On Not Lying To Hawaii Poem Analysis

There is a disconnect between real life and what we see in the movies and television about Hawaii. Whether it’s the people, places or things that attracts us to its concept, many inevitably end up not satisfying their curiosity. Alison Luterman’s poem “On Not lying to Hawaii” uses various poetic devices and strategies to critique modern life that is focused on the ideal. There is a constant stream of examples that describe lives that seek fulfillment.
The details found in the setting for the poem highlight the lack of authenticity and mundanity of everyday life. Several elements in the background are called to attention and are given surface information like the “never-noticed landscape” which only are there to supplement the means. One man …show more content…
Despite all this time, he still tries to provide advice about seemingly important issues like the “stock portfolios” and tries to stay relevant with information from the “Chronicle.” This is façade of his true intentions as he’s “behind” the booth and is limited to the scope of it. The man does this like he’s built into the very fabric of the environment, and it’s just something he “has been” doing. The speaker later adds that they could be “…the factory worker who wove this fake Oriental carpet, /or the hushed shoes of the busboy.” Both the “busboy’ and the “factory worker” are representations of lower class workers performing ungratifying tasks. The “fake Oriental carpet” …show more content…
There is a connection between gratifying objects and the background, as it perforates our everyday lives. The speaker says “I could be his mortal weariness, /his discarded sports section, his smoldering ashtray.” This image describes the limit of entertainment found in the “sports section” and in the remains of cigarettes found in the “ashtray.” The words “discarded” and “smoldering” have negative connotations suggesting that they are nothing more than objects that derive no sentimental meaning. They are quick joys to help him cope with his “mortal weariness” but important to “his” being. Moving from the background to the possibilities, the author also has many desires that aren’t long term objectives but near-sighted goals. They say “I want money, I want candy. / I want sweet ukulele music and birds who drop from the sky.” Both the “money” and “candy” are objects that can be described as a sort of happiness but are shallow when self-indulged. They also bring imagery of what most children want and their idea of a what a successful person has. This is immediately followed by the “sweet ukulele music” and the “birds” reminiscent of an idealized wedding. Although this is a long-term fulfillment, the speaker wants it to “drop out of the sky” to symbolize a reward that would go against nature for satisfaction. It’s something that they desperately