chicago essay
Kerrick Klancnik
11-6-14
Intro to American Lit.
A Living City Titles are commonly added to the beginning of a name to honor that name. John Smith, depending on what he has accomplished, can be addressed as doctor Smith, mister Smith, reverend Smith, attorney Smith, professor Smith, governor Smith, coach Smith, officer Smith, or captain Smith. One might wonder: why should these positions be given a title, but not others? Why not farmer Smith, telecommuter Smith, or hog butcher Smith? Chicago, by Carl Sandburg, gives ordinary jobs, such as a hog butcher, the honor of titles. Sandburg opens the poem with well worded apostrophe by giving the city of Chicago these honored jobs. Chicago does not symbolize these jobs, or contain people who have these jobs; Chicago actually has those jobs. After Sandburg establishes Chicago's different jobs, he goes on to talk about what other people say about Chicago. Although these things are phrased as accusations, the speaker does not interpret them this way; he or she admits that these problems are a real part of the city. The speaker does not get defensive in any way; instead, he or she goes straight to listing all of the positive things that Chicago has that the opposing cities do not. Maybe the opposing city's spokesperson leaves, or maybe the speaker just talks over them, either way, the speaker gets more and more excited as he or she describes Chicago until in the end he or she repeats what is said in the opening lines. Carl Sandburg attests the tenacity and iron will of lower class citizens residing in Chicago in many of his poems, including Mill doors, They will say, The shovel man, Passers by, subway, muckers, and of course, Chicago. Carl Sandburg uses personification and diction to show that Chicago is characteristic of a young and wild man full of vitality and spirit. In Chicago, the speaker is not an emotionless robot. The speaker in this poem exemplifies the very subject he or she is speaking about. He
11-6-14
Intro to American Lit.
A Living City Titles are commonly added to the beginning of a name to honor that name. John Smith, depending on what he has accomplished, can be addressed as doctor Smith, mister Smith, reverend Smith, attorney Smith, professor Smith, governor Smith, coach Smith, officer Smith, or captain Smith. One might wonder: why should these positions be given a title, but not others? Why not farmer Smith, telecommuter Smith, or hog butcher Smith? Chicago, by Carl Sandburg, gives ordinary jobs, such as a hog butcher, the honor of titles. Sandburg opens the poem with well worded apostrophe by giving the city of Chicago these honored jobs. Chicago does not symbolize these jobs, or contain people who have these jobs; Chicago actually has those jobs. After Sandburg establishes Chicago's different jobs, he goes on to talk about what other people say about Chicago. Although these things are phrased as accusations, the speaker does not interpret them this way; he or she admits that these problems are a real part of the city. The speaker does not get defensive in any way; instead, he or she goes straight to listing all of the positive things that Chicago has that the opposing cities do not. Maybe the opposing city's spokesperson leaves, or maybe the speaker just talks over them, either way, the speaker gets more and more excited as he or she describes Chicago until in the end he or she repeats what is said in the opening lines. Carl Sandburg attests the tenacity and iron will of lower class citizens residing in Chicago in many of his poems, including Mill doors, They will say, The shovel man, Passers by, subway, muckers, and of course, Chicago. Carl Sandburg uses personification and diction to show that Chicago is characteristic of a young and wild man full of vitality and spirit. In Chicago, the speaker is not an emotionless robot. The speaker in this poem exemplifies the very subject he or she is speaking about. He