A Supermarket In California By Allen Ginsberg: Poem Analysis

What once was known to be someone’s thought that turned into someone’s words is known to be related to poetry. Thoughts and emotions play an important role in not only confessional, but also beat poetry. In Allen Ginsberg’s “A Supermarket in California” different techniques are used to capture a reader’s feelings. Throughout this poem Ginsberg allows the audience to sense emotions in ways such as using word choice with specific punctuation, contrast of metaphors, and use of active voice.
All through Ginsberg’s literary work, “A Supermarket in California”, emotions are fed through word choice and punctuation; for instance, “In my fatigue, and shopping for images, I went into the neon supermarket” (4-5). This example of witty wording has set the mood in the beginning of the poem. The phrase “In my fatigue, and shopping for images” exemplifies that through his hurt and emptiness he seeks happy uplifting things. Moreover, the use of unanswered …show more content…
On the other hand, he contrasts that line to a dark, dreary line; for example, “I saw you, Walt Whitman, childless, lonely old grubber, poking among the meats in the refrigerator” (11-12). As Ginsberg referred to Whitman “poking at the meat” expresses a not so exciting idea as a neon supermarket or colorful fruit. The important contrast with that quote is to notice Ginsberg’s light and dark emotional expressions. Moreover, a metaphor connection to emotions was when he asked, “will we walk all night through solitary streets” (26). Here Ginsberg could be questioning if they will walk through all of life in lonely solitude. Ginsberg displays how emotions can give the audience that gut wrenching empty feeling that is key with beat poetry. While the contrasting of metaphors is used to produce the sensation of being lost and alone, so is the use of active