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| WHENEVER Richard Cory went down town, | |
| We people on the pavement looked at him: | |
| He was a gentleman from sole to crown, | |
| Clean favored, and imperially slim. | |
| And he was always quietly arrayed, | 5 |
| And he was always human when he talked; | |
| But still he fluttered pulses when he said, | |
| “Good-morning,” and he glittered when he walked. | |
| And he was rich,—yes, richer than a king,— | |
| And admirably schooled in every grace: | 10 |
| In fine, we thought that he was everything | |
| To make us wish that we were in his place. | |
| So on we worked, and waited for the light, | |
| And went without the meat, and cursed the bread; | |
| And Richard Cory, one calm summer night, | 15 |
| Went home and put a bullet through his head." by Edwin Arlington Robinson |
Before reading, post something about what you think or feel about this poem and then read on.
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I think originally teachers show this poem to their students because its short and it sparks instant conversation. Kids like me thought that it was cool, other kids thought it was sad. Some thought that it was about depression, others saw Richard Cory as the kind of man who has everything, and he commits suicide because life has nothing more to gain, nothing more to live for. Perhaps another theory is that the whole time we are thinking about how amazing Richard Cory's life is, he is thinking about us, about how nearly infinite are the possibilities of our life. This is a man who is perfect in every way, he was humble (he talked to people as equals, not less), he was schooled in grace or elegance, gentleman, clean cut, etc.
Does this poem say something about the benefit of having flaws. As a man who has many, I would say "yes". I love my flaws, they motivate me to improve myself even in ways that don't specifically address said flaw.
1 comment:
I already told you the two theories I had about this poem, but I thought it might be nice to write about them as well.
#1- We were taught the warning signs of suicide while working at the treatment center. This man clearly exhibits some of those. Sure he has a life filled with money and many of the other things that people equate with happiness, but yet he somehow isn't happy. So, he decided to kill himself. Once people decide that they are going to do you can notice a sudden change from depression, etc. to happiness. This often fools others into thinking that this is a very happy man, like all the onlookers who notice the twinkly in his eye. The only thing is that he is not happy because of life, but because of death.
#2- The only other reason I could think of why happiness precedes suicide is if this man was a really good person. He had all he could want in life, and those around him saw that. However, perhaps the one thing he is missing is something that was taken away from him a long time ago, like a spouse. Since this man already had all he wanted, and likely achieved all that he sought out for in life, the only thing that remained was to be reunited with his loving wife. Knowing that he was a good person who would see his wife once he died, he decided to expedite the process and kill himself. Of course others would sense his happiness! He was going to be reunited with his wife once again that night.
There you go babe...my interpretations. I love you!!!
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