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A Consumer’s Report Maria Di Bonaventura AICE English Literature Period 5

A Consumer’s Report Poetry Analysis

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This presentation gives a poetry analysis for the "Consumer's Report" poem often tested by the AP English Lit test

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Page 1: A Consumer’s Report Poetry Analysis

A Consumer’s Report

Maria Di BonaventuraAICE English Literature

Period 5

Page 2: A Consumer’s Report Poetry Analysis

Poet’s BackgroundPeter Porter

Peter Porter was born in Australia

After education there, he began working in journalism for some years.

He then moved to England in 1951, and has lived there ever since.

He has written many books of poetry such as “Metamorphosis”

He has won a number of prizes for his writing.

Page 3: A Consumer’s Report Poetry Analysis

A Consumer’s ReportThe name of the product I tested is

Life, I have completed the form you sent

me and understand that my answers are

confidential.

I had it as a gift, I didn't feel much while using it, in fact I think I'd have liked to be more

excited. It seemed gentle on the hands but left an embarrassing deposit

behind. It was not economical and I have used much more than I

thought (I suppose I have about half left but it's difficult to tell) – although the instructions are fairly

large there are so many of them

I don't know which to follow, especially

as they seem to contradict each other.

I'm not sure such a thing should be put in the way of children – it's difficult to think of a purpose for it. One of my friends says it's just to keep its maker in a job. Also the price is much too high. Things are piling up so fast, after all, the world got by for a thousand million years without this, do we need it now?(Incidentally, please ask your man to stop calling me ‘the respondent’, I don't like the sound of it.)

Page 4: A Consumer’s Report Poetry Analysis

A Consumer’s Report (Cont.)

There seems to be a lot of different labels,

sizes and colours should be uniform, the shape is awkward, it's waterproof but not heat resistant, it doesn't keep yet it's very difficult to get rid of: Whenever they make it cheaper they

seem to put less in – if you say you don't want it, then it's delivered anyway.

I'd agree it's a popular product, it's even got into the language;

people even say they're on the side of it. Personally I think it's overdone,

a small thing people are ready to behave badly about. I think we should take it for granted. If its experts are called philosophers or

market researchers or historians, we

shouldn't care. We are the consumers and the

last law makers. So finally, I'd buy it. But the question of a ‘best buy’ I'd like to leave until I get the competitive product you said

you'd send.

Page 5: A Consumer’s Report Poetry Analysis

Poem Description

It is a lyric poem, as the speaker conveys his thoughts and feelings– A capitalist society succumbs consumers.

Since Porter used much of his experience as an advertiser copywriter to write this poem, one can infer that the setting of this poem is a workplace.

The poem is an extended metaphor which compares life to products that are consumed.

The poem is also a satire that criticizes the capitalist state of society.

Page 6: A Consumer’s Report Poetry Analysis

Poem Analysis

In the first verse, the speaker introduces the topic of the poem.

The poem begins with a brief explanation that summarizes what this report is going to talk about – “The product being tested is Life” (Line

1)• Porter approaches life as if it were simply something that can be bought and then used or discarded.

Page 7: A Consumer’s Report Poetry Analysis

Poem Analysis

In the second verse, Porter begins his comparison of life and a product.

The structure of the poem in the second verse suggests a series of answers to questions put to the “respondent” in a questionnaire.

The first 16 lines sound like the entries in boxes on the form– The tone is very monotonous– Lacks variety and interest. – I had it as a gift (4)… To be more excited. (6)

The speaker in these lines makes references to the consumers and how they are always looking for something better than what they already have.

Page 8: A Consumer’s Report Poetry Analysis

Poem Analysis

Consumers never seem to fulfill their requirements, and constantly complain about their current status in life.

This can also be said to be a satire to consumers, who in the long run are affected by such swayed consumerism.

The first and second verses have language similar to that of a report, and this can be accounted by Porter’s experience in working as an advertiser copywriter.

Page 9: A Consumer’s Report Poetry Analysis

Poem Analysis

In the third verse, the tone changes:– It becomes slightly more generalized as if the

respondent is becoming disenchanted with having to give limited answers to specific questions.

– There is a parenthesis, berating the “company” for demanding this:

o (Incidentally, please ask your man to stop calling me ‘the respondent’, I don’t like the sound of it.) (25-27)

These lines can refer to a third party, perhaps a legal man on the other end of the line as after the first brief stanza sounds like a dialogue of an interview or phone conversation

o This can be inferred as the diction of the poem acts as a form of expression natural to when one is put to a situation when certain questions are being asked.

Page 10: A Consumer’s Report Poetry Analysis

Poem Analysis

Porter not only uses diction, but also satire to convey his theme:– Whenever they make it cheaper they

seem to put less in- if you say you don’t want it, then it’s delivered anyway. (34-36)

These lines serve as a satire to parents who desire to have a child, but them leave them untreated.

They are stingy with their emotions and put less into the life that they have created. – This is due to the capitalist society.

Page 11: A Consumer’s Report Poetry Analysis

Poem Analysis

In the last verse, the responses to the questionnaire now become briefer and follow quickly on each other. – But now the focus is obviously on aspects of

experience. This verse argues how everyone with a life is considered

a consumer. – Porter states it is outrageously excessive until the

point that has affected our everyday lives (36-41) Porter criticizes the fact that consumers are controlled

by a capitalist society Lines 48-49 show how people or consumers in this

society are never satisfied and are on a constant pursuit of something that they already have.

This verse overall summarizes what life really is and how it is deeply affected by a consumer society by criticizing the conditions of capitalism.

Page 12: A Consumer’s Report Poetry Analysis

Poem Analysis

This poem is a free informal monologue and verse style which uses idioms of consumer culture to fashion the rhetorical style which turns the quotidian into art.

The leitmotif of this poem is consumerism and its negative effects– The Great Depression

Although this poem was published in 1951, it still has extreme relevance to the materialistic and superficial society in which we live today – North America.

Page 13: A Consumer’s Report Poetry Analysis

Works Cited

“A Consumer’s Report Review.” Poetry Review 07 Feb 2002 29 Jan 2009 <http://www.ciao.co.uk/ Poetry--Review--5260488>.

“Consumer’s Report.” AS Revision (2009) 29 Jan 2009 <http://asrevision.wikispaces.com/consumer>.

“Notes for Teachers on Poems Set for Study.” Songs of Ourselves. (2005) 2 Feb 2009 <http://www.cie.org.uk/docs/dynamic/6619.pdf>.

“Peter Porter.” Poetry Archive (2005) 29 Jan 2009 <http://www.poetryarchive.org/poetryarchive/singlePoet.do?poetid=1709>.

Porter, Peter. “A Consumer’s Report.” Songs of Ourselves. New Delhi: Foundation Books, 2005