search: Navigating The Digital Landscape In 2024
 
5 Public speaking tips from TED - Visualized summary
5 Public speaking tips from TED - Visualized summary5 Public speaking tips from TED - Visualized summary
5 Public speaking tips from TED - Visualized summary
 
ChatGPT and the Future of Work - Clark Boyd
ChatGPT and the Future of Work - Clark Boyd ChatGPT and the Future of Work - Clark Boyd
ChatGPT and the Future of Work - Clark Boyd
 
Getting into the tech field. what next
Getting into the tech field. what next Getting into the tech field. what next
Getting into the tech field. what next
 
Google's Just Not That Into You: Understanding Core Updates & Search Intent
Google's Just Not That Into You: Understanding Core Updates & Search IntentGoogle's Just Not That Into You: Understanding Core Updates & Search Intent
Google's Just Not That Into You: Understanding Core Updates & Search Intent
 
How to have difficult conversations
How to have difficult conversations How to have difficult conversations
How to have difficult conversations
 
Introduction to Data Science
Introduction to Data ScienceIntroduction to Data Science
Introduction to Data Science
 
Time Management & Productivity - Best Practices
Time Management & Productivity -  Best PracticesTime Management & Productivity -  Best Practices
Time Management & Productivity - Best Practices
 
The six step guide to practical project management
The six step guide to practical project managementThe six step guide to practical project management
The six step guide to practical project management
 
Beginners Guide to TikTok for Search - Rachel Pearson - We are Tilt __ Bright...
Beginners Guide to TikTok for Search - Rachel Pearson - We are Tilt __ Bright...Beginners Guide to TikTok for Search - Rachel Pearson - We are Tilt __ Bright...
Beginners Guide to TikTok for Search - Rachel Pearson - We are Tilt __ Bright...
 

