Stylistic Features in To an Athlete Dying Young and Ex-Basketball Player - Term Paper Example

English 13 April Comparative analysis of To an Athlete Dying Young and Ex-Basketball Player Introduction Both the poems “To an Athlete Dying Young” and “Ex-Basketball Player” focus on the glory of youth and the failures faced by youngsters and the transitory nature of glory and fame. “To an Athlete Dying Young” deals with the story of a young famous athlete who died during the prime of his glory. Rather than depicting it as a loss the poet considers the individual lucky as he believes that he died as a hero. He was lucky because he did not become a victim of fate, disappointments and failure. In the poem, “Ex-Basketball Player” the poet projects the life of a high school Basketball star who had experienced success and fame at its peak. However, his success was short lived, as fate did not provide him with an opportunity to be able to further progress in life based on his skills of playing excellent basketball therefore Flick works at a gas station. Updike talks about this failure as he had first hand experience of watching young people in his town ruining their lives. As he once said, “One of the dominant impressions of my growing-up in Pennsylvania - where I saw a lot of basketball games, thanks to my fathers being a high-school teacher and a ticket taker at home games - was the glory of home-town athletic stars, and their often anti-climactic post-graduation careers” (Monroe, “Inside Game”). 2. Stylistic Analysis The various stylistic features that the two poets have incorporated in their respective poems include importance of the titles, setting, mood and rhyme scheme. 2.1. Importance of Title Both the titles of the poem are in sync with the context or the content. The titles foreshadow and hence provide the readers with a general idea about the respective subjects of the poems. The title of “To an Athlete Dying Young” also hints upon the fact that this poem might be an elegy as the readers later find it to be true since the poem deals with death and is written in the memory of an athlete. 2.2. Mood/Tone The tone of the “Ex-Basketball Player” appears to be pessimistic. In very simple words, the poet depicts his disappointment regarding the behavior of the youth. On the other hand, although “To an Athlete Dying Young” is an elegy yet it has a comparatively optimistic tone because it portrays death as not only bliss but also describes it as a new beginning. 2.3. Setting The setting of the poem “Ex-Basketball Player” is a dreary and a sort of rundown gas station of 1946. The setting of the poem also adheres to the disappointed or dejected mood/tone of the poem. On the other “To an Athlete Dying Young” is set in an anonymous nineteenth century in town and a cemetery in England. 2.4. Rhyme Scheme “Ex-Basketball Player” does not follow any set pattern of rhyme scheme. The poet makes use of the technique of free verse and hence in very simple words conveys the poets perspective to the readers. On contrary “To an Athlete Dying Young” is a Lyrical poem with a rhyme scheme of AABB. 3. Thematic Concerns The various themes that the two poets deal with in their poems include theme of death and degeneration, theme of fame and greatness and theme of youth. 3.1. The of Death and Degeneration Although it is observed that both the poets incorporate this theme in their poems but the interpretation is completely different from one another. Housman in his poem appears to be appreciating an early death as he also says in the poem, “Smart lad, to slip betimes away” (373). This line not only shows his appreciation but also the poets perception that since glory is transitory it is better to die as a hero in the eyes of one’s lovers rather than letting fate and life change those cherished memories and experience. As Woodring and Shapiro also state, “In “To an Athlete Dying Young” Housman expresses his recurrent theme that an early death in one’s prime, that moment of victory…may be preferable to loss of ones powers and the eclipse of one’s achievement” (519). Yet at the same time, he does not talk about death cynically. In fact, he portrays death as a happy escape from a life of disappointments. Moreover rather than projecting it as something negative he considers it as a new beginning because death made it possible for the young man to retain his illusion that only he had made such a record as it is also stated in the poem, “Eyes the shady night has shut cannot see the record cut” (373). While Updike does not exactly deal with death in his poem, yet the decaying present and future can be interpreted as his criticism or his idea of life of a living dead. Where an individual lets his life to waste without realizing the level of damage he does to himself and his skills. As it is stated in the poem, “He never learned a trade, he just sells gas, Checks oil, and changes flats” (592). This again shows the monotony of Flick’s life as well as the decaying process as it is leading him nowhere other than his gradually approaching end i.e. death. This monotony can also be associated with the futility of man’s existence that Updike talks about in his poem. According to which the poet believes that the failure rate in the new generation has escalated to such a level because the new lot cowers under pressure and easily gives up when the struggle to achieve and to exist becomes too strenuous. Moreover, cowardice has no place when it comes to achieving one’s goals however; nothing of the sort is going to happen in Flick’s life. 3.2. Theme of Fame and Greatness The two poets have different opinions regarding death yet their point of view regarding theme of fame and Greatness coincides with one another. Firstly, both of them believe in the transitory nature of greatness. As Housman also says, To slip betimes away From fields where glory does not stay And early though the laurel grows It withers quicker than the rose (373). The poet very effectively encapsulates his idea of changing nature of glory. Similarly, the manner in which Flick’s life is represented in the poem is a proof against this idea. As it is mentioned in the poem, “Once Flick played for the high-school team, the Wizards…He never learned a trade” (592). The word “once” stresses on the changing nature of this popularity which is like sand i.e. an individual can never hold it ultimately every individual is going to lose. Secondly, another idea that is common in both the poems is that both the poets are of the view that all the past glory and fame eventually becomes a figment of memory either cherished or regretted depending on an individual and his fate. As Housman believes that it should be a cherished memory, hence, it is better to leave the field young. As he says, Eyes the shady night has shut Cannot see the record cut… Now you will not swell the rout Of lads that wore their honors out, Runners whom renown outran (373). On the other hand, memory of Flick’s success is that of regret not only for Flick but also for his fellow town’s people. As they do not like to see, Flick waste away his life. As the poet says, “ He was good: in fact, the best. In ’46 He bucketed three hundred ninety points, A county record still… But most of us remember anyway (592). 