The Dangerous Nature Of Medication In Advertisement, By Szymborska

1242 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Effects of prescription drug abuse on society

Szymborska uses personification to show the addictive and dangerous nature of medication in her poem “Advertisement”. Prescription drug abuse can often be overlooked, because many people have unyielding trust their medication. However according to the CDC,with over fifteen million abusers in the United States alone, the abuse is an epidemic. Szymborska is able to draw the reader in through effective promises to ease your struggle, to take care of any obstacle. Each stanza leading up to the last, is able to entice the reader more into the experience promised, and the accuracy to a real advertisement is unnerving. The poem uses irony in its promises, that can be overlooked, simply because they want to overlook it. Finally, the poems last three …show more content…

Drugs allow you to skip confronting your misfortune by helping ease any emotion, and numbing any pain. Szymborska believes that these disadvantages in life are natural and if not faced, will allow the medication to hold even more control over the user. This is shown best in the poem in the stanza “You’re still a young man/woman. It’s not too late to learn how to unwind. Who said you have to take it on the chin?” in which it shows how unrealistic relying on medicine and drugs can be. This sarcasm in said stanza shows that the author feels this is part of life, and you cannot simply fake through the hardship. The personification gives it the witty and sarcastic tone throughout the poem. If someone were to speak these words, they would sound absurd, because they cannot be done without leaving a part of the lesson that could be learned from obstacles, behind. By personifying the medicine it allows the reader to understand how Szymborska feels about drugs. The sarcasm shows that Szymborska does not believe in avoiding these situations in life, without looking for help in others or mustering up courage somewhere inside yourself. Despite the absurdity of the statements there is still something pleasing and attractive about never having to do what no one wants to, as described in the poem as taking it on the chin. It becomes clear to see the addicting nature of medicine, once the user gets a taste of help without working for it, it is easy to do it again and again. Addiction is the ultimate power that drugs hold, because the user, even if they can stop, will no longer be able to regain the perspective they

Show More
Related

  • Summary Of David Sedaris's Franc: The Theme Of Aids

    706 Words  | 2 Pages

    This shows the aspect of humor because, he wants to show he can do the impossible and become a world renowned scientist for solving one of man- kinds many ailments. Such as skin ailment and /or paralysis among other aliments he thinks of. He also develops a life under the use and abuse of drugs, crystal meth. He identifies himself with drugs, falling to the drug addict status, which impacts his life on a different setting, further explaining that he felt down after his dealer in drugs fly’s out of the country.

    Read More

  • Summary Of The White Judges By Marilyn Dumont

    960 Words  | 2 Pages

    The repetition of the words “waited” (13), and “watched” (14), throughout the stanzas adds anaphora and mystery to the vivid disapproval surrounding the family. Moreover, the use of repetition deepens the focus on the shame and guilt the young girl and her family are experiencing. The anaphora used throughout the poem intends that there is something being waited for. Therefore, the colonialist settlers are continuously waiting and watching for something to happen. In the last stanza Dumont states, “Or wait until a fight broke out” (55), suggesting that this is the action being waited for. As a result, the negative action causes the family to feel shame and regret. Overall, the use of musicality and anaphora successfully allows the reader to experience the pressure of

    Read More

  • Martin Espada Bully Summary

    894 Words  | 2 Pages

    This essay is anchored on the goal of looking closer and scrutinizing the said poem. It is divided into subheadings for the discussion of the analysis of each of the poem’s stanzas.

    Read More

  • Overcoming Obstacles In Edgar A. Guest's Poem See It Through

    681 Words  | 2 Pages

    In many parts of the poem, Guest uses metaphors to show the strength that one should always keep while facing their troubles. He tells his readers to "Lift your chin and square your shoulders, plant your feet and take a brace" to prepare for whatever could be ahead (lines 2-3). Even through the metaphor "Black may be the clouds above you" which gives a clear perception of difficult and hopeless moments that might be surrounding an individual, it is still better than running since it "will not save you" (lines 8-11). It is throughout the poem that Guest has used many metaphors to remind his readers about the facing the problems that will lie ahead. It is even pointed at points, such as, "You may fail, but fall fighting" to remind the reader that not all problems can be confronted. However, the author suggests that with a person's body language, like standing tall, could become a resolve. With these metaphorical commands, it gives the reader the feeling of a solider or fighter that is preparing to face an enemy. This is also further emphasized from his use of repetition. Guest repeats the figurative phrase, "See it through" to show the reader to overcome the toughest or most hopeless of problems. It is also from this statement that he suggests to go keep going no matter what since in the end it is possible that one can succeed. Becoming the clearest and most encouraging phrase and title of the poem, Guest has made the distinction of his theme to overcome everything that one can in order to achieve the best for one's

    Read More

  • Analysis Of I Dreamed I Moved Among The Elysian Fields

    998 Words  | 2 Pages

    The speaker begins the poem an ethereal tone masking the violent nature of her subject matter. The poem is set in the Elysian Fields, a paradise where the souls of the heroic and virtuous were sent (cite). Through her use of the words “dreamed”, “sweet women”, “blossoms” and

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Graded Paper By Mark Halliday

