In the Comments section below, please post a response of at least one full paragraph (min. 5 sentences). Your assignment is twofold: 1) you are to demonstrate a clear understanding of the text by attempting to summarize the text's argument as precisely as possible, and 2) you are to use your comment to ask the text (or ask your peers) at least one thoughtful question.
Remember: your comment can respond directly to other students' posts on this text. The goal of this forum is to offer an opportunity for intelligent dialogue related to the works we are studying in class. Respectful debate is always welcome.
I think that the poem is a tribute to Buffalo Bill. The poem is written in 1920 and Buffalo Bill died in 1917, so it is just a few years after his death. Cummings is honoring Buffalo Bill for all the things he did, from being a cowboy, soldier, hunter and showman and also receiving the Medal of Honor. As Cummings is paying tribute for his life, he is also asking why death had to take him. As Buffalo Bill was a soldier, the enemy was death. Cummings wants to know why death took such a good man. Buffalo Bill was a hero and Cummings is saying how can a hero die?
ReplyDeleteI have to disagree with Caleb. The speaker does think of Buffalo Bill as a hero, but there is more to this poem. The speaker seems to be sarcastic while he praises Buffalo Bill’s talents. For instance, cummings says that Buffalo Bill went defunct instead of died, but later on says he could break five clay pigeons just like that. So what I get from the poem is how the speaker is admired by Buffalo Bill’s showmanship, but dislikes that he wasted his skills in a circus act. What I want to know is; why does cummings admire Buffalo Bill as a hero, but then want to trash him in the poem?
ReplyDeleteIn "next to of course god america i", Cummings seems to be going on a rant about what he thinks about America. He talks about how diverse America is. It seems for some reason he is trying to make it seem like a rushed gushing of what he feels about America. It seems this way because the words all seem to run together and at the end he drinks a glass of water. He begins talking about why he loves America, however by the end of the poem he is stating how soldiers gave their lives for America and we should live out the liberty they earned for us. My question is, what is the significance of Cummings running his words together? In "next to of course god america i", he makes "deafanddumb" one word, and in "Buffalo Bill's", he makes "onetwothreefourfive" one word. In "Buffalo Bill's", he seems to be emphasizing the speed at which Buffalo Bill can kill, however, what is the significance of running "deafanddumb" together in "next to of course god america i"?
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