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Introduction

Compare how the writers express their ideas in ?Pessimism for Beginners? and ?A Consumer?s Report? Pessimism for Beginners and A Consumer?s Report both are very similar in how they show how life should be enjoyed more and that we should stop always thinking negatively, being pessimistic. They also both sarcastically devalue life as well as using some humour to convey their ideas, where Pessimism for Beginners is like an instruction manual, telling you how to be pessimistic while A Consumer?s Report has an extended metaphor, relating life to a product. The poems both reveal how we are very pessimistic, always taking life so seriously and negatively, and end up wasting it. Pessimism for Beginners uses hyperbole saying ?bash you head with a stone?, using violent imagery with the word ?bash? as well as ?peck?. This exaggerates how we think negatively and hence creates the mocking tone of the poem. A Consumer?s Report also shows the pessimism of our human nature when saying ?I had it as a gift, I didn?t feel much?. This oxymoron is created through how ?gift? is very positive describing life as a miracle, but the next line is negative. This emphasizes how we waste our life, thinking negatively and not enjoying life like how we should. Alliteration is used in Pessimism for Beginners, when saying ?venal and vile?. ...read more.

Middle

At the start of the lines it repeats ?don?t? several times, making it sound like a manual with very simple advice stating what to do. In addition, the rhyme scheme is also ABAB with a regular four line stanzas. This makes it seem like the point by point steps which a manual would give; it is very simple and regular. On the other hand, A Consumer?s Report does not use a rhyme scheme or rhythm to make it seem like a report. The poet simply states what is happening and the form which simply goes down the page is similar to a report. This continues the extended metaphor of reviewing life like a product. The poet also says ?a lot of labels, sizes and colour should be uniform?, criticizing how people are pre-judged upon how they look whilst mocking that if everyone was ?uniform? and not different, then we will be exactly like products in a factory. The words used in this line including ?labels, sizes and colours? are words which you would associate with a product which metaphorically links the message to products. The poet uses this extended metaphor because by our modern lifestyles, we are becoming so uniform with so many roles and people telling us what to do whilst also worrying too much. ...read more.

Conclusion

This sarcastically mocks how pessimism will make you seem so depressed. The final line of A Consumer?s report gives a final statement on our attitudes, saying ?the competitive product you said you?d send?. This would refer to ?death, reincarnation or heaven?, but it shows that we are never satisfied, constantly looking for something better and then eventually die. We should just try to enjoy ourselves with our life. The final lines of Pessimism for Beginners sums up the whole poem saying ?keep believing the world?s out to get you, now and then you might not be proved right?. ?Now and then? is used to show that you will only occasionally be happy, and most of the time, people will not like to be with you. Ultimately, both poems give their advice at the end telling you to try to enjoy life and be happy. In conclusion, Pessimism for Beginners and A Consumer?s Report tell us to enjoy life. Pessimism for Beginners ridicules pessimism using sarcasm and a tongue-in-cheek tone to show how ridiculous pessimism is. A Consumer?s Report takes a stand against how life is wasted worrying and how we do not live life freely enough. Its message is the same of how we should be able to just enjoy our life. ...read more.

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