Suicide and New York City
Although the development of the manufacturing industry is convenient in everyday life, it also takes people 's lives away from nature around us. This problem has been discussed in the poem “Summer Solstice, New York City,” by Sharon Olds and “Death of a Window Washer,” by X.J. Kennedy. “Summer Solstice, New York City” is about an attempted suicide incident. “Death of a Window Washer” describes a scene of a window washer who was killed by accident. With different descriptions and details regarding the denouement of the main characters and the reactions of the other people, the two poets portrayed the dark and light side of human nature.
“Summer Solstice, New York City” uses juxtaposition to describe details while “Death of a Window Washer” did not. In “Summer Solstice, New York City,” the poet uses words relating to manufactured elements and words relating to natural elements side by side, in order to bring hope to the audience. For example, Olds uses some harsh adjectives to describe the edge of the top of the building where the man was going to commit suicide: “to the edge, put one leg over the complex green tin cornice" (27). This line contains two unnatural elements: “tin,” and “cornice,” which connote the man-made city and shows the cold elements of the city. However, Olds uses natural elements to describe the net: “stretched as the sheet is prepared to receive a birth" (27). In this line, Olds uses the word “birth,” to contrast the birth of the children to the man’s life by comparing the end of the man 's life to a new "life" in the city. Because of the contrast between the words, the gentleness and hope of the man-made city emphasizes the harsh reality of the man 's extreme decision to end his life. On the contrary, “Death of a Window Washer” does not use juxtaposition and describes the detail more harshly. The poet X.J. Kennedy shows the coldness of the city. Kennedy describes the scene inside the building when the window washer is falling: “Machine
“Summer Solstice, New York City” uses juxtaposition to describe details while “Death of a Window Washer” did not. In “Summer Solstice, New York City,” the poet uses words relating to manufactured elements and words relating to natural elements side by side, in order to bring hope to the audience. For example, Olds uses some harsh adjectives to describe the edge of the top of the building where the man was going to commit suicide: “to the edge, put one leg over the complex green tin cornice" (27). This line contains two unnatural elements: “tin,” and “cornice,” which connote the man-made city and shows the cold elements of the city. However, Olds uses natural elements to describe the net: “stretched as the sheet is prepared to receive a birth" (27). In this line, Olds uses the word “birth,” to contrast the birth of the children to the man’s life by comparing the end of the man 's life to a new "life" in the city. Because of the contrast between the words, the gentleness and hope of the man-made city emphasizes the harsh reality of the man 's extreme decision to end his life. On the contrary, “Death of a Window Washer” does not use juxtaposition and describes the detail more harshly. The poet X.J. Kennedy shows the coldness of the city. Kennedy describes the scene inside the building when the window washer is falling: “Machine
Cited: Sharon Olds " Summer Solstice, New York City” Making Literature Matter: An Anthology for Reader and Writers . Eds. John Schilb and John Clifford. Boston, New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 5 edition. X.J. Kennedy " Death of a Window Washer” Making Literature Matter: An Anthology for Reader and Writers . Eds. John Schilb and John Clifford. Boston, New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 5 edition.