James Wright's Autumn Begins In Martins Ferry, Ohio Summary

James Wright’s “Autumn Begins in Martins Ferry, Ohio” reveals a rather pessimistic narrative of the various lifestyles that are described, and also the inescapable destinies that hold for the townspeople. This utmost despair experienced through the people, forms an ambition that transcends onto their children; who are their last hope. Therefore “Autumn Begins”, the season that holds many possibilities for the townspeople, and even a glance into the past for others.
The first stanza of the poem begins at the Shreve High football stadium, where the narrator is shown to be located. While reading further into the poem, it also becomes somewhat clear that this narrator is James Wright. While he is at the stadium, it could be speculated that Wright

is possibly attending a football game, or even just simply visiting the stadium itself. Wright, then expresses thoughts about the people that surround him and goes into describing a rather negative outlook. Stating “I think of Polaks nursing long beers / And gray faces of Negroes in the blast furnace / the ruptured night watchman” (Wright). These descriptions of the people are altogether negative, and portray an unfortunate attitude of the working people. These people are described as alcoholic, gray faced workers. Perhaps Wright is one of these people, sitting amongst the multitude of people that share in the desperation of something more in their lives. He then ends the stanza with the line, “Dreaming of heroes” (00). This line not only reveals the inward desire of the working class to achieve something better, but also rather the opportunity to complete these desires. Now it needs to be understood who exactly these heroes could possibly be.
“All the proud fathers are ashamed to go home / Their women cluck like starved pullets / Dying for love” (00-00). Wright could possibly be one of these fathers, who finds himself “ashamed” going home, especially after his grueling days of work. Only coming back to their wives, who fight for the slightest hope of love and compassion from their husbands. Again, this lifestyle that Wright is living seems unbearable and almost inescapable knowing that most of the townspeople share this problem too. However, there is hope in these “proud fathers” and this hope happens to be their sons.
Now coming to the end of the poem, Wright concludes saying “Therefore, Their sons grow suicidally beautiful” (000). It begins to piece together now, with the hard working fathers who look to their sons as hope for a better future. The sport of football is all the townspeople have left, and also the only opportunity they see to change the lifestyle in which they are doomed to enter. Wright, possibly a former football player, had his chance to make a living that was better than his current situation. But like many others, he failed to do so and now joins the others as they hold onto the hope of their children. The words “suicidally beautiful”, possibly mean that the father's fear that their sons will eventually find themselves ending up in the same situation as they are. They are beautiful in the way that they are the only chance of happiness they have, but also “suicidal” as in the way the fathers lifestyles are.
This poem is a great representation of the typical situations that American families often find themselves facing in their lives. Often in any sport, parents look at their children as themselves and almost treat them as if they are a second opportunity in life. They often fear that their children will be destined to the future that they miserably hold, and therefore fight for the slimmest hope of change. Football was everything for these townspeople, and basically the last thing the people held dearest to them since it haves them the slightest bit of hope.