AP lit Poem Response 1 Human Condition
Sasha Thrower
Mr. Gillet
AP Literature Period 2
October 13, 2014
“Human Condition” Response
Reading this poem at first was a challenge. The only thing I got of the poem was, a man walking around at night in thick fog attempting to find his way to some place important in which he did not know where that place was. The second time reading was much more insightful and made me realize how a simple idea of a man walking to an unknown place relates to me in many ways. In the first part of the poem, Gunn establishes a dark mood to enhance the idea humans are always looking for new answers in the unknown. The speaker is walking around at an unusual time other than broad daylight in a “yard of fog” surrounding the speaker, looking for answers on what makes humans, humans. I know this because; the fog itself is something that makes visibility tough and unclear. Humans are constantly looking for answers about the unknown. In the first line in the first stanza “now it is fog” should be read as “now it is unclear.” In relation to how fog holds the unknown and it is in a human naturally to go walk through the fog find out more. The second stanza talks about how the street lamps project light and allows you to see. The way the speaker describes the light is critical. The street lamps express the idea that the speaker is aware of his insecurities and he is not too comfortable with his flaws. In the middle of the poem, the speaker elaborates on the topic of being aware of his flaws and knowing that it is a mere start to improvement. The speaker is aware he only has room to improve and then backs himself up with the fog being the “unknown” mystery of his life in which he is very ambitious to find out answers. In the third stanza though, the speaker establishes the place human beings have acquired. The speaker says that human life is a mere “pinpoint of consciousness”. The speaker believes human life is rather small and tiny in comparison to abstract ideas of heaven and life
Mr. Gillet
AP Literature Period 2
October 13, 2014
“Human Condition” Response
Reading this poem at first was a challenge. The only thing I got of the poem was, a man walking around at night in thick fog attempting to find his way to some place important in which he did not know where that place was. The second time reading was much more insightful and made me realize how a simple idea of a man walking to an unknown place relates to me in many ways. In the first part of the poem, Gunn establishes a dark mood to enhance the idea humans are always looking for new answers in the unknown. The speaker is walking around at an unusual time other than broad daylight in a “yard of fog” surrounding the speaker, looking for answers on what makes humans, humans. I know this because; the fog itself is something that makes visibility tough and unclear. Humans are constantly looking for answers about the unknown. In the first line in the first stanza “now it is fog” should be read as “now it is unclear.” In relation to how fog holds the unknown and it is in a human naturally to go walk through the fog find out more. The second stanza talks about how the street lamps project light and allows you to see. The way the speaker describes the light is critical. The street lamps express the idea that the speaker is aware of his insecurities and he is not too comfortable with his flaws. In the middle of the poem, the speaker elaborates on the topic of being aware of his flaws and knowing that it is a mere start to improvement. The speaker is aware he only has room to improve and then backs himself up with the fog being the “unknown” mystery of his life in which he is very ambitious to find out answers. In the third stanza though, the speaker establishes the place human beings have acquired. The speaker says that human life is a mere “pinpoint of consciousness”. The speaker believes human life is rather small and tiny in comparison to abstract ideas of heaven and life