The Unknown Citizen Poem Analysis

  • 1. The Unknown Citizen Poem Analysis Message Exchange Three Messages Citizen, Old, and Anyone Many may say that within every piece of literature, object, and spoken word there is a deeper meaning, or perhaps a hidden message. These hidden meanings are often hard to find and require more thought. In the three poems "The Unknown Citizen","Old Age Sticks" , and "Anyone lived in a Pretty How Town" there is a hidden meaning behind each word. Some could say that they all tie together in some way. The three messages from these three poems will be examined in the paragraphs below. Here is the way these three messages, can be deciphered within each text. In the first poem "The Unknown Citizen" we can see that Mr. W.H. Auden is diving into a more elaborate view of how he believes that the government just views this man as a number. For example when Mr. Auden says "Was he free? Was he happy? The question is absurd: Had anything been wrong, we should certainly have heard". (Pg.775) In this line this shows that the government only cared about statistics. They did not care much about whether or not if he was satisfied in his life or if he wanted anything more to do. All they seemed to care about was the reports they had about his life. When he says "Yet, he wasn't a scab or odd in his views" (Pg.775) Mr. Auden is explaining the this unknown citizen was not particularly different in his views and that he did not particularly stand up for things he believe in. This is makes him just another person, and nothing special about him. With this text it is easily shown that sometimes all you are in society is a number. This unknown citizen did not disturb the universe as many people strive to do in their lives. In the poem "Old Age Sticks", we can see the deeper meaning behind it at first it may be the hardest thing in the world to read, but that is because Mr. E.E. Cummings uses words to create confusion. However, the meaning behind this is that the young continue to grow old and the old try to tell the youth what to do and what not to do which is super controversial for example, "Old age sticks up Keep off Signs and youth yanks them down" Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 2. The Unknown Citizen by W.H. Auden Essay The Unknown Citizen by W.H. Auden The poem that I am going to talk about is the Unknown Citizen by W.H Auden. I am going to talk about what I first glimpse in the poem but then after further study what you actually see. At the start of the poem under the title it has a serial number, also it shows that he is getting a monument erected in honour of him. This already gives you an expectation of him. An expectation that he has done something great in his life. When you look at the serial code at...show more content... We learn that the Unknown Citizen has never been fired and that he was satisfactory, at first I thought that this was ok, but after further analysis I seen that the fact he got fired was a negative, the way that it is wrote out, instead of him staying at the same company the author says he never got fired, It also talks about how he was satisfactory. This man is getting a monument to him in his honour for being satisfactory? Yet again there is another report on him, this time from his Union. At first it when it talks about "Our report shows it was sound" I thought nothing of it, but further readings of it talks about the Union being sound, generally Unions are opposed to the Government, it looks as if this Union is sanctioned by the Government. Yet again there is report about him, but this time it is from the Social Psychologist, they delve into every facet of your life, from your professional life to your home life. They social psychologist does not report on you, he/she spies on you, on what you do, wear, act and think. The Unknown Citizen is a regular guy, he is popular with his mates, he likes a drink he is a normal guy. So if they had a report on the regular average guy, then they would have a report on everyone, I realised this after 2 or 3 reads of the poem. The Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 3. Analysis Of The Poem ' The Unknown Citizen ' "The Unknown Citizen" by W.H Auden and "next to of course god america i" by e.e. cumming are two poems that deal with similar issues. They both address the issue of dying soldiers and blame blind patriotism for the deaths of these soldiers. The theme of both poems deals with the need for citizens to become more outspoken and follow their own beliefs instead of simply following their country. However, each poem addresses a topic that isn't found in the other poem, and the poems themselves are structurally different. Auden's poem is simply a description of a man who lived in the past. It is very reasonable to say that this man lived in the first half of the 20th Century, considering the fact that Auden states that the average person owned: "a phonograph, a radio, a car and a Frigidaire" (line 21). At the beginning of the poem, the man is described as a "saint" (4). However, as the poem/description continues, it becomes apparent that he was hardly a praise–worthy person. He was simply a man who did what he was told. In Bruce Meyer's essay, he states that "the Unknown Citizen was a law–abiding veteran and union member who served his community through his very facelessness and his participation in a consumer society" (par. 9). He was never "odd in his views", meaning that he was completely conformed to the views of the nation (Auden 9). The poem continues to describe this excessively normal man, and at the end of the poem, Auden writes: "Was he free? Was he happy? The question Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 4. In the world today, society has created individuals that conform to the expected norms and those that rebel against them. In each of the pieces selected there is a character that conforms to meet the needs of the society. A conformist is someone who follows the rules that are given to them without any complaints. Each of the three literary writings has a character that is considered rebellious within the norms of society. A rebellious person is someone who does not follow the rules that are given to them. The poem "The Unknown Citizen" by W. H. Audenis mainly about an unnamed man who is a conformist, because he listens to all the rules that are made for the society. On the other hand, the short story "A & P" by John Updike and the play "Antigone" by Sophocles there is a conformist character which enforces the rules set in place, and a rebellious character which goes against the principles of society. Each author depicts a character to represent the conformist and rebellious individuals