    1028 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the poem the teacher points out mistakes such as the student’s thinking, his style of writing the paper and his grammar errors. The teacher said, “there are spots/where your thinking becomes, for me, / alarmingly opaque, and you syntax/seems to jump backwards through unnecessary hoops,” (6-9). This instance shows the error the teacher found in the paper about how the student’s thinking was not straight and would jump backwards and forward throughout the poem. Another error that the teacher finds is when the teacher tells the student that he should have wrote the paper differently or said something else. The teacher said, “I’d have said it differently, / or rather, said something else” (17-18). This instance shows that the teacher is not happy about the way the student has written he paper and tells him that he should have wrote it differently. Another instance where the teacher finds mistake in the paper is when the teacher fixes the students semicolons mistake in the paper. The teacher says, “Please notice how I’ve repaired your/ use of semicolons.”(28).This instance shows that the teacher found a mistake of semicolons, which the student did not use correctly in the paper. However, even after finding all these mistakes the teacher gives A- as an overall grade to the student. This is an example of an irony that shows that the teacher not only gave negative comments to the student, but after giving negative comments

    Read More

  • Coping Mechanisms In The Glass Castle By Jeannette Walls

    956 Words  | 2 Pages

    Everyone has to deal with struggles during their everyday life. Some people’s problems are more serious than others, and the way that people deal with their problems varies. Everybody has a coping mechanism, something they can use to make the struggle that they’re going through easier, but they’re usually different. Some people drink, some people smoke, some people pretend there is no problem. There are healthy and unhealthy coping mechanisms, and people will vary the one they use depending on the problem they’re facing. In The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, the author and her family deal with their struggles in multiple different ways as time goes on. However, the severity of her situation means that the methods she uses to deal with it are very important. That’s why it’s bad that Jeanette’s and her family have such unhealthy coping mechanisms, such

    Read More

  • An Explication of Sharon Olds’ Poem, Feared Drowned

    907 Words  | 2 Pages

    The setting of the poem is a day at the ocean with the family that goes terribly awry. This could be considered an example of irony, in that one would normally view a day at the beach as a happy and carefree time. In “Feared Drowned,” Olds paints a very different scenario, using dark imagery to create the setting: “…suit black as seaweed / Rocks sticks out near shore like heads.” The poem illuminates moments of intense fear, anxiety and the element of a foreseen sense of doom. Written as a direct, free-style verse using the first-person narrative, the poem opens with the narrator suspecting that her husband may have drowned. When Olds writes in her opening line: “Suddenly nobody knows where you are,” this signals to the reader that we are with the narrator as she makes this fearful discovery.

    Read More

  • report on letters from a father

    1035 Words  | 3 Pages

    Overall, dwell on this process of changing throughout the poem, it can be understood that the poet is demonstrating a particular attitude towards life. Everyone declines and dies eventually, but it would be better to embrace an optimistic, opened mind than a pessimistic, giving-up attitude; face the approach of death unflinchingly, calmly.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Irony In Annabel Lee

    887 Words  | 2 Pages

    Irony is an effective way for a poem, playwright or author to lighten an otherwise dark or cryptic story while simultaneously putting emphasis the story’s dark elements; in its obvious absence, the darkness of the story becomes more apparent. This is effective in many poems, such “Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe, which is about the death of a childhood lover. The persona, assumed to be male, highlights the youth of the his lover, Annabel Lee, referring to her as “this maiden” (Poe line 3) and “a child” (line 7) to underline the fact that she died too young and too soon. He blames this on the angels, who “coveted” (line 12) them and their love. Poe uses irony to contrast, and, therefore, puts emphasis on, the negative circumstances surrounding Annabel Lee’s death by retelling the events in an idyllic tone. Poe’s irony is successful due to his employment of diction and rhyme, which cause the poem to emulate the sing-song style of a nursery rhyme.

    Read More

  • Marvel to His Mistress: Carpe Diem!

    725 Words  | 2 Pages

    Whether the reader sees the satire or not depends on the reader themselves. Those who see this poem may not realize they're guilty of believing that the love and patience in stanza one exists. The presentation of this argument works because it seems sweet at first glance, logical when looked at again, and satirical when looked at against the views of the society.

    Read More

  • Spirituality in Howl by Allen Ginsberg

    895 Words  | 2 Pages

    Images of drug-use are other tools that are used in this poem to help illuminate the major theme. Once again, even though the drug -users " …ate fire in paint...

    Read More

  • On Death Without Exaggeration Summary

    1104 Words  | 3 Pages

    Szymborska is fighting against the idea of Death having power over humanity by providing reasons not to let Death win, such as, laughing at the banality of Death. It isn’t something to be feared or revered. Szymborska points out all of Death’s misses, then she points out the beautiful things in life that thumbs its nose at Death. In the final lines of the poem, Szymborska writes, “As far as you’ve come / can’t be undone” (47-48). Although, Death means life has come to an end, life’s journeys and memories can never be erased; they will always be remembered. Ultimately, Death is meaningless in life and humanity has the advantage on Death. Life will always be more powerful than

    Read More

  • One Art, by Elizabeth Bishop

    1153 Words  | 3 Pages

    of the speaker through out the poem. One Art is a poem about inevitable loss and the incognizant

    Read More

  • Marianne Moore's Most Popular Poem, Poetry

    599 Words  | 2 Pages

    Moore opens the poem with the line “I, too, dislike it” as an ironic response to the title (Loeffelholz 359). The irony in this first line is so severe that it will make the hair on the back of the reader’s neck stand on end. But this is because it is so easy for the reader to want to automatically ascer...

    Read More

More about The Dangerous Nature Of Medication In Advertisement, By Szymborska

Open Document