Dead Boy, By John Ransom

A detailed Summary of Dead Boy, By John Ransom

John Crowe Ransom's "Dead Boy" is a poem about the different opinions in society regarding a child's death. This child while living, built himself many reputations among the town's people. None of the members of society felt it was there duty to help or inform this child of the path he was taken. However, when he dies some criticize his life and feel the need to criticize his actions in life. While all the time knowing they did nothing to change his path. Others feel sorry, but are just as guilty for not helping a child who might have had a future. Instead he is lying in a coffin dead. Society is left to wonder whether his death was necessary?

The first paragraph of the poem discusses the feelings of his kin. They feel uncomfortable with his death of "foul subtraction". Also there are others that do not like the child's unnecessary death.

This next paragraph is by far the harshest. The voices are that of the town's people who say this child was helpless. His death was felt as the only alternative to some. He was called "a black cloud full of storms too hot for keeping". Just as in Mother Nature the people felt that this child could not be controlled. The following line however is one of the most emotional. It talks of how his mother still weeps for her dead child. This is a reaction of any mother who cared for her child. These people have to see her weep, yet still talk of a horrid child. This is an unjustifiable act on their part.

These are the people who did not ever meet or see the child but realize what kind of a tragedy this death was. Ransom makes a statement at the end of the first paragraph "Nor some of the world of outer dark, like me". This is a strong statem

Some common words found in the essay are:
Dead Boy, Mother Nature, child's death, town's people, death ransom, death paragraph, people child, death people, realize tragedy,

Approximate Word count = 575
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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Dead Boy, By John Ransom

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