The Unknown Citizen essays
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Nowadays when I ask my students about the meaning of the term âirony,â smarty pants students quip me that the word âironyâ is an adjectival form of the noun âiron!â Clever is the wit, of course; however, even in that joke, one can also see how âironyâ could mean something âchewyâ as it means a twisted double-meaning, ranging from a bitter sarcasm to a mild parody, all poking fun at the current status of things. While holding a cute baby,...
3 Pages
1238 Words
The two related texts that I have chosen includes, W.H Auden's, âUnknown Citizenâ and James Mcteigueâs âV for Vendettaâ. McTeigue's representation of an oppressed society effectively resonates with George Orwellâs â1984â, hence my decision to choose it as my prominent text. Through its exhibition of characterisation of protagonists, their appeals for self expression, and the strive for the collective individuality, reflects the environment Winston lives in. âV for Vendettaâ succinctly conveys these ideas through skillful use of setting and character...
3 Pages
1277 Words
In our world today, we seem to be losing contact with our language, our understanding of literature is moribund. However, literature is crucial for our understanding of the world and ourselves and reading literature is vital in order for us as a society to function . Literature helps us to gain an understanding of oneself and human experiences because it allows us to expand our thinking about society and its mannerisms. Storytelling is important because it allows us to see...
3 Pages
1421 Words
âThe Unknown Citizenâ begins with a prefatory dedication which identifies this âunknown citizenâ only by a number (which roughly follows the structure of US social security numbers). Audenâs dedication suggests the poem was written to be inscribed on a marble monument to this âunknown citizenâ, but of course, such a monument is fictional (as is the âBureau of Statisticsâ in the poemâs opening line). His âunknown citizenâ is being memorialised because of his remarkable averageness. What is Auden saying with...
2 Pages
984 Words
