James Apo Assignment 1

The poem "Inventing My Parents" by Susan Ludvigson is basically a commentary of the scene depicted in Edward Hopper's artwork, Nighthawks. Ludvigson creates a lackadaisical and relaxed atmosphere among the two parents in the poem, and in highlighting their discussions, she paints pictures just like the one Hopper did, except this painting is more specific, to things like war and the overall culture of the time. America was a lot more chaotic at this time (1942) than the poem makes it seem like, and the biggest turmoil we were in was World War II, so you can imagine the imagery one could get when it comes up casually in conversation, "They sit in the bright cafe, discussing Hemingway and how this war will change them... its shadow sweeping every town." This allusion directly correlates to the panic of the draft for the war, as well as all of the catastrophic events during the war, like pearl harbor, that have already happened at the time the poem was written. Comparing the American dream to a hawk and its shadow develops a rather eerie mood, and that represents the things that have yet to come and will come with the war.Overall, due to the poem's peaceful imagery while also alluding to a not so peaceful time in our country's history, it seems apparent that our author is attempting to be a glass-half full optimistic kind of person, who wants to accept what happens and truly just cherish life, even if the future might be shaky. Alluding to World War II was the segue for transition in the poem throughout, and it allowed the parents to eventually accept the circumstances and leave the cafe, just like World War II would eventually leave.