John Updike
Thomas and Updike: A Comparison
Death surrounds us throughout our lifetime. Death is an unavoidable daily occurrence. Many of us are born in hospitals, where death occurs. The hospital serves as a place to begin life and a place where life comes to an end. Death has occurred in public places that we feel safe in and take our families and loved ones to for recreation and relaxation. Much of the Eastern United States has suffered death throughout early civilization and during the civil war. We may not know of the death that occurred in a home or a hotel where we are staying for the night. Death is explained in an acceptable and welcoming way when it is brought to us through poetry. When one knows that death is coming, they may want to be surrounded by family and friends so they can spend their last moments with their loved ones. This gives a sense acceptance and makes the dying feel more comfortable and allows them to take the happy thoughts and images of those around them with their spirit as they go into the afterlife. The poem “Dog’s Death,” by John Updike shows a family’s love and admiration for their family pet. Their dog wishes to die in peace and quiet, but the family rushes off to the vet to try and save her life. The poem “Do not go gentle into that good night,” by Dylan Thomas is focusing on the reader pleading for his father to fight off death and live. When comparing and contrasting both of these poems, one can assume that the father in “Do not go gentle into that good night,” and the dog in “Dog’s Death,” simply just wished to die in peace. These two poems will be compared and contrasted based on their content, form, and style. The poems will be compared in depth on their likeliness to one another and their differences. Both of these poets have a different way of presenting death. Even though each poem is different in its own meaning, they are relatively similar in comparison with the inevitable end, which is death.
John Updike
Death surrounds us throughout our lifetime. Death is an unavoidable daily occurrence. Many of us are born in hospitals, where death occurs. The hospital serves as a place to begin life and a place where life comes to an end. Death has occurred in public places that we feel safe in and take our families and loved ones to for recreation and relaxation. Much of the Eastern United States has suffered death throughout early civilization and during the civil war. We may not know of the death that occurred in a home or a hotel where we are staying for the night. Death is explained in an acceptable and welcoming way when it is brought to us through poetry. When one knows that death is coming, they may want to be surrounded by family and friends so they can spend their last moments with their loved ones. This gives a sense acceptance and makes the dying feel more comfortable and allows them to take the happy thoughts and images of those around them with their spirit as they go into the afterlife. The poem “Dog’s Death,” by John Updike shows a family’s love and admiration for their family pet. Their dog wishes to die in peace and quiet, but the family rushes off to the vet to try and save her life. The poem “Do not go gentle into that good night,” by Dylan Thomas is focusing on the reader pleading for his father to fight off death and live. When comparing and contrasting both of these poems, one can assume that the father in “Do not go gentle into that good night,” and the dog in “Dog’s Death,” simply just wished to die in peace. These two poems will be compared and contrasted based on their content, form, and style. The poems will be compared in depth on their likeliness to one another and their differences. Both of these poets have a different way of presenting death. Even though each poem is different in its own meaning, they are relatively similar in comparison with the inevitable end, which is death.
John Updike
References: The Biography Channel (2005) website retrieved from http://www.biography.com/people/john-updike-9513636. Clugston, R.W. (2010). Journey into Literature. Retrieved from http://content.ashford.edu/books http://www.breakoutofthebox.com/goodog.htm Beattie, A. (2011). John Updike 's Sense of Wonder. John Updike Review, 1(1), 5-15. Cyr, M. D. (1998). Dylan thomas 's "do not go gentle into that good night": Through "lapis lazuli" to king lear. Papers on Language and Literature, 34(2), 207-217. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/198427087?accountid=32521 Lycett, A., & Coles, D. (2003, Dec 27). He did not go gentle into that good night [dylan thomas: A new life]. The Globe and Mail (Index-Only), pp. 0-D9. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/347505493?accountid=32521 Allen, B. (2009, Updike 's farewell. The Hudson Review, 62(3), 521-528. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/231930782?accountid=32521