within today's society. Within the three different literary writings there is a character that acts as a conformist. W.H. Auden created a main character in "The Unknown Citizen" that does not appear to want to do anything for himself, but rather for the others within his community. In line five W.H. Auden states, "for in everything he did, he served the Greater Community" (497), meaning this man is known to be a good person because he did not just do something for himself, but for the Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 5. Poem Analysis: The Unknown Citizen Essay The Average Man W. H. Auden satirizes the United States as an entity, which restrains individual advancement. Through depersonalization, the government rewards those who actually never do anything. However, the "Unknown Citizen" has a monument built as a symbol of his perfection. Thus, Auden's "The Unknown Citizen" shows how the government makes each individual merely a number unless they do not conform to society's norms. The monument of the "unknown citizen" is erected not to honor the memory of a man, but to show how he is the perfect example of a good citizen (Auden). In this poem, the citizen is just an average person who never stands out among the rest of the population. For example, "Yet he wasn't a scab or odd in his...show more content... Auden ends the statement with a comma rather than an exclamation to illustrate the inconsequential nature of the citizen working in a factory. Factory work is monotonous, one shift after another not evoking any emotion. Indeed, the citizen lives a boring life, doing the exact same thing as the average person. He cannot stand out, for the only way to do so is for the citizen to be different, not fulfilling society's demands. Throughout the poem, the citizen's actions do not amount to anything but further conformity. For example, Auden states that "And all the reports on his conduct agree that, in the modern sense of an old–fashioned word, he was a saint" (3–4) which illustrates how all his actions were normal according to the government's standards. The government considered his actions so good that they call him a saint. Therefore, Auden uses this tone to prove that living the life of the statistical, average citizen would be boring. Courage defines a hero. The citizen Auden describes is a hero to the government because he never causes any problems. They even dedicate a statue to him, but he never acts courageously. He follows the crowd and never stands up for himself. A true hero leads as Abraham Lincoln did when he held the nation together during his Presidency. However, Auden proves that the citizen follows the crowd with the line, "When there was peace, he was for peace: when there Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 6. Analysis of The Unknown Citizen by W.H. Auden "The Unknown Citizen", written by W.H. Auden during 1940, is a poem where the speaker, a representative of the state or government, directs a speech to the audience about a monument being erected for a citizen. Written in free verse, although using many couplets, this poem is a poem that describes the life of a certain person through his records and documents. This citizen is portrayed as a normal and average human being who is being honoured for being normal. Auden, however, uses the fact that the state is honouring someone for being normal to criticise his society. By emphasizing certain grammatical conventions and the structure the author explains the true meaning of this poem, ...show more content... Throughout the poem, Auden sarcastically shows that the state is erecting a monument for a nobody. Monuments are usually erected as a memorial to a person with outstanding accomplishments who stand out from the rest of the population. However, this citizen does not do anything that makes him different from the rest of the population. As Auden writes: The Press are convinced that he bought a paper every day And that his reactions to advertisements were normal in every way. Policies taken out in his name prove that he was fully insured, And his Health–card shows he was once in a hospital but left it cured. Both Producers Research and High–Grade Living declare He was fully sensible to the advantages of the Installment Plan And had everything necessary to the Modern Man, A phonograph, a radio, a car and a frigidaire. Our researchers into Public Opinion are content That he held the proper opinions for the time of year; When there was peace, he was for peace; when there was war, he went. (14–24) The author describes this citizen as being an overall regular man in society, who did not change or impact the world by any means. He was a normal man who bought a paper every day Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 7. The Unknown Citizen Auden In the late 1930s, many countries struggled politically and economically because of the governments that rose up after the first world war. Though at first the United States prospered after the war, they soon fell into the Great Depression. To some Americans, the government's attempts to alleviate their financial struggles made their situation worse. They viewed the government as an overbearing, controlling body that needed reform. One poem written in 1939 showcases this opinion through a satirical story of a state official praising a citizen who died. W. H. Auden's "The Unknown Citizen" criticizes the government for not truly caring about its people. The government commends its citizens only when they do not interfere with the state's agenda. In this poem, one specific man is what the state considers an ideal citizen, so they build a monument for him after he dies. The words of this poem are their tribute to this citizen for his respectable life. Their ideal citizen, though, is one who blindly follows their rules; for example, they check all the reports on his conduct and call him a "saint" because they see no official complaints against him (line 4). They also say he had "the proper opinions for the time of year" (23). Basically, they are happy that his opinions matched theirs, whether it be in politics, education, or war. The last line of the poem neatly summarizes the government's motives. The speaker of the poem says, "Had anything been wrong, we should certainly have Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 8. What Is The Tone Of The Unknown Citizen The advancement of technology allows the government to access more information about their citizens. "The Unknown Citizen" tells a story of a citizen's life to death through the eyes of the government. The government seeks to publicize their superiority so they may receive more fame and glory, but while doing so, they