Spoon River Anthology p35-53
As I was reading this section, i had something little to say about many of the poems, so I figured I would post it here, since we can’t write in the books.
Wendell P. Bloyd- It was interesting for me to see how the whole Adam and Eve story was just like God, and that’s why he crucified His Own Son
Franklin Jones- reminded me of George Gray, who failed to seize his opportunities and, in the case of Franklin Jones, didn’t finish his flying machine and become famous as he dreamt.
Pauline Barrett- a great quote i found from here was ” ‘One should be all dead when one is half-dead-’ Nor ever mock life, nor ever cheat love.’ ”
Albert Schirding- “But I know of a fate more trying than that: It is to be a failure while your children are successes”. He put all of his money into becoming superintendent and failed again, while his daughter was successful. And that’s what killed him.
Jonas Keene- He provides an alternate viewpoint to Alberts, saying that your children bring you honor, because you are the one that raised them. This relates very much to Mrs. Williams and that she thought all of the children might as well be raised by the county, but maybe Alberts “American Dream” inspired his kids and made them better. His failure could have led him to further inspire them to go and push their limits for success.
Mary McNeely- “To love is to find your soul Through the soul of a beloved one”. Maybe the American Dream is different in small town Spoon River, maybe they don’t desire money as much as love, something less tangible, but that would probably make you the most happy in a small town with nowhere to go.
