E.E. Cummings example essay topic

E.E. Cummings: A Man of Poetry The background of E.E. Cummings, who was a distinctive, American poet, greatly influenced his literary achievements in poetry. This can be seen in the experiences of his early childhood. 'Cummings was born Edward Estlin Cummings in Cambridge, Mass., on Oct. 14, 1894'; (Ulanov 565). He was born into wealthy and creative surroundings. 'Dr. Cummings was a woodsman, a photographer, an actor, a carpenter, an artist - and talented in all that he undertook. Mrs. Cummings [however] was a shy woman who overcame conventional influences to respond joyously and effectively to life'; (Triem 2).

He also grew up in a rich neighborhood. 'He virtually grew up in Harvard Yard and was surrounded by the most traditional aspects of Cambridge culture'; (Smelstor 455). E.E. Cummings's parents not only provided him with creative surroundings, but also provided him with the best of educations. 'Educated at Cambridge High School and Latin School, he entered Harvard University in 1911 and remained there until 1916, when he received his Master's degree'; (Ulanov 565). It was during this time that E.E. Cummings was publishing his first poems for the Harvard Monthly Journal (Smelstor 455).

After earning his Master's at Harvard, he then moved on to volunteering as an ambulance driver in France during WWII. 'From his experiences in La Ferte' Mace' (a detention camp) he accumulated material for his documentary 'novel,' The Enormous Room (1922), one of the best war books by an American'; (Triem 2). After a lifetime of literary achievement, 'Cummings died in Conway, NH, on Sept. 3, 1962'; at the age of 68 (Ulanov 565).

Thus, his early childhood and his later years helped to shape him into such a well-known literary poet. The themes and techniques used by E.E. Cummings distinguish his unique writing style from all other average poets of his time. In his writings, Cummings', expressed many different themes. 'He attacks many aspects of American life, especially Puritanism and Philistinism... (Cummings, Penguin, 470). In some of his poems, he favored toward the spiritual outlook of man.

The poems showed his transcendental faith in a world where the self-reliant, joyful, loving individual is beautifully alive but in which mass man, or the man who lives by mind alone, without heart and soul, is dead (Cummings, Microsoft, 154) Cummings usually stayed pretty basic with his themes, 'A number of Cummings' poems praise the simple pleasures of nature, love, and spring'; (Ulanov 566). Another quality Cummings had that pushed him aside from other poets were the techniques he used. By just writing his name, it singled out him from the others. 'In keeping with his iconoclasm is the lowercase d signature he preferred and came to be known by 'e. e. cummings'; (Ulanov 565). To get more affect out of the words in poems, he would abuse the text.

'He breaks lines to indicate stress; he sometimes capitalizes key words for the same reason, and even uses punctuation to indicate rises and climaxes in tone'; (Cummings, Penguin, 469). When writing Cummings would not use regular manuscript form, He would jump all over the page, to leave a quite odd appearance. In pursuit of methods to express his theme, Cummings concentrated on dislocations of syntax (in which the functions of parts of speech are often interchanged), the use of fragments of slang and advertising slogans, and the mixture of conventional stanzaic forms and free verse (Ulanov 566). Thus, his themes and techniques describe his unique writing style that he used in his writings. E.E. Cummings' critical acclaim, fanfare, and his awards, when put together, shape his reputation. He received many good comments on his style. In Collier's Encyclopedia, Barry Ulanov reported the following: American lyric poet, a typographical innovator whose contempt for modern, collectivized society and love individuality is reflected in the novel arrangement and punctuation of his poems (Ulanov 565).

Also he acquired this good comment about his skill level in writing. In Essentials of Contemporary Literature, Donald W. Heine y states: ' [t] here eccentricities have been widely imitated, but it requires a poet of Cummings's kill to bring them off successfully'; (Cummings, Penguin, 469). Cummings also received acknowledgement for other things beside his poetry. In Collier's Encyclopedia, Barry Ulanov expressed: 'Cummings was a skilled draftsman. After a brief venture into abstract painting, he returned to still lifes, portraits, and landscapes'; (Ulanov 565).

His style ceased to get used by poets in their poems until later years. 'His stylistic innovations won him no poetic followers, but later poets of neo-romantic bent have counted him as one of their ancestors'; (Waggoner 323). The awards he obtained through the years, put a positive outlook on his reputation. 'In 1950, for 'great achievement,' he was given Fellowship of the Academy of American Poets'; (Triem 3).

In 1955, he was submitted a special citation from 'National Book Awards Committee for Poems, 1923-1954... '; (Ulanov 565). In the year of 1957, Cummings was given, 'both the Bolligen Prize for Poetry and the Boston Arts Festival Poetry Award'; (Triem 3). Thus, E.E. Cummings' critical acclaim, fanfare, and his awards wrap-up his reputation in a nut shell.