Let America Be America Again Worksheet Answers Kahoot Games
Ginsberg was i of the lead figures in the "Trounce Movement" the poems ironically satirizes the conventions of American life. 'America' was written on January 17, 1956, while he was in Berkeley, California. It is included in his collection 'Howl and Other Poems' published in November 1956. The poet has used the stream of consciousness technique to delineate the time of political unrest when the prospects of the country looked dismal and bleak. He has likewise personified America and urges it to bring in some positive change, that is possible but if it comes out of its inactivity.
Summary of America
'America' by Allen Ginsberg stands as a symbol of his disappointment and indifference to the social and political situation prevailed during the time of unsetting.
In this poem, 'America', the speaker addresses America directly. He expresses his despair most his financial situation and the way the country is engaged in the state of war. He compares the time of communist ruling to his present time of idleness. In the poem, the speaker converse with America as if he is talking to himself. He makes a plea full of sarcasm for the sake of poetic originality. The plea is also for other downtrodden people. The poem carries a reference to the meetings of the communists, still he knew that the era is long gone. Information technology also makes fun of the people who blame every mishap on Russia.
On the whole, the poet expresses his view on the nowadays condition of meaningless inactivity that cannot get on forever. Further, he states that alter cannot come up unless the people take initiative themselves. The poem concludes with the optimistic view of the speaker's determination to help correct all these issues on his ain accordance.
Form and Structure
The poem 'America' highlights the irregular meter and structure that is the hallmark of Ginsberg's verse. Even the stanzas of the poem are too irregular and unplanned. The first stanza has sixteen lines, the 2nd and third consists of twelve lines, and the fourth and 5th stanzas consist of 10 lines each. Like other Ginsberg poems, the construction is really meant to exist heard rather than read, every bit information technology is conversational in nature. He relates the poem to music, saying that the central to understanding the construction of the poem is "in the jazz choruses." The terminal stanza of the poem is an amalgamation of rhythms and a stream of consciousness writing. And, the sentences oft run on without punctuation. Also, the poem skips from subject to subject with picayune relation to each other.
Theme and Setting
The poem involves many prominent themes such as the previous wars of the decade, nuclear warfare, the foreign policy in Asia, racial unrest in the United states of america, and resistance confronting communism. The themes are well explained with cultural and political references as well as references to incidents and events in Ginsberg'south ain life besides equally the lives of his friends and fellow Beat writers. As the title suggests, the setting of the poem is in America, especially in the 1950s. The time after the World Wars, when America faced a terrible economical surge is the time the poet discusses in the poem.
Literary and Poetic Devices Used
Ginsberg uses a number of literary poetic devices in the poem 'America'. The prominent ones include Apostrophe, Anaphora, Personification, Rhetorical Questions, etc.
Apostrophe
"Apostrophe," the poetic technique refers to the do of addressing someone or something in a poem every bit if it could hear and respond. Here, in this poem, the speaker addresses the land, America, direct, every bit though information technology could hear and reply to him.
Personification
"Personification" is the other technique the poet has used in the poem. The speaker seems to be arguing with America, the state. He as well personifies other things like Time Magazine and Russia. He says that "its cover stares at [him]" every time he passes the corner store.
Anaphora
"Anaphora" the rhetorical device used that consists of repeating a sequence of words at the beginnings of neighboring clauses to give accent to the poet's view or perspective. Here, the poet has used it ironically "The Russia wants to eat us alive. The Russian federation's power mad." to emphasize the ignorance of the people of America who merely blamed Russia every bit a crusade for all the difficulty faced post Globe War. The give-and-take America is as well repeated many times at the beginning of the lines to bespeak how the poet insists on getting a response from America.
Rhetorical Question
"Rhetorical Question" does not await a direct answer, rather used in many cases to put across the speaker'southward stance. In 'America' the poet has used rhetorical questions to express his perspective of America and to criticize the manner of life prevails. The purpose of the device switches depending on the mood of the poet from the question to the land, to a detailed description of his perspective on the country.
Analysis of America
Lines 1 -26
America I've given you all and now I'm nothing.
America 2 dollars and twentyseven cents January 17, 1956.
I can't stand my own listen.
(…)
America terminate pushing I know what I'm doing.
America the plum blossoms are falling.
I haven't read the newspapers for months, everyday somebody goes on trial for murder.
The poem begins with the writer stating his disappointment in America and introducing his poor financial and mental status. He disapproves of the homo and nuclear warfare present in America at the time of state of war. He questions America when it tin can offer him justice, tolerance, liberty, and acceptance as it has made the world believe about it or changes its perspective of itself. In line, 13, "America when will you send your eggs to India?" he criticizes America for declining to assistance countries such equally Republic of india. In the lines that follow the comments on the "insane demands" of America that touch fifty-fifty the trivial acts of life.
The chat turns into an indirect alarm to America by line 16 for viewing itself as that sort of perfect earth. Meanwhile, he tries to reconcile with America, suggesting information technology to wait for "some other style to settle this argument" than using the military power. In the lines follow, from his allegation on the government, the poet redirects his perspective towards people, their nature, and possibly the justice system of America post Globe State of war.
Lines 27-37
America I feel sentimental well-nigh the Wobblies.
America I used to be a communist when I was a kid I'm not sorry.
I smoke marijuana every run a risk I go.
(…)
I won't say the Lord's Prayer.
I take mystical visions and cosmic vibrations.
America I nevertheless haven't told yous what yous did to Uncle Max afterward he came over from Russia.
