T.S. Eliot's “The Wasteland“ And Sept 11th

The first section of “The Wasteland,” The Burial of the Dead connected to my feelings and thoughts of current events the most. Death, the most final result of all evils is expressed with little subtlety or compassion. The tone is sorrowful and helpless, just as many felt when the terrorists attacked.

If it snowed in New York today, we may feel an unconscious relief of our worries, just as Eliot suggested. “Winter kept us warm, covering earth in forgetful snow,” (Line 5-6) as the snow blanketed the rubble and physical destruction, sheltering our eyes from the horrific images. We are chilled by fear now, and are reminded of our possible fate every time we see the remains of the World Trade Center. The paradoxical image of winter keeping us warm is actually not that implausible, as our hearts find time to heal from the tragedies that occurred.

“I had not though death had undone so many.” (Line 63) Just as “The Wasteland” was created by wave of doubt, fear, and unease, brought on by despair and destruction, the events of September 11th has undone us as a nation. As much as we try to keep it together, we are undone. A poem written at the present time, echoing the views of Eliot would most likely be cynical and unpromising. Despite the courageous effort of Americans to restore our faith that truth and good will prevail, we will still look twice as a plane flies low above a city. No matter how many try to make things right, the enormous wrong that has devastated our country is difficult, possibly impossible to overcome.

The rubble, mud and dust from the collapse of the Twin Towers could be displayed as fear; “I will show you fear in a handful of dust.” (Line 30) The dust at ground zero is all fear, the building fearing collapse, and the people it supported fearing their lives, and the communication devices with fearing loved ones on the other end. Everything about the ruins invokes a feeling of fear.

“There is a shadow under this red rock, (come in under the shadow of this red rock), and I will show you something different from either your s

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