James Wright
Published on Mar 30, 2017
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PRESENTATION OUTLINE
1927-1980
Childhood:
James Wright grew up in Martins Ferry, Ohio. He had two brothers and one sister: Ted, Jack, and Marge. Living during the Great Depression was difficult for James and his family. There was very little work, and poverty draped the small Ohio community like a blanket. Unlike the other children who dreamed of becoming a Clerk to earn high wages, James wanted something different for his life. He began to learn Latin and sought to gain a higher education. However, life wasn't easy for James. In order to keep his family afloat he was forced to clean cow manure, and wake up at four in the morning. James graduated High School with valediction and enlisted in the army before continuing his education.
Photo by -Jingz-
Schooling:
After serving in the army for eight-teen months, James Wright attended Kenyon College on the G. I. Bill. He studied under John Crowe Ransom, and graduated in 1952. He then traveled to Austria. There he studied at the University of Vienna. He later returned to the United States and gained master's and doctoral degrees at the University of Washington
Photo by profcarlos
Influenced By:
I believe that Wright is influenced by his surroundings and his childhood in poverty. In his poem, "To a Blossom Pear Tree". James is talking to a beautiful pear tree full of blossoms. He envies the tree, for is has no burdens. He then mentions a poor old beggar. Who owns nothing but scraps. I believe that James was influenced to write this poem cause he saw a beautiful pear tree and was jealous that the tree didn't have to endure burdens and trials. Many of Wright's poems show pain and sorrow, which most likely comes from his hard childhood in poverty. His poems almost always are about his surroundings. He even has a poem called, "Autumn begins in Martins Ferry, Ohio" Which is the town he grew up in.
Photo by Martin LaBar (going on hiatus)
Famous Works:
Trying to Pray- "This time, I have left my body behind me crying in its dark thorns. Still, there are good things in this world. It is dusk. It is the good darkness of woman's hands that touch loaves. The spirit of a tree begins to move. I touch leaves. I close my eyes and think of water."
The Jewel- "There is this cave in the air behind my body. That nobody is going to touch: A cloister, a silence closing around a blossom of fire. when I stand upright in the wind, my bones turn to dark emeralds.
Other famous poems by James Wright are, "To a Blossoming Pear Tree", "Northern Pike", "A Blessing", and "Autumn Begins in Martins Ferry, Ohio"
Photo by Remi Mathis
One Interesting Detail:
In 1981 James Wright had a poetry festival dedicated to him in Martins Ferry, Ohio. However, it was shut down in 2007 due to the lack of laborers.
Photo by Philerooski
Why I chose this Poet:
I decided to chose James Wright because, I adore how much detail and pain he puts in his poetry. His writing has a delicate beauty to it, that makes him and his poems intriguing. I also chose him because of his painful past. I was interested to learn more about his experiences while living in poverty.
Photo by Alejandro Rdguez
