Shapiros Poem Auto Wreck :: essays research papers

Shapiros verse Auto Wreck Philosophers contract ponde ruby-red the meaning of life and closing since the blood of time. There are many hypotheses. From reincarnation to Valhalla-then on to heaven. There have been many proposed solutions. tho no one fully understands dea th. In Shapiros rime "Auto Wreck," he illustrates the ir discerningity of life for it can be interpreted away at any given time for no rational reason.Shapiro uses metaphors to emphasize the fantasy- the like and wild setting of the auto destroy. The following is an excerpt taken from "Auto Wreck""And down the dark one ruby scintillation Pulsing out red light like an artery."This statement contrasts the red light emitted from an ambulance to the blood of an artery. The idea that a light is spurted out like blood is abstract and bizarre. In addition to that metaphor, Shapiro writes"One hangs lanterns on the wrecks that deposit Emptying husks of locusts, to iron poles."This rhyt hmical sentence paints a picture of locusts, take a crap hopper like creatures, clinging to a luscious green jungle of grass. Yet symbolically this jungle is the twisted, black, and crisp auto wreck. This depiction of the auto wreck is extravag ant and almost unreal. Using metaphors, Shapiro portrays the fantasy-like auto wreck in which delirium is indispensable.In addition to Shapiros use of metaphorical phrases, he emphasizes the lack of comprehension of the on-lookers as a result of deaths inconsistency with logic. Shapiro directly tells the reader, "We are deranged." The word "we" symbolizes u s, as a whole institution or better yet-society. He goes on further to say, "Our throats were tight as tourniquets." By this he kernel that the on-lookers were stopped, almost speechless, as they gazed upon the wreckage contemplating the reason b ehind death. Finally, Shapiro writes"We speak through under the weather smiles and warn With the stubborn saw of common sense."What the writer is getting through is that the on-lookers attempted to rationalize the accident with their common sense. But their "common sense," or their limpid reasoning ability, was being sawed upon as they continued to puzzle all over death. Once again, the old age question of "What is the meaning of death?" was tackled at the scene of the auto wreck.Finally, Shapiro asks rhetorical questions which could never be answered by logical means. One question which Shapiro asks is "Who shall die next?" This question could never be answered for death strikes without cause but randomness.