magnify their faults. In the poem, W. H. Audenuses formal word choice to create a serious tone with a sarcastic effect and irony through the lack of a rhyme scheme and knowledge about the citizen to illustrate how the government knows many statistics and facts about the citizen; however, the government loses details about his personal life in the process. Auden's wording appears to be serious and understanding during the death Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 9. The Unknown Citizen by W.H. Auden Essay The Unknown Citizen by W.H. Auden The Poem "The Unknown Citizen" by W.H. Auden is a satire. Its narrator is the state. In this, the state pays tribute and describes a successful and positive product of its efficiency and effectiveness. In other words, it builds the character later described to the reader as "the perfect citizen." The narrator speaks as if he is delivering a speech or common tribute using words and phrases that are familiar to the reader. Using such imagery helps the reader paint a clear picture of the character. The subject or character is illustrated as a hardworking, common, tax paying, proud – to – be American citizen living in an obvious post Depression setting. The post Depression...show more content... By that we can define our setting and later on helps us begin our characterization. The narrator uses words and phrases familiar to the reader such as (8), "Fudge Motors Inc."; the reader would think it to be Ford Motors Inc. A technique used by the author for both imagery and humor purposes. The narrator describes the subject in a way that is like the character himself. Common, conversational, easy to understand with a touch of understood humor. The author uses examples from daily life to get the point of humor and fact across to the reader. (20) "And he had everything necessary to the Modern Man" (21) " A phonograph, a radio, a car, and a frigidaire." (25 & 26) "He was married and added five children to the population, Which our Eugenist says was the right number for a parent of his generation." Lines 5–15 are clear and accurate examples the narrator gives in better quality detail to clearly state the character's success in his being common. Although, the above is found to be satirical. The narrator goes on to describe a man that he Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 10. Synthesis Essay On Being Old You're not going to be young Forever Time waits for no man. As a human race, we understand that the minute we come into this world our clock of life begins to tick. Among all the species on Earth, humans are the only ones that truly understand the passage of time. Due to this understanding, we also understand that our time will eventually run out. How do we know when we have grown old and our time is soon spent? When we are young we picture high school as being older or better yet, old. But truly when high school does come than college is old. As you grow older than old seems farther away. Wystan Auden and E. E. Cummings were poets that wroteThe Unknown Citizen, old age sticks, and anyone lived in a pretty how town, one message that all three of these poems brought was getting old is not fun. First off, in Citizen, it tells of a normal man, a man that does not do anything special and is the perfect role model for what an average citizen should be like. This man does what he is told and does not do anything that is bad or shamed upon. Auden states, "He is fully sensible to the advantages of the Installment Plan" (line 19) This normal citizen did not do anything that would cause people to believe that he would ever have a mental break down. He was perfect in all ways. As he grew older he had a family, he had 5 children. One would think that he lives a great life no family issues or job problems. Therefore when he died no one notice him, some may even ask was he happy? Did Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 11. The Unknown Citizen By. Auden The Unknown Citizen Analysis The Unknown Citizen, written by W.H. Auden, is a satirical poem declaring the petty accomplishments achieved by an unnamed citizen in a presumably American or industrialized society. Through several readings of the poem, many would not even consider the Unknown Citizen as a poem, but rather, a letter of recommendation or a speech for a political election. The only obvious characteristic of this piece resembling a poem is the rhyming scheme. Other than rhyming, there are no apparent similes, onomatopoeias, or any other widely–used literary devices. This strengthens the tone and setting of this poem, for the diction and overall language is meant to be interpreted as thoroughly formal, literal, and professional. From the very first line, the reader is given a common but accurate stereotype of the government. It reads: "He was found by the Bureau of Statistics to be". This provides the common assumption that the bureaucracy and government don 't consider the common citizen a human being, but rather a numerical value or worth. Also, although there is no negativity told of the citizen in question, the compliments seem rather petty and are told so through the excessive use of litotes and double–negatives. Some examples include: 'no official complaint '; 'never got fired '; and 'he never interfered '. In this lack of economic writing, the narrator, presumably a businessman or bureaucrat, describes this citizen with insignificant or average Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 12. The Unknown CItizen by W.H. Auden Essay "The Unknown Citizen" "The Unknown Citizen" by W.H. Auden, is a commentary on government and the materialism of modern man. The poem is written in the form of an obituary inscribed on a monument built by the government in commemoration of an average, upstanding, and decent community member. Throughout the passage, the speaker lists facts about the citizen's life which he believes prove that the deceased was a valuable person. In actuality these facts represent nothing more than the socially accepted values and actions instilled in society by materialistic views. This makes the government appear unconcerned with the true thoughts and feelings of its people, seeing them only as statistics. We can see this in the subtitle "To...show more content... And if he hadn't lived like this he wouldn't have had his phonograph, radio, car, and frigidaire. However, it was also this conduct that turned him into a follower, unable to make decisions for himself. This is shown in lines 23 and 24 when the speaker says, "he held the proper opinions for the time of year; When there was peace, he was for peace; when there was war, he went. He even had five children, which was the right number for