Journal 14

Journal #14 - E. A. Robinson Poems 

Realism – The theory or practice in art and literature of fidelity to nature or to real life and to accurate representation without idealization of the most typical views, details, and surroundings of the subject.

Read the following poems and write a detailed description for each of the title characters and explain how each is an example of the “real” instead of the “ideal.”  

“Richard Cory“ (497)

This poem is about a man who everyone looks at and thinks he has it all. Everyone saw him as a example of someone who has a perfect life. He ironically was not happy with himself, as everyone thought he would be. He ends up killing himself, which is why the poem is real not ideal. This poem shows that whats on the outside may not be what it seems.

“Miniver Cheevy” (497)

This person in this poem wishes that he lived in a different time period. He wanted to be born in medieval times. He likes the idea of chivalry, knights, and the Medici clan. He only drank and dreamed about being in that time period, and did not make anything of himself. His name sounds like minimal achiever, which is what he is. His life is real not ideal because some people are just not happy with their lives.

         

“Mr. Flood’s Party” (498)

Mr. Flood is an alcoholic who is by himself in the poem. He is old and he has no friends anymore from them either dying or leaving his life. He talks to himself in the poem when he drinks, and is having a party by himself. He is flooding himself with alcohol. His life is real not ideal because there are a lot of people who try to drink away their problems.