In the lines betwixt 27 and 36, Ginsberg moves from criticizing America to throwing light upon his own character. It describes him as a supporter of the Industrial Workers of the World, "the Wobblies". Influenced by his mother'south Communist affiliations, Ginsberg wanted to help workers and laborers as a lawyer. Even though he became a writer, he never allow that passion go away.
In, line 33, he highlights his support for socialism "You should have seen me reading Marx" the leading figure of socialism. It is again proof of his indifference to the existing capitalist or the system of America at that time. He quotes his psychoanalyst'southward opinion, who thinks he is perfectly correct in thinking, to reiterate that he is aware of all that he is doing and speaking. Almost his religious beliefs, he doesn't conform to any for he says, "I won't say the Lord'southward Prayer./I accept mystical visions and cosmic vibrations". In the line, line 37, Ginsberg disapproves of what America has done to a family who came over from Russia. and is affected/changed by some part of America's nature.
Lines 38 – 46
I'm addressing you.
Are yous going to allow your emotional life exist run by Time Mag?
I'm obsessed by Time Magazine.
(…)
It's always telling me about responsibleness. Businessmen are serious. Movie producers are serious. Everybody'southward serious only me.
It occurs to me that I am America.
I am talking to myself again.
In the lines between 38 and 46, Ginsberg addresses America directly and question the fashion the people alive and pb past. He wonders how long the country is going to permit the Time Magazine rule or run their emotions for them. In the following lines, he expresses how he likewise is obsessed with information technology and reads it every calendar week. He continues to comment on what the magazine telling him and the people. It is always speaking of the seriousness of businessmen and producers, possibly alluding to the conformist nature of American workers. On the contrary, Ginsberg seems to be varying of information technology, as stated in line 44 that "Everybody's serious just me." Once once more he continues with his perspective that he is America and in these lines 45-46, he states that he is "talking to myself again."
Lines 47 – 53
Asia is rising confronting me.
I haven't got a chinaman's chance.
(…)
I have abolished the whorehouses of French republic, Tangiers is the side by side to go.
My ambition is to be President despite the fact that I'm a Catholic.
From line 47 onwards, the poet takes a fresh perspective however continuing with seeing himself every bit America itself. He sees how Asia is growing against America, which has no chance similar to that of China in the War. He reflects America's resources through his own as "two joints of marijuana millions of genitals an unpublishable individual literature that jet planes 1400 miles an hour and 20-v yard mental institutions." He continues to criticize America for ignoring his people where he alludes to the prison and the millions of underprivileged of the country. The side by side line is a direct allegation of America for ignoring its people and focusing on other issues such as "the whorehouses of France" and "Tangiers". Line 53 is an innuendo to John F. Kennedy, whose Catholic faith caused the American people to doubt his political standing prior to his ballot
Lines 54 – 61
America how can I write a holy litany in your silly mood?
I volition continue like Henry Ford my strophes are equally individual equally his automobiles more and so they're all different sexes.
America I will sell you strophes $2500 apiece $500 down on your erstwhile strophe
(…)
[…] Everybody must have been a spy.
Lines 54 to 61, begins with the poet'southward question and his commands to America. He asks, how he is supposed to write a prayer with the land's present land. He compares his poems to the assembling of automobiles. Like, Henry Ford, he plans to gather his poems as he likes individuals from others every bit sexes are from each other. In lines 57 to 60, Ginsberg speaks of Tom Mooney, a World State of war worker, the Spanish Loyalists who fought for the Spanish republic, Sacco & Vanzetti the executed Italian activists, and the Scottsboro Boys who were released from their death sentences. Line 61, describes the happy memory of a communist coming together Ginsberg attended as a child. However, "Everybody must have been a spy" at the end of the line, expresses the diplomatic thought of the poet, admitting America.
Lines 62-67
America yous don't actually want to go to war.
America its them bad Russians.
Them Russians them Russians and them Chinamen. And them Russians.
(…)
[…] Her brand usa all piece of work xvi hours a day. Help.
In lines 62 to 67, the poet adapts to a more than sarcastic tone and criticizes America for blaming Russian federation. And so, he makes fun of America'south paranoia over communist Russia. Further, he ridicules the people for being ignorant through the phrases like "Russia wants to swallow united states alive" and "She wants to have our cars from out our garages" and "Her wants to grab Chicago". Ginsberg mocks the misdirected fear of those that neglect to learn and think about the political and social state of their land. Ginsberg continues his mockery of American ignorance past continuing to utilise forms of colloquial spoken communication.
Lines 68-73
America this is quite serious.
America this is the impression I get from looking in the idiot box set.
(…)
America I'm putting my queer shoulder to the cycle.
In these lines, the poet uses a more "serious" tone to tell America that "this is quite serious". He tries to ensure whether the impressions that he has fabricated from the television is true. Further, he decides to "become correct down to the job" and put his "queer shoulder to the wheel". The job the poet indicates here is to take up his own way to bring changes to the social situation. In spite of his desire to run into changes in society, he has non revealed, how he would attain information technology.
Like Poetry
"Start thought, best thought" is the attitude of writing Allen Ginsberg and his swain beat poets followed. Their writings were poetically experimental and politically rebellious, every bit nosotros see in 'America'. Similar poems of Ginsberg include 'A Supermarket In California', 'Howl,' 'Homework,' 'An Eastern Ballad,' 'A Western Ballad,' and 'Death & Fame.'
Other poems with similar ideas and theme consist of:
- 'Allow America Exist America Once more' by Langston Hughes
- 'Last Post' by Carol Ann Duffy
- 'America' by Claude McKay
- 'I Hear America Singing' by Walt Whitman
Source: https://poemanalysis.com/allen-ginsberg/america/