When I first read this poem, it was hard for me to grasp what Ezra Pound was trying say. It took me a few times to be able to vaguely grasp what pound was trying to say. For the argument that the poem is anti modernist, the first word the stood out to me was word “apparition.” Apparition is usually associated with ghost or thing unnatural. Pound might use this word to describe the peoples’ faces to suggest that they have become “dead” to the real world because of technology. The setting of the poem is that of a subway in Paris which I would assume would be busy, yet the apparition of the faces could mean that because of technology, people have distanced themselves from each other. The second thing that supports an anti modernist message is “…the petals on a wet, black bough.” When we think of petals we think usually of spring or associate it with beauty, but in the poem the petals are resting on a wet bough. The petals which can represent all that is beautiful about people, has fallen onto a black bough. The black bough can be representative of technology and the negativity that it brings, since the bough is black.

A strong argument can be made that Ezra Pound’s poem has an anti modernist theme, but you can also argue that his poem is pro modernist. The word apparition not only means ghostly but also unsuspected or startling. This definition of the word may suggest a more positive outlook on modernist beliefs. The startled look could mean a look of excitement to the future of technology. The people that the author describes can be in awe of the technology that surrounds them in the crowded subway. The petals that Pound describes may still be representative of people but the black bough that they rest on may have a different meaning. The black bough can be representative of the lack of technology. Black is usually a color which suggest bad, evil, or death. A bough is a big branch of a tree, which is usually symbolic of life. The black bough can be symbolic of technology which is a part of life. The bough is black so it may suggest that the technology part of life is dead. However, the petals on the bough maybe symbolic of how people are trying to bring life back to technology.

Casabianca

In Casabianca the image of the flames was the most prominent. I noticed that the setting was a lot more subtle. As the poem goes on the author gives vivid images of the flames engulfing the ship and the boy’s unwavering intent to stay until his job is completed. I found that the setting of the story was a lot more subtle. We can assume that it night because the of the line “… And stream’d above the gallant child, like banners in the sky,” but the author never directly addresses it. He also never mentions the sea and barely mentions any noise besides the boy’s shouts and the flames. The flames seem to grow more substantial as the poem goes on while the image of the boy’s bravery stays the same.
I think the author uses the flames to represent evil and the boy is a representation of innocence, loyalty and faith. The poem brings us right into the middle of a battle between the burning ship and the boys. The author describes him as being “bright and beautiful” which is interesting because that’s how some maybe describe the fire. The author then describes the boy as a “creature of heroic blood” which suggests that he had super human bravery. The repetition of the fire rolling on creates tension and suspense and gives it a sinister characteristic when juxtaposed again the boy’s innocence.
Even as the flames or evil are almost face to face with the boy he isn’t tempted to abandon his position without his father’s orders. This can be looked at from a religious perspective, the boy is like a Jesus figure and the flames can be Satan or sin. Like Jesus the boy doesn’t abandon his role even when faced with adversity. Although the boy is destroyed his loyalty and faithfulness is still remembered.

Why my Title?

I chose Words of Enlightenment for my title at first because it was the first thing that came to my head. I also thought it was kind of catchy, flowed well and it was humorous. After I thought about it though, it made me think that maybe some people really may be enlightened or change their point of view based on what they read in my blog. I think the blog is a good representation of who I am in a few words. Upon first glance it is funny because it is kind of dramatic, but at the same time it is serious. It has two sides to it, one that is fun but the other which is sincere and genuine.