6. Choose a poem which creates a memorable mood or
atmosphere.
By referring to appropriate techniques, explain how the
poet creates this mood or atmosphere.
“Eugenesis” by William McIlvanney has a disturbing atmosphere which
makes the poem memorable. Eugenesis describes a dystopian world
where computers have control over everything and everyone.
McIlvanney makes the poem memorable through different poetic
techniques.
One way that people are controlled is that they are unable to feel
emotion in this future world is by saying “amputated angers”. This quote
described the emotion ‘anger’ as a diseased limb which is harmful and
damaging if not removed. The emotion is severed from people psyches.
The alliteration emphasises the brutality and how it must be removed
from the people in this world. This makes the poem memorable as the
thought of cutting out emotion, without any choice, is an extremely
worrying idea.
Another way people are controlled in this dystopian world is where
McIlvanney states “The smiles were uniform”. ‘Smiles’ are a facial
expression which show happiness on people, however when this
expression is part of a ‘uniform’, meaning they must be always worn by
everyone, the expression loses its meaning. This also means that no
other emotion or expression can be shown through people as they are to
always be smiling. The thought of not being able to express any emotion
is a scary and disturbing thought, leading to making the poem
memorable.
Likewise, McIlvanney portrays that over reliance on technology could
cost u our ability to think as the poem states, “The computers thought of
everything” This suggests that technology already comes up with all the
ideas therefore the humans in this world have no need to think. Decision
making is a complex skill which makes it a worrying idea that the
technology can carry out this skill just as good as the humans can. The
personification emphasises the idea that the computers are becoming
more human-like and slowing replacing humans. The poem is made
memorable through this as it explores the disturbing thought of
computers and technology taking control of humans.