3.3. Theme of Youth New generation always holds a lot of importance in the eyes of the older generation as the former epitomizes hope and expectations for the later. The fact that both the poets focus on the glory of “youth” is also a testimony of the fact that the two writers are worried about the situation of the new generation. Hence, they use their pens as a weapon to remedy the situation. Updike’s poem acts as a mirror and without using much of criticism and simply reiterating the life of one of the former heroes, he effectively conveys his message. At the same time, also presents the readers with shortcomings of the youth, which lacks the courage and strength to fight, compete and succeed. On contrary, Housman takes it upon himself to show a positive aspect of early death. Although it does not mean that the poet appreciates it, rather he just says if something of this sort happens it does not have to bring disappointment and dejection with it. At times things happen for the best. 4. Figures of Speech Some of the common figures of speech used in both the poems include alliteration, onomatopoeia, personification, similes, metaphor, oxymoron and synecdoche. 4.1. Alliteration Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonants in one line, it is observed that this recurs in both the poems. For example the various lines where alliteration has been used in “Ex-Basketball Player” include, “Bends with the trolley tracks, and stops, cut off” (592) and “Their rubber elbows hanging loose and low” (592). In the first line the consonant‘t’ is being repeated in the words ‘trolley tracks’ while in the second line consonant ‘l’ is recurring in the words ‘loose and low’. Some of the example fro “To an Athlete Dying Young” are: “road all runners” (373), “fleet foot” (373) and “Townsman of a stiller town” (373) where consonants ‘r’, ‘f’ and‘t’ are being repeated. 4.2. Onomatopoeia Housman does not make any use of onomatopoeia in his poem. However, Updike is observed to be utilizing this technique. The use of onomatopoeic words include “dribbles” (592), “bucketed” (592) and rack (592). 4.3. Oxymoron Housman uses the words “silence sounds” (373). Here he very artfully place two opposites together presenting the readers with a new idea. The words again echo the poet’s idea of difference between the resonances of the cheers that the athlete received when he was alive and the appreciation that is still showered on him because of the memories of his achievement. 4.4. Personification Updike says, “Their rubber elbows hanging loose and low” (592). Here the poet combines uses the description of a rubber that is inanimate to describe the ‘elbow’. Then again, he says, “His hands were like wild birds” (592). Again, hands are being personified as wild birds. 4.5. Simile Both the poets use similes in their poems. Housman says, “It withers quicker than the rose” (373). Here a comparison is being drawn between a laurel and rose as the poet believes that the glory of a Laurel fades more quickly than shriveling of a rose. Updike uses the simile of a wild bird to describe Flick’s hands as he says, “His hands were like wild birds” (592). 4.6. Metaphor The comparison between the “Colonel McComsky Plaza” on “Pearl Avenue” and “Berth’s Garage on the corner facing west” (592) can be interpreted as a metaphor for Flick’s former life as a popular high school Basketball Player and his current life i.e. his job at the gas station. On the other hand, Housman uses the line, “Eyes the shady night has shut” (373) as a metaphor for death. The idea of a “stiller town” (373) can be inferred as a metaphor for a cemetery. 4.7. Synecdoche Housman says, “Fleet foot on the sill of shade” (373). In this line, the ‘foot’ denotes the entire human body. This again stresses the poets point of view i.e. life and success are transitory by nature. 5. Symbolism The two major symbols used in the poems are the symbol of Laurel and Berth’s Garage. 5.1. Symbol of a Laurel The symbol of the laurel is of grave importance within the context of the poem. As it is not only a token of appreciation or a medal for the young athlete’s achievement but it also highlights the temporariness of such medal as the poet says, “Early though the laurel grows it withers quicker than the rose” (373). Harold Bloom also believes that, “To an Athlete Dying Young is structured around the figure of the laurel, which as Houseman knew was used as wreath of the victorious athlete and for the poet…for the poem itself is the laurel wreath bestowed on a young man and it is a wreath which guarantees a life beyond death” (131). 5.2. Symbol of Berth A berth is a place where the ships dock. In the context of the poem, it can be inferred that the reason that Updike names the garage “Berth’s Garage” is that it is a place where Flick has docked the boat of his life. It also symbolizes hope, as at a berth generally ships come and go consequently it can be interpreted that the poet believes that one day Flick might also realize his mistake and he might strive for a better future. Works Cited Alden, Raymond Macdonald. Poems of the English Race. New York: C. Scribner’s Sons, 1921. Print. Bloom, Harold. A.E. Housman. Chelsea: Chelsea House Publishers, 2003. Print. Monroe, Harriet. Poetry Foundation. Poetry Magazine, n.d. Web. 14 April 2012. Winston, and Holt Rinehart. Elements of Literature. Austin: STECK VAUGHN Company, 2002. Print. Woodring, Carl, and James Shapiro. The Columbia History of British Poetry. New York: Columbia University Press, 1994. Print. Read More