Compare And Contrast Warren Pryor And Richard Cory

Improved Essays
Both ballads, “Warren Pryor” and “Richard Cory”, have similar story lines, but with different moods and themes. In Alden Nowlan’s “Warren Pryor” the main character’s parents sacrifice everything for him to be able to have a better future, but he, Warren Pryor, isn’t happy with his life. He would enjoy the simplicity of working on the family farm much more than being a banker. But because his family sacrificed everything for him he now sacrifices his happiness for them. In Edwin Arlington Robinson’s “Richard Cory” Richard Cory is the perfect man with the perfect lifestyle. He is handsome, friendly and very rich. He almost lives like a king. The message the authors want the readers to realize, is that we should be grateful for the things and opportunities we are given in life and These are equally emotional and powerful poems. …show more content…
They are very similar, but they also have a lot of differences. Both ballads are quatrains, and they both have 4 stanzas. But neither of these poems has a refrain nor a repeated stanza, which is found in most ballads. Also neither of these poems has a rhythm. One of the main structural differences is the rhyme scheme. Edwin Arlington Robinson’s “Richard Cory” has the rhyme scheme: a,b,a,b, while Alden Nowlan’s ballad “Warren Pryor” doesn’t quite follow this rhyme scheme: a,b,c,b. Another difference between the two ballads is that “Richard Cory” is being told by a storyteller, whereas “Warren Pryor” has no storyteller. Not only structural similarities and differences can be found between the two ballads, but also key similarities and differences in storyline and theme. Either of the protagonists face difficult dilemmas. Warren Pryor and Richard Cory both experience isolation but for different reasons. Also, both men are unhappy how their life turned out, and how they lost their dreams. Richard, on the one hand, was the perfect man with the perfect life, yet still he wasn’t happy. He had everything, but yet nothing. He felt excluded from everyone else, because of his wealth, thinking that no one would understand him. And despite everyone’s impression he was deeply depressed and very unhappy with himself and his life. So, in the end he committed suicide. Warren, on the other hand was always very poor when he was younger. His parents sacrificed everything so that he could go to school and get a good education and job. When he graduated from college and became a banker his parents were very happy, but he wasn’t. His dream always being becoming a farmer like his parents. So, he too, became very unhappy and started to drown in his sorrows. But instead of taking action Warren stayed put, and watched as his dreams vanished, sacrificing them for his parent’s happiness and well being. The fact that Richard had everything as a child and Warren nothing, also makes them value life and its opportunities very differently. Richard doesn’t realize the opportunities that lie for him at all, while Warren values them all greatly but doesn’t take them, considering what his family would say and go through. Neither Richard Cory nor Warren Pryor cope with the isolation they experience very well. They decide that he will never be able to discuss his feelings of

Related Documents

  • Great Essays

    The most two influential black nationalist I chose two write about in this research paper emphasis the importance to embrace black race and culture to support economic and self- determination for the black community. Both Marcus Garvey and W.E.B DuBois although opposed each other ideology of improving black social progress had a similar goal to encourage African worldwide to unite for economic, social, and political progress. W.E.B DuBois was an editor, novelist, civil rights leader and socialist. He was a black intellectual who enforced the importance of education among the black community. He had an interest in social science, not only did he concentrated on race relations but he conducted observations and research on the conditions of…

    • 1477 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Richard B. Russell and Carl Vinson and were two democrats before, during, and after World War 2. They were both politicians from Georgia. They contributed to the war and the country in many different and same ways. Although Richard B. Russell and Carl Vinson had different contribution to the war they were both trying to make the country better at a time period where it was down.…

    • 441 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Conflict and war in America in the 18th century had a profound impact on the paintings created during that time period. Artists focused on capturing important battles and deaths of important people on canvas. Two famous artists during this time period were Benjamin West and John Trumbull. Benjamin West was born in Pennsylvania in 1738, but left the colonies permanently to study art in Europe in 1759. He settled in England, where he served as King George III painter, and helped found the Royal Academy.…

    • 1247 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Levitt and Dubner show how differences in information allow for power shifts. The mid-20th century KKK downfall is portrayed as information-caused, with Stenson Kennedy and John Brown's revealing of klan practices through radio leading to a decline in clan membership and action. Real-estate agents sell the houses of others for cheaper than possible in comparison to their own, as a small increase in commission is not a sufficient tradeoff for time spent. Life insurance policies had a decrease in average cost during the rise of the internet, as people gained the information to compare different policies. The authors then note how information usage can be found in more subtle forms through appearance, noting how people manipulate information for their advantage: people aim not to seem bigoted on the game show Weakest Link, and dating website users lie about themselves and their race preferences.…

