Unknown Citizen VS The enormous radio
The Unknown citizen by W.H. Auden and The enormous radio by John Cheever both share the same idea about society. Both the poem and the short story are hypocritical and show how "individuals" hide behind the shield of conformity. In the Unknown Citizen Auden describes the "perfect man", yet in who's eyes does he meet perfection? The first time I read the poem I interpreted it differently than I do now. I first thought that the character was the ideal person who reached ultimate perfection yet as I read it a second time I realized I was wrong. In all of the lines that I thought were complimentary, as I reread them I found them very impersonal and vague. In line nine Auden says "he wasn't odd in h is ways", In lines fourteen -fifteen "he bought the paper everyday...reactions ...were normal in every way", and also in line twenty-three ""he held proper opinions for this time of year". I read all of these as very general, like the speaker is rewarding him for being a perfect clone of what every one else is. The speaker in this poem is always referred to as 'we' therefor the speaker must be society. In the conclusion of the poem the speaker
Then he follows up his question with a speech about how they are short on money and he is worried. Irene is greatly disturbed by this and falls on her husbands shoulder for reassurance. In this story a man and women ( Jim and Irene) receive a radio ini which they can hear the surrounding apartments conversations. In neither story do you know what happens to the character. She hears all of the violence and unhappiness that happens behind closed doors. This proves that they are just like everyone else, yet only behind closed doors. The poems are also similar in the fact that they are both Gothic literature. Reassurance that they are not like all the other people she regretfully hears through the horrid radio. Yet then Jim asks Irene why she lied to him about paying for her clothes. Her husband reassures her that they are happy, and in love, and that they are not dishonest nor do they have money problems. questions wether the man was happy and free and answers it himself by saying the question is absurd and if he was not okay, they would know. She also listens to fighting and hears a women getting beaten. The speaker identifies the man as "JS/07/m/378".
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