a parent in his generation". He did everything by the book just like everyone else of this time. In the final lines of the poem Auden uses irony to show the government's role in creating a certain society. In Auden's eyes the government considers a working–class income, good credit, and a sense of national loyalty and social duties to be the only things necessary to make one's life complete. He seems to feel that, by insisting on material wealth, society has given government an opportunity to control its actions by creating a world in which a "desirable" lifestyle can only be obtained by adhering to a strict set of ideals and philosophies. The poem can also be viewed as a spoof on certain aspects of the typical middle–class lifestyle. It mocks what many feel are necessities of modern life and points out man's lack of true feeling for himself and others. But, most importantly, it paints a picture of a world in which people are willing to give up their personal dreams, Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 13. The Unknown Citizen Research Paper The Unknown Citizen is a danger to society. One example of this is JS does nothing at all to have freedom and be different. Another example of this is that he is the normal nothing more nothing less he just goes with the flow and doesn't care about being different. In The Unknown Citizen JP does nothing at all to be different. For example when there was war he went and when there was peace he was for peace, If the government liked something he liked it too. He didn't have his own opinion or his own thoughts about anything. Another example on how The Unknown Citizen is a danger is that he is the normal nothing more nothing less he just goes with the flow and doesn't care about being different. Since JS doesn't care about being different Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 14. The Tone of Irony in The Unknown Citizen Essay "The Unknown Citizen," a poem written by W.H. Auden, alludes to a time of great change in American history, where the poem is meant to mock the government's viewpoint of the perfect role model for an unrealistic, impractical citizen. The author, W.H. Auden, writes and intends for the historical context of his poem to be in the late 1930's, when America was going through the Great Depression. Citizens were losing a sense of nationalism for America and had begun to negatively view the government. During this time period, the government had also begun to distribute Social Security cards with personalized federal numbers to American citizens, which was the mark of depersonalization in America's political system. As a result, the tone is one of...show more content... "Our Social Psychology workers found...," from Line 12 demonstrates the citizen's active social life. "Our researchers into Public Opinion...," from Line 22 represents the citizen's ideal public involvement and choice of activities such as going to war and having children. "Our Eugenist says...," from Line 26 reflects the citizen's supposedly correct number of children, according to the government. "Our teachers report...," from Line 27 displays the citizen's correct choice of avoiding interfering with American educational systems. "...we should certainly have heard," from Line 29 represents the speaker him/herself, along with the American government and its early decision of assuming that if nothing else but the good was reported about the citizen, then the government would have heard otherwise. In all these lines, the speaker associates the describing of all aspects of the citizen's life with his acquaintances from the government. The speaker is uniquely portrayed in this poem through certain qualities that he possesses: being observant and being detached. All positive and only positive events that have occurred in the citizen's live are recorded by the government; no negative events are to be found in his life. The speaker takes special note of the citizen's military service (Line 6), perfect employment (Lines 7–8), Union participation (Lines 9–11), social life (Lines 12–13), newspaper customs Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 15. Unknown Citizen Literary Analysis Knowledge from the Past (Literary analysis on Citizen, Old, and Anyone) Ever since a child is born they are immediate following into a system when the are label by their physical traits they are believe to stay with them all throughout their life to identify who they are even at the age of 98. This system is like a trap with question that no one is able to truly find an answer to simple question like: Are you happy, Are you Free? William Hugh Auden wrote Unknown Citizen, which talks about a political sense of freedom and directly is question the system that everyone is living in. Another writer by the name of E.E.. Cumming wrote Old age sticks and Anyone live in a pretty how town, Both talk about growing old and aging; one comparing youth to the old, and the other about loneliness and finding love. Each story has a central message, Unknown Citizen follow the system unconsciously, Old age sticks youth vs. the old, and Anyone lives in a pretty how town love is all you need to be happy and successful in life. Proposed in Unknown Citizen everyone is trapped in a system that is try to keep them in order to follow the rules. In the story it says, "And that his reactions to advertisements were normal in every way" (line 15 Citizen). Normal in every way, so to be just like everyone else, it is what is expected of this man to follow the rules to the "T". Only following the rules, this man has never thought for himself to question! Am I happy? Am I Free? The simple answer is no, Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 16. 