Poem Analysis The Unknown Citizen Essay - 977 Words

The Average Man W. H. Auden satirizes the United States as an entity, which restrains individual advancement. Through depersonalization, the government rewards those who actually never do anything. However, the Unknown Citizen has a monument built as a symbol of his perfection. Thus, Audens The Unknown Citizen shows how the government makes each individual merely a number unless they do not conform to societys norms. The monument of the unknown citizen is erected not to honor the memory of a man, but to show how he is the perfect example of a good citizen (Auden). In this poem, the citizen is just an average person who never stands out among the rest of the population. For example, Yet he wasnt a scab or odd in his†¦show more content†¦Auden ends the statement with a comma rather than an exclamation to illustrate the inconsequential nature of the citizen working in a factory. Factory work is monotonous, one shift after another not evoking any emotion. Indeed, the citizen lives a boring life, doing the exact same thing as the average person. He cannot stand out, for the only way to do so is for the citizen to be different, not fulfilling societys demands. Throughout the poem, the citizens actions do not amount to anything but further conformity. For example, Auden states that And all the reports on his conduct agree that, in the modern sense of an old-fashioned word, he was a saint (3-4) which illustrates how all his actions were normal according to the governments standards. The government considered his actions so good that they call him a saint. Therefore, Auden uses this tone to prove that living the life of the statistical, average citizen would be boring. Courage defines a hero. The citizen Auden describes is a hero to the government because he never causes any problems. They even dedicate a statue to him, but he never acts courageously. He follows the crowd and never stands up for himself. A true hero leads as Abraham Lincoln did when he held the nation together during his Presidency. However, Auden proves that the citizen follows the crowd with the line, When there was peace, he was for peace: when thereShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Poem The Unknown Citizen 1518 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"The Unknown Citizen† by W.H Auden and â€Å"next to of course god america i† by e.e. cumming are two poems that deal with similar issues. They both address the issue of dying soldiers and blame blind patriotism for the deaths of these soldiers. The theme of both poems deals with the need for citizens to become more outspoken and follow their own beliefs instead of simply following their country. 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