Review and analysis of the poem "America" by Allen Ginsberg - written as a lecture, but is in essay format
Allen Ginsberg has been credited "the single greatest influence on the American poetic voice since Whitman", by Bob Dylan himself, and Ginsberg would most probably agree, being his own biggest fan. "America" is typical of Allen Ginsberg in that it's increadibly long. Allen Ginsbergs poems are characteristically long winded and conversational- or monologual- quite unlike the usual style of a poem. He uses peoples full names, and often dedicates poems to specific people. He writes exactly what he sees- which are often everyday ordinary things- such as going to chinatown- but he presents them with an interesting perspective- often political, cynical or sexual- which is why people either love or hate Allen Ginsberg's work. His pieces are often like cleverly constructed diary entries with a slightly poetic ring to them, rather than poems with a slight conversational tone.
The tone in America evolves quite radically from cocky to concerned, and the language is informal (full of elision), nondescriminating towards swearing- selectively descriptive - the only really metaphorical line I could find was "in the light of 500 suns", and blatantly honest (I go to chinatown).
Repitition is really the only true poetic device of this poem, and gives the reader the impression that each line is separate from the others, as if the poem itself, is simply a collection of one liners Ginsberg has spouted or perhaps heard at one time or another, and glued together with a common message.
In the first two lines, America and the world have obviously just been through world war 2, and are in the midst of the cold war against Russia. Allen Ginsberg basically communicates his doubt that america's is the only and right way.
The poem is basically divided into three tonal and attitude verses. In the first, Allen Ginsberg appears quite overly infantile and immature in his response to America's actions, as if he isn't a part of them. He speaks as if America is his parent- or a separate entity to
The tone in America evolves quite radically from cocky to concerned, and the language is informal (full of elision), nondescriminating towards swearing- selectively descriptive - the only really metaphorical line I could find was "in the light of 500 suns", and blatantly honest (I go to chinatown).
Repitition is really the only true poetic device of this poem, and gives the reader the impression that each line is separate from the others, as if the poem itself, is simply a collection of one liners Ginsberg has spouted or perhaps heard at one time or another, and glued together with a common message.
In the first two lines, America and the world have obviously just been through world war 2, and are in the midst of the cold war against Russia. Allen Ginsberg basically communicates his doubt that america's is the only and right way.
The poem is basically divided into three tonal and attitude verses. In the first, Allen Ginsberg appears quite overly infantile and immature in his response to America's actions, as if he isn't a part of them. He speaks as if America is his parent- or a separate entity to