From The Journal of a Disappointed Man (Andrew Motion)
Title
• 'Journal' = a precise, factual documentation of his observations; perhaps personal
musings, private.
• Creates a poet persona who narrates the story. Passive observer, isolated from the
action.
• 'Disappointed man' - deliberate ambiguity about who this refers to, both the poet
persona (disappointment in seeing in the construction men what he can never be) and
the construction men (fed up with the job, can't shift the pile).
• Title has a sense of formality – we perhaps wonder if his disappointment is grand and
existential (does the poem live up to this or is there a comic, self-deprecating bathos?
Or does it work on both of these levels?)
Themes
• Gender, masculine role and expectations of men
• Challenges
• Binary separation between two ‘types’ of men
• Identity
• Uncertainty, lack of resolution
• Implicit rather than explicit emotions and conflicts
• An individual’s conflicted reactions (awe vs derision)
• Observer poet persona, his understanding as a narrator
Form
Poem is structured in a long block, stanzas of 4 lines – this visual regularity reflects a
concrete building block, basic and absolute. No rhyme scheme, with a conversational tone
– informally recounts his thoughts to the reader, observational description.
Voice and context
Motion's style:
• Interest in narrative
• Use of understatement
• Meditative style of storytelling
"Whilst possessing an accessible clarity (simple observational narrative), Motion's poems
are powerful for what they omit as much as for what they contain, suggesting
undercurrents of emotion that his narrators (poet persona's insecurities and comparisons
of himself to the construction men, fluctuating feelings about them) are either unaware of
or unwilling to confront/disclose".
The poem offers little insight into emotions, and instead is an implicit dramatization of
the separation between these two types of men (virile, alpha male construction workers
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller msbow9. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £4.49. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
