America by Tony Hoagland

The famous Abraham Lincoln once asserted his opinion that,’America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves. It seems that Tony Hoagland, an American poet and writer, agrees with his point of view, as evident in his poem, ‘America’ and expresses Lincoln’s opinion again through poetry. Tony Hoagland expresses his desire for the people of the world to stop being bystanders- and the very people who keep themselves from having liberty- using figurative language, symbolism and narrative method. Figurative language was used flawlessly in executing the messages that Hoagland wanted to deliver to the readers. The technique of symbolism was perfectly used in adding depth and meaning to the overall poem. Narrative method was also incorporated brilliantly in making readers feel like they were having a one-on-one conversation with the author. After reading ‘America’, one cannot deny that Tony Hoagland’s magnificent striking of figurative language, symbolism and narrative pricks the guilty conscience of all readers that partook in consumerism as we are forced to remember America’s callous society of mighty crush the weak.

Figurative language was perfectly used in adding more significance and worth to the poem while deviating away from the literal meaning of words; causing compelling and unmistakable emotions to flare up in readers as they reflected on what it really meant to live in America. An excellent example of Hoagland’s use of figurative language, is the metaphor he wrote in the second line,“Then one of the students with blue hair and a tongue stud/ America is for him a maximum-security prison.” This suggests that in Hoagland’s experience, America has proved...

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...alize, once again, that words are powerful and can communicate the writer’s intent, dreams, desire and message. These words can become the messengers of influential ideas that can literally change the world and revolutionise lives. Hoagland’ use of figurative language distinctively accentuates the author’s experience of watching people cause harm to others without a second thought. The narrative method utilized in the poem makes readers contemplate the challenges third world labourers go through and envisage their pain. The symbolism applied to the poem, puts emphasis in the tone and mood of the poem and effectively rouses readers to stop turning a blind eye to those in impoverishment. In conclusion, the poem ‘America’ successfully allows readers to be witnesses to Tony Hoagland’s passion for all that it means to live and ponder over what it truly means to be happy.