Modernism

Disillusionment. I chose this topic because I couldn’t imagine being oversees, fighting for my life and for the lives of others back in my home; not to mention the fact that when I go back home, nothing has changed. I’m still considered lower than an average man, that would upset me so bad. Its like I’m not human enough to be at home and to try to better my life; but I’m human enough to put my life in danger by fighting in a war.

I feel as if the soldier in the story was depressed and sad. I felt bad for him, because I can imagine how he must have felt. He went off to war, he left school and his fraternity brothers and all his friends just to go fight in the war. He was over there for about two years and then he was one of the lasts to return home. On top of that after being away for so long, when he came back there was no celebrations or anything to make him feel special for putting his life on the line for his country. He felt depressed and he didn’t really feel like living. I can imagine being gone for over two years and when I come back, no one seems to have enough time to appreciate my courage.

When he came back he was depressed from being away from home for so long. He realized that he was in the need of loving, but he didn’t want to deal with the drama that would be associated with a relationship. He liked looking at the girls from distances, he thought they were pretty and he admired how they dressed and their hairstyles. Whenever he came close on them, like if he was in the same area as him he would automatically be disgusted by them. His emotions were twisted up inside, he felt unappreciated. This example shows how the American life was just disillusionment. He thought when he came back he would be appreciated everyone would admire his every step; but he realized that he was just another simple man. He lost his love for everything and he just didn’t want to be bothered.

Don't you love your mother dear boy?
No,Krebs said.
His mother looked at him across the table. Her eyes were shiny. She started crying.
I don't love anybody, Krebs said. It wasn't any good.
He couldn't tell her, he couldn't make her see it. It was silly to have said it. He had only hurt her. He went over and took hold of her arm.

The war physically and mentally wore him out and he no longer seemed to actually be living his own life. He learned to stop loving and caring about others. He didn’t want to be bothered with anything. Its almost like he was just a shell and his inner person was gone. Like he lost his soul in the war.

Richard Corey
I think this poem is saying how all the people admired Richard Corey in his town. Everyone admired him because he just had a certain presence about himself. He knew how to turn heads without even trying, he was polite and just someone every one wanted the children to be like. I think Richard Corey was depressed, I think I could probably tie this to the disillusionment in more ways then one. While everyone was admiring Richard Corey he was probably thinking how everything wasn’t how it was suppose to be, and so he took his life. And he was rich—yes, richer than a king, And admirably schooled in every grace. In fine, we thought that he was everything to make us wish that we were in his place. And Richard Cory, one calm summer night, Went home and put a bullet through his head.

Mending Wall
The person in this poem was similar to me. He wanted to be alone, he was a very secretive. He wasn't exactly being prejudice or racist in any way; he just seemed to want to have his own personal space that’s why he put up a fence between him and his neighbor. He then asks himself what exactly is he doing by putting up the fence, he said what exactly am I walling in; or what am I walling out. He describes how he’s different then other people. He is all pine and I am apple orchard. My apple trees will never get across and eat the cones under his pines, I tell him.

A Dream Deferred
I think he’s asking like once a dream is put to the side does the owner still think about it. Or like ever since the dream didn’t work out the way it wanted to, does everything in your life seem to get worse after that. Would the dream constantly be on your mind or will it just eventually slip away. Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore-- And then run? I think this poem could describe The Psychoanalysis Stage, the way how he is thinking what really happens to a dream that is never forfilled. He asks questions within the poem to make you think.

The Negro Speaks of Rivers
I think he’s saying even though he’s never actually been to these places, he’s been through enough to equal to these things. I think he’s saying that he’s been through the worst and the best of things throughout his life. These things have helped him grow as an individual and now he has more knowledge. I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln went down to New Orleans, and I've seen its muddy bosom turn all golden in the sunset. I've known rivers: Ancient, dusky rivers. My soul has grown deep like the rivers. This poem can describe the Harlem Renaissance, the way we basically came from nothing and then we were given the opportunity to do much more. I think he's talking of the achievements blacks were recieving at the time.

Incident
I think this author is saying how the smallest thing can effect someone. She felt degraded and confused, she thought she was going to have a good time and it took her by surprise to be called out her name. That fits into disillusionment, where they (black people) finally thought it was all over and they can be accepted as equals. In actuality they were still being treated the same degraded ways. Now I was eight and very small,And he was no whit bigger,And so I smiled, but he poked outHis tongue, and called me, Nigger. I saw the whole of BaltimoreFrom May until December;Of all the things that happened there and That's all that I remember.