TAG: The poem "Lost Generation" by Jonathan Reed explores a bleak and pessimistic view of the future.
1. The tone of the poem is cynical and despairing. Phrases such as "I do not concede that I will live in a country of my own making" and "It is foolish to presume that there is hope" convey a sense of hopelessness and resignation. The author's attitude towards the subject matter is one of disillusionment with society and the future.
2. The mood of the poem is bleak and foreboding. Words like "lost generation," "apathetic and lethargic," and "environmental destruction" create a sense of gloom and pessimism throughout the poem. The overall mood is one of anxiety and fear about the future that is being predicted.
3. When reading the poem from the bottom up, the tone shifts from pessimistic to hopeful. By ending with the line "And all of this will come true unless we choose to reverse it," the poem leaves the reader with a sense of agency and possibility. The changed order of the lines creates a mood of empowerment and motivation, in contrast to the previous mood of hopelessness and despair. It encourages the reader to take action and make a difference in order to avoid the bleak future that was initially described.
Click the blue link to read the poem "Lost Generation" by Jonathan Reed, then answer the questions below using specific examples from the poem as support. Be sure your response is TWO paragraphs, includes a TAG to introduce the response, and uses the TEA method (Topic, Evidence, Analysis) to organize your writing.
poem:
I am part of a lost generation.
And I refuse to believe that
I can change the world.
I realize this may be a shock, but
"Happiness comes from within"
Is a lie, and
"Money will make me happy"
So in thirty years, I will tell my children
They are not the most important thing in my life.
My employer will know that
I have my priorities straight because
Work
Is more important than
Family
I tell you this:
Once upon a time
Families stayed together
But this will not be true in my era.
This a quick fix society
Experts tell me
Thirty years from now, I will be celebrating the tenth anniversary of my divorce.
I do not concede that
I will live in a country of my own making.
In the future,
Environmental destruction will be the norm.
No longer can it be said that
My peers and I care about this Earth
It will be evident that
My generation is apathetic and lethargic.
It is foolish to presume that
There is hope.
1. What is the tone (author's attitude toward the subject matter) in the poem? What words or phrases helped you identify the tone?
2. What is the mood (the reader's feelings) of the poem? What words or phrases created the poem's mood?
The last line of the poem says "And all of this will come true unless we choose to reverse it." Read the poem again, but this time, start at the bottom line and read up to the top.
3. How was the tone of the poem changed? How did changing the order of the lines create a different mood? (Use specific examples from the poem as support.)
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