Erica+H

3. What makes this poem so modernist is the fact that it paints the picture of a human insecurity that you wouldn’t normally find in classic works of literature. For example in the text when it says “[They will say: ``How his hair is growing thin!''] ” (The poem). People aren’t really saying that. That’s what he thinks people are going to say about him. He says the same thing about many other things about his appearance that he doesn’t like and thinks people will judge him about. His insecurities prevent him from going into contact with the world. He is distanced because of his lack of self-esteem and that affects him. His poem is sad and shows how he feels about how the opposite sex feels about him. The poem is a window into this man’s soul and he is showing us his fears. - Erica Harris

4. Existentialism is a belief that humans choose their own destinies and nothing about their lives is predetermined. "[People] cannot endure [their] own littleness unless [they] can translate it into meaningfulness on the largest possible level"(Becker). Existentialism is a way for people to justify why and how humans exist. To exist one must be able to think and act on one’s own. Humans that don’t do these things don’t truly exist. Existentialism believes the existence precedes essence. That existence is greater than essence. To achieve existence there must be acts of freedom and self creation. Without these humans have no meaning, individuals achieve existence through thought and action. - Erica Harris