Stevens' Imagery

Stevens and Eliot are very good at confusing their readers, but both employ a type of imagery that draws an audience in. Also, both authors, especially Stevens, use repetition to reinforce the importance of a particular subject. For example, Stevens mentions autumn, and specifically leaves, in most of his work. In "The Death of a Soldier" these subjects help to tell a story. Stevens began the poem by explaining that "death is expected/ As in a season of autumn." In the fall, a leaf seems to come to life as the original green turns to a vibrant yellow, orange, or red. Then, as the winter approaches, the leaf falls from the tree and dies. The same hold true for a soldier, and Stevens uses a season to express this thought. Soldiers also seems to come to life as they set out on a journey to fight for their country. As the war drags and winter stands around the corner, the chance of survival becomes slim. Also during the autumn months, as Stevens says, the wind stops and the clouds part, all going unnoticed. The death of a soldier occurs in the same manner. In the poem Stevens states "Death is absolute and without memorial." In this line he tries to explain that just as the characteristics of fall are unobserved, so the death of a soldier is ignored.

Stevens also makes mention of the sky and objects found in the sky such as clouds, the sun, and birds. I think, to Stevens, the sky and everything found in it are free. Birds, clouds, and the sun do not have worries to face and are not caged by the industrializing world. This industrialization caused people to become dependent on money and materialistic items. I found this idea to show through in "Anecdote of the Jar." I took the jar to stand for the machine. Once the machine was placed in Tennessee, everything flocked to that area, and no longer was anything wild. The "jar" that stands tall takes power everywhere, never again allowing freedom. Even though at times Stevens may be difficult to comprehend, he puts his imagery to excellent use in order to tell a story.