Imagery in Carl Sandburg's Poetry

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the bluntness in the imagery of Carl Sandburg's poetry. Examples from several of Sandburg's poems are cited to demonstrate this stylistic technique. The paper also analyzes the messages Sandburg wished to convey in his poems through the use of imagery.

From the Paper:

"Another excellent example of Sandburg's use of imagery can be found in the poem "Jaws." In this poem, Sandburg provides us with a very unique vision of World War I, as well as voicing his anti-war views. In "Jaws," the poet paints a picture of seven nations with "their hands on the jaws of death" (Van Doren 446, 1) who had a chance to avoid the war, but chose against it. This decision is depicted in a somewhat nonchalant manner: the seven nations spoken of disregard the importance of the decision they are making "while I was listening, you were listening, the whole world was listening" and simply answer "O Hell!" (11) and therefore start the clicking of the jaws of death. The imagery Sandburg invokes in this poem is one that mirrors his anti-war statement, as do many of his other poems, such as "Killers" and "Wars." "Killers" provides us with an image of "sixteen million men" who were chosen because of the "young warm blood in their wrists" and whose blood "runs on the green grass; and a red juice soaks the soil" (Hendrick 104, 6, 11). Again, Sandburg is able to convey a message successfully, no matter how difficult it may be to accept."

More papers on Imagery in Carl Sandburg's Poetry:

• Comparison Essay # 7913 : "Robert Frost and Carl Sandburg"
• Essay # 46008 : "The Poetry of Carl Sandburg"
• Analytical Essay # 113102 : "Themes in Dickinson's Poetry"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: