The poem "The Unknown Citizen" written by W.H Auden, he expresses the predicament of losing individuality that the United States of America citizens face. The poem consists of bureaucratic and irony tones that illustrate the clash between government control and individualism. "The Unknown Citizen" is told from a bureaucratic point of view and they speak of an ideal man, who in their eyes is the model of the perfect citizen. The author writes this poem to emphasize the importance of our individuality, and that we are not just a number.
The title of the poem "The Unknown Citizen" illustrates how people lose their individuality in this society. By titling the poem this, the author demonstrates how the government views its citizens. The title suggests that, although people live accordingly, even if they have an impeccable government record, they are still viewed as "unknown" to the society, merely just a number in the system.
The tone of the poem is bureaucratic, we know this in the …show more content…
The speaker says that the man is doing well in the community and that the government is fond of him, however, in the end, the writer asks, " Was he free? Was he happy? " (28). Although the "unknown" citizen does many things and contributes to the greater community, he is only represented by a number. The government does not even acknowledge him through his government name, in a way they are taking his identity away from him. The author is trying to convey a message that even though a person achieves many things in his lifetime, and lived as the "modern man" there is still the political issue of individualism. The government has these expectations for their citizens to follow, and this is their way to manipulate and control the population to make sure that everyone is doing what they have to do to be a "model
The title of the poem "The Unknown Citizen" illustrates how people lose their individuality in this society. By titling the poem this, the author demonstrates how the government views its citizens. The title suggests that, although people live accordingly, even if they have an impeccable government record, they are still viewed as "unknown" to the society, merely just a number in the system.
The tone of the poem is bureaucratic, we know this in the …show more content…
The speaker says that the man is doing well in the community and that the government is fond of him, however, in the end, the writer asks, " Was he free? Was he happy? " (28). Although the "unknown" citizen does many things and contributes to the greater community, he is only represented by a number. The government does not even acknowledge him through his government name, in a way they are taking his identity away from him. The author is trying to convey a message that even though a person achieves many things in his lifetime, and lived as the "modern man" there is still the political issue of individualism. The government has these expectations for their citizens to follow, and this is their way to manipulate and control the population to make sure that everyone is doing what they have to do to be a "model