Remembered, or Not?
(An Essay on Messages from the Poem To An Athlete Dying Young by A.E. Housman)
Every kid always wants to grow up and be that big shot and big name of the world. They want everyone to know them and they want to leave a legacy. More times than not, they want to make their name in some sport. The want to be like the Michael Jordan of basketball or the Babe Ruth of baseball. They want to be iconic to younger athletes and be remembered by these kids. They also want to break and set new records, that is one of the most monumental ways for someone to be remembered. What happens when someone breaks their record though? Are they still remembered and known as the best? That is exactly what A.E. Housman discusses in his poem To an Athlete Dying Young. He talks about a young kid that won a race, because back in the times when this poem was written all they had was races. This kid is paraded through the whole town for his victory and all, but then suddenly he dies. Is this such a bad thing for the kid? That is …show more content…
Not only does this go out to an athlete that dies super young, but young kids in general. Like the author says, “Today, the road all runners come, shoulder-high we bring you home, and set you at your threshold down, townsman of a stiller town.” (Lines 5-8) It shows that now they are bringing the kid to his grave in his coffin. They carry him shoulder high for the last time, and this is to honor him. No longer will he have the chances to win a race. It is terribly sad to see someone die at such a young age. Now that kid will never get to experience the serenity and beauties of life. There is so much they missed out on for their future and for an older adult to see this destroys them. They got to live life and do many of the things that they wanted. For a kid to die they miss out on the things they want to
(An Essay on Messages from the Poem To An Athlete Dying Young by A.E. Housman)
Every kid always wants to grow up and be that big shot and big name of the world. They want everyone to know them and they want to leave a legacy. More times than not, they want to make their name in some sport. The want to be like the Michael Jordan of basketball or the Babe Ruth of baseball. They want to be iconic to younger athletes and be remembered by these kids. They also want to break and set new records, that is one of the most monumental ways for someone to be remembered. What happens when someone breaks their record though? Are they still remembered and known as the best? That is exactly what A.E. Housman discusses in his poem To an Athlete Dying Young. He talks about a young kid that won a race, because back in the times when this poem was written all they had was races. This kid is paraded through the whole town for his victory and all, but then suddenly he dies. Is this such a bad thing for the kid? That is …show more content…
Not only does this go out to an athlete that dies super young, but young kids in general. Like the author says, “Today, the road all runners come, shoulder-high we bring you home, and set you at your threshold down, townsman of a stiller town.” (Lines 5-8) It shows that now they are bringing the kid to his grave in his coffin. They carry him shoulder high for the last time, and this is to honor him. No longer will he have the chances to win a race. It is terribly sad to see someone die at such a young age. Now that kid will never get to experience the serenity and beauties of life. There is so much they missed out on for their future and for an older adult to see this destroys them. They got to live life and do many of the things that they wanted. For a kid to die they miss out on the things they want to