    • 269 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Booker T. Washington and W. E. B DuBois used different strategies when dealing with the problems faced by African Americans at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. Segregation was a big problem during this time and African Americans were the ones facing the brunt of this issue. Both Washington and DuBois tried to fight for equality of African Americans and were in hopes that their actions, as well as programs, would help aid society toward agreeing with them. Washington was more about trying to gradually institute equality whereas DuBois took a more immediate approach. Even though Washington and DuBois took on different views, it can be agreed that both men took important steps to improve equality for African Americans…

    • 1058 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Historians Philip Jenkins and Matthew Dallek offer differing views on the achievements completed during Ronald Reagan’s presidency. While both historians do not seem to have liked president Ronald Reagan much, they base their suggestions about his presidency’s results on at least partially historically defensible claims. Although I understand why both historians said what they did based on historical facts from Reagan’s presidency, I find myself agreeing with Philip Jenkins’s statement of Ronald Reagan from 2008. Due to events such as the Iranian Hostage Crisis, the anti-government trust statements he made, and his tax reduction plan, I agree with Philip Jenkins that president Reagan was joining a revolution which was already in progress and only gave form and direction to…

    • 849 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The first poem I am going to talk about is called “I hear America singing” written by Walt Whitman. The second poem is called “Let America be America again” by Langston Hughes. These two poems have a few similarities that I am going to talk about. The first similarity is that both of these poems themes are centered towards the main idea of America and the american dream.…

    • 438 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Wes Moore is the name of two boys living in Baltimore in the same neighborhood and age, but two different paths in their life. Life was difficult for them growing up without a father so they looked up to see in that limited world and follow the only models available" (Moore 178). Both Wes and Wes were lacking in their school having bad grades and a hard time fitting in. One day the other Wes Moore had a fight in football and after being punched, he runs and gets his knife following the words of Tony which were “rule number one: If someone disrespects you, you send a message so fierce that they won‘t have the chance to do it again” (Moore 33). As Wes took his knife running to the boy the police tackle him to the ground and took him to jail and…

    • 1021 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In this essay I will compare and contrast the two poems by presenting different examples. Titles can say a lot about a poem. Although titles can sometimes be misleading, they often establish the setting or portray the tone of the poem. The titles given to these poems are very similar because they establish the setting, but also serve different purposes. “Last…

    • 1057 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Late in the 1800 's was born a great American poet by the name of Edwin Arlington Robinson. A naturally talented writer, Robinson grew into his profession during an era of struggle. While the world squandered to acquire wealth, and while most failed, the poets of this time solemnly wrote about what was unfolding. Events throughout his life lead to the inspiration for one of his most famous poems, “Richard Cory”. Edwin Arlington Robinson was a poet in the Modernist era significant to American poetry because he described such dramatic and vivid scenes, such as “Richard Cory”, by using reticence and simplicity.…

    • 1046 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    While growing up, children learn various lessons from their elders that will eventually pay off at some point in their life. For instance, a teacher may request that a student wait their turn to speak, and therefore helps that child learn the virtue of patience. In both of the poems provided, a child or children are taught something, but, within the poems themselves, not both things being taught are beneficial. In "A Barred Owl" by Richard Wilbur, a little girl is shown by her parents that she does not need to be afraid of sudden noises she hears in the night.…

    • 758 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    George Simmel and W. E. B." Du Bois are two brightest mind in sociology history. Their theories and books has change the way people look at each other. In this paper is going to discuss and compare how George Simmel’s the stranger is parallel to "W. E. B." Du Bois’s double consciousness. How each theory or term are similar and different. Both theorists talks about being an outsider one way or another.…

    • 1327 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Written by Edward Arlington Robinson in 1897, the short poem, “Richard Cory,” describes a man who seems to embody the perfect lifestyle, but secretly struggles to find happiness within himself. Looking at Robinson’s childhood, Richard Cory likely serves as a representation of his viewpoints on wealth as he was born the son of a wealthy merchant. Robinson portrays his central theme through poetic devices such as irony and symbolism. The use of these devices allows Robinson’s outlook on wealth to flourish into a rhythmic story of the short life of Richard Cory.…

    • 822 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In Edwin Arlington Robinsons poem “Richard Cory” the narrator that is telling the story seems to be a person on the street looking at Richard Cory. The narrator is tell us what Cory does and other “people on the pavement” think about him (Robinson 855). Richard Cory is a handsome man, who has money and has great manners. Women want him, and men want to be him. However, he takes his life despite all his fortune.…

    • 733 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The difference between the poems are mainly the differences between the narrator 's. The first difference is in…

    • 985 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays