AMERICAN LITERATURE

MIDTERM ASSIGNMENT
Question: From whose perspective is the story of Richard Cory being told? Reflect on how this perspective has worked on you throughout the poem and how you understand the poems ending Richard Cory Whenever Richard Cory went down town, We people on the pavement looked at him: He was a gentleman from sole to crown, Clean-favoured and imperially slim. And he was always quietly arrayed, And he was always human when he talked; But still he fluttered pulses when he said, "Good Morning!" and he glittered when he walked. And he was rich, yes, richer than a king, And admirably schooled in every grace: In fine -- we thought that he was everything To make us wish that we were in his place. So on we worked and waited for the light, And went without the meat and cursed the bread, And Richard Cory, one calm summer night, Went home and put a bullet in his head.

Hoang Linh Chi -08.1.E1

Page 1

AMERICAN LITERATURE
Response: Being told from the perspective of people from the pavement, Richard Cory by Edwin Arlington portrays a gentleman from sole to crowd whose wealth, education and manners make the envy of those around as they, every single day, watch him pass by while craving for a taste of his perfect life. Isnt it too good to be true that theres such a man with such a life? In deed if people like him were meant to exist, we people from the pavement wouldnt have heard of the shocking ending fate has arranged for him? In the meantime, is it really a shock though? Theres something uncommon about Richard Cory. His life seems too perfect. It leaves me wonder whether I should expect some cruel twist of fate in the last stanza. One mans life simply covered in sixteen lines of a poem which appears to be so obvious to get such simplicity finally explodes with mysteries and speculations surrounded Richard Corys sudden suicide. There are many reasons that could lead a person to ending his own life a failed business, a hopeless love affair or an unfulfilled life? Is it because he was going bankrupt that he committed suicide? Is it because his loved ones abandoned him that he ended his own life? Or is it because he found no goals to reach for, no purpose to achieve in such an impeccable life? None of this was ever known to be true or not because we people from the pavement just practically admired the Richard Cory from afar, simply knew him as the man who glittered when he walked , the man who was richer than a king and admirably schooled in every grace. People never stayed close enough to see the Richard Cory on the inside. Who knows, that may be the reason why he committed suicide. He might have felt isolated from the people who idolized him and wished they were in his place but never dared to befriend him. What were peoples reactions towards Richard Corys sudden suicide? That was also an unanswered question as Edward Arlington chose to end the poem without disclosing the aftermath of Richard Corys death. For such a talk-of-the-town like Richard Cory, an inexplicable suicide would certainly provoke some heated arguments or speculative hypothesis and thus some inevitable conclusions. Never judge a book by its cover, Maybe we just saw the surface of his life and never got to know the inside that was not always showered with rose petals? They could have said so. Nonetheless, would they still wish that they were in his place now that they have foreseen the possible ill-fated ending to such a life? Although Richard Cory died tragically, his flawless life might still tempts outsiders like the fantasy taste of heaven that drives church-goers to desperately stay loyal to the Bible. Make me Richard Cory one day then I die with no regrets Someone could have said so.

Hoang Linh Chi -08.1.E1

Page 2