Week 5 Topic
As you already know, the past few weeks of class we have been discussing poetry and the underlying meanings the author wishes to express to the reader’s through his literary talent. What is one poem that we have talked about in class that you have enjoyed and understood? Do you understand the poem enough to the point of writing an analysis of the literary work?
One poem that we have recently read in class was A Supermarket in California by Allen Ginsberg. The only reason I like the poem was because after the second reading and discussing the poem in class, I can honestly say that I fully understand what the poem is about. Considering I am not the best reader, and I am horrible at reading poetry I felt very smart after realizing the underlying meaning of the poem. The theme of the poem is centered on American consumerism. First, the poem starts off with the author envisioning himself walking down the street, and going into a busy supermarket filled with families, fruits, and vegetables. Quickly the author in the supermarket references to one of his most favorite authors, Walt Whitman. He views Whitman as a spirit along with the spirit of another favored author in his mind, Garcia Lorca. Ginsberg strolls though the supermarket looking at the families and vegetables and even the grocery boys because it was rumored that Walt Whitman and Garcia Lorca were homosexual. He looks at what is happening to America and shares his thoughts to these sprits as if they were actually there. The theme of the poem is that Amercian consermism is ruining our modern day society. American consumerism has replaced many things including love of nature. American consumerism has numbed people and made us forget the value of real human contact. The produce has no history as we do not know where it comes from; we only buy it. He wants to be a part of people looking at nature, not food in a grocery store. Ultimately, this consumerist vision of poetry, even though it has been made accessible to all, alienates Ginsberg as all the old figures, Lorca and Whitman, are dispossessed when the supermarket closes. Walt Whitman is there to represent the old ways, the old styles of writing and poetry. He is the old, ragged man in the supermarket who is picky and, frankly, crazy. "Where are we going, Walt Whitman? The doors close in an hour. Which way does your beard point tonight?( Ginsberg ln. 8)" Ginsberg is trying to draw inspiration from Walt Whitman, but at the same time is showing us that Walt Whitman is down and out and has nothing to offer but his past. In the end, Ginsberg uses the combination of his own views on the present day American culture in contrast with Walt Whitman and Garcia Lorca's views to show how American society has taken many things for granted, and mainly to express his views on American consermerism and his displeasing view of our modern American society.
Ginsberg, Allan. “A supermarket in California.”Literature: A World of Writing. Eds. David L. Pike and Ana M. Acosta. New York: Pearson Education, Inc., 2011. Print.