H/W 23rd February 2018
From the Journal of a Disappointed Man – Notes
Biased perspective of two types of masculinity – ‘massive’ ‘monster’ ‘speech was not something
to interest them’
The use of several-syllable words when the workmen are using monosyllabic words
Enjambment – ‘every one of the monsters’ – emphasises this perspective
‘like a mystic’ ‘though one fellow did spit’ – sarcastic tone, clearly doesn’t think the men are that
clever
‘The pile’ – the men are working on a mysterious pile, narrator calls it ‘pile’ – could be because
he thinks it’s pointless? If so, this relates back to how he believes he is superior to them
The narrator is writing (an intellectual activity) whilst the workmen are working on the pile (a
physical activity) – narrator is describing the physical job, but we are reading the intellectual one
‘I discovered these men’ – they are wild and he is superior – physical strength is related to this
statement
Themes
Stereotypes and gender – physical strength means you are more likely to be less intelligent
(according to this poem/ the narrator’s tone)
There are two types of men – the workmen/ the narrator
Society and culture – the ‘monsters’ do the physical labour/ hard work, the ‘more intellectual’
ones sit and watch/ observe and do better jobs
Message – men also suffer from stereotypes and self-doubt, see bigger men as a threat, and so
will watch and speak down to/ about them
https://blogasenglish.wordpress.com/2016/04/05/from-the-journal-of-a-disappointed-man-revision-
notes/
https://interpreture.com/from-the-journal-of-a-disappointed-man-poem-analysis/
From the Journal of a Disappointed Man – Notes
Biased perspective of two types of masculinity – ‘massive’ ‘monster’ ‘speech was not something
to interest them’
The use of several-syllable words when the workmen are using monosyllabic words
Enjambment – ‘every one of the monsters’ – emphasises this perspective
‘like a mystic’ ‘though one fellow did spit’ – sarcastic tone, clearly doesn’t think the men are that
clever
‘The pile’ – the men are working on a mysterious pile, narrator calls it ‘pile’ – could be because
he thinks it’s pointless? If so, this relates back to how he believes he is superior to them
The narrator is writing (an intellectual activity) whilst the workmen are working on the pile (a
physical activity) – narrator is describing the physical job, but we are reading the intellectual one
‘I discovered these men’ – they are wild and he is superior – physical strength is related to this
statement
Themes
Stereotypes and gender – physical strength means you are more likely to be less intelligent
(according to this poem/ the narrator’s tone)
There are two types of men – the workmen/ the narrator
Society and culture – the ‘monsters’ do the physical labour/ hard work, the ‘more intellectual’
ones sit and watch/ observe and do better jobs
Message – men also suffer from stereotypes and self-doubt, see bigger men as a threat, and so
will watch and speak down to/ about them
https://blogasenglish.wordpress.com/2016/04/05/from-the-journal-of-a-disappointed-man-revision-
notes/
https://interpreture.com/from-the-journal-of-a-disappointed-man-poem-analysis/