'Capitalism, Marxism tells us, thrives on exploiting its labourers'– Auden presents a dominant undermining theme in The Unknown Citizen where the protagonist is portrayed to be acting in a conformist manner and thus accepting their lives under Government control and restriction. Through the use of force and threat, the protagonist's life are being overpowered by rules on how to live their lives in what is deemed to be in a 'normal way'. Auden, throughout his illustrious collections of poems, philosophically, warns his audience of the dangers of State and its governing's, often lending itself to a fictional Marxist society which Auden warns the readers against abiding by these rules. Doing so Auden insinuates that you are mocking yourself if you do not expose your individuality. Undermining Communism and its theories Auden, specifically in the Unknown Citizen, slanders a state which fundamentally is an autocratic dictatorship therefore, Marxist readings can be applied. As a result we see the states repression, exploitation and denigration of its supposed valued followers. Therefore, the Unknown Citizen is lavished with undertones of irony and a sense of mocking against people who abide by the law of the State. It is Auden's way of saying simply; do not live your life like this. The state essentially exploits its labourers which in my understanding is not too dissimilar from how Marxists themselves view Capitalist societies. Tremendously Ironic that this is how Auden Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 17. The Unknown Citizen : Character Analysis Conforming traps you In the '50s people used to straightly follow the rules of normality, All a person could wish for was being like the others, integrate in the society. But as much they tried to be like the others, as they were losing their individuality. It's right in the '50 that the movie Pleasantville takes place, two high school seniors, David and Jennifer, are catapulted into the tv show Pleasantville, a black and white city where people live pleasant lives, without knowing emotions and doing what they are supposed to do. "The Unknown Citizen" is a poem that takes care of a conformed person too, this individual is so anonymus that doesn't even have a own name. This person lives a life that is completely ordinary, and the conformist state puts him on a pedestal trying to spread the model "ordinary is right". When people conform they don't discover themselves and the world around them, they are trapped into a cage that keeps them from their freedom. Wearing a mask is much easier than putting ourselves into the game, it's when we embrace our individuality that we are able to feel and take colours. In both, the movie and the poem, there's somebody questioning if they are actually free, or happy in that world which is characterized by a complete social flattening, "Was he free? Was he happy? The question is absurd: had nothing been wrong we certainly have heard". In Pleasantville David and Jennifer, after an initial confusion, try very hard to change the situation, waking all the people around the from the daydream of normality they are trapped in. In Auden's poem history shows us that it's been possible to go on and create a world that is more free. Regarding the truths of the characters in both Pleasantville and The Unknown Citizen the characters wear masks to seem normal, ordinary, anonymus, to fit in with all the others. In Pleasantville, people's masks are black and white: they hide under a concrete layer of pale grey. One significant scene of the movie, that indicates what said before, is the scene when the mother is starting to take colours, and she is so shamed by that, that she puts on black and white makeup in the same way actors and actress used to put on the greasepaint, Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 18. The Unknown Citizen Explication Essay Alek Haugen Advanced Placement English 12 Dr. Werner 05 March 2012 The Unknown Citizen By W. H. Auden Several conflicts are dramatized in The Unknown Citizen, the most prominent being: conformity of the middle class, government manipulation, and the loss of individualism to the standards of an average citizen. The speaker of this poem is non–traditional as the poem is, in fact, an inscription on a "marble monument erected by the State." The inscription is dedicated to a "JS/07 M 378"–presumably, "The Unknown Citizen," although this term only appears in the title. The Unknown Citizen is essentially an elegy, a lament for the dead, written by either a government official or a strong believer in the government. This becomes clear...show more content... Among his "praises," for example: "When there was peace, he was for peace: when there was war, he went" (24). In this, it becomes clear to the reader that you do not want to be an average citizen; you do not want this to be your elegy. Some critics argue this, however, as Auden stating that there is nothing disgraceful in being unknown. The poem is, above all, a satire of the way conformity hinders the individual and leaves ridiculous and solely external distinctions between human beings. Auden presents an allegory in The Unknown Citizen that begins even before the poem itself. The phrase "Unknown Citizen" appears only once–in the title. This term is an immediate allusion to and parody of the "Unknown Soldier," especially considering the details of who the poem is dedicated to and the fact that it is found on a marble monument, much like those one might expect to see in Washington, D.C. where the United States is home to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The "Unknown Solider" is a soldier who cannot be recognized after being found in battle. This sometimes–controversial idea can be interpreted to mean that many people die as unknowns because they lived uninfluential lives. Aside from this large allegory, the poem uses only a few rhetorical devices. In line four, for example, "...in the modern sense of an old –fashioned word, he was a saint" is quite an exaggeration because being "one against whom there was no official complaint" is hardly saintly (2). Another Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 19. The Unknown Citizen By Auden "The Unknown Citizen," written by W. H. Auden, is a poem that describes a man who lived a life most people would see as ideal. The man illustrated by this poem did what society expected him to do, which resulted in a model life. This poem, however, can be seen in more than one way. Some may see the story in the poem as a description of a man who had an unfulfilling life because he did exactly what was expected of him. Instead of trying something new, exploring the world, or making a change, the man did what everyone else regarded as acceptable. W. H. Auden's poem can be seen from two perspectives: the man who lived an ideal life that many people sought to have or the man who lived an unfulfilling, ordinary life which caused him to blend in...show more content... W. H. Auden's poem, "The Unknown Citizen," is a great example of this because one can find at least two meanings within the poem. One person could see the poem as a description of a perfect man while someone else could see the poem as a message to be unique and make a change in the world. The man in the poem fulfilled society's expectations, but at the same time, the man may not have had a fulfilling life. These two ideas could not be the only interpretations of the poem. Other readers may discover their own meanings or explanations of the poem. Overall, the speaker in "The Unknown Citizen" describes the life of an unknown man, but the reader must decide the message behind being Get more content on HelpWriting.net