Rhetoric of Resignation

In Rolfe's last body of work, he moves from a purely political perspective to that looks at everyday life. Also in this section, Rolfe shows less optimism than in his ideological poems praising communism. While Rolfe still has hope, he now takes a critical look at the world around him.

In the poem "Now the Fog" Edwin Rolfe uses several images of darkness to show a new perspective on life. He starts the poem out by commenting "imagination's eyes go blind" (Rolfe 2). Rolfe now questions the use of his art. He now sees that art alone, by expressing social ideas, can not save humanity. Nothing is inevitable. He clearly sees now that is possible for the forces of evil to triumph. Moreover, people themselves are susceptible to giving up the fight for freedom. As Rolfe comments "the habit of slavery, long discarded,/ becomes our normal comfortable suit" (9-8). People easily give up their freedoms for creature comforts. He comments that the path to freedom is made through resistance. By using the words "long discarded" Rolfe shows that freedom is a choice. We can ever fight for it or accept or lot in life. Again freedom is not the inevitable course of society, even for Americans. Therefore, Rolfe urges people to fight their oppression in his own life. While not making a clear political argument, the elements of Rolfe's early communism can be seen here. For example, as in the poem "Nightmare in Georgia" Rolfe tries to fight the oppression faced by African Americans. Communism with Rolfe should not be considered from the historical implications of such figures as Stalin but from the social philosophy. In both instances, Rolfe is indeed fighting for a "communal" aspect in society but only in the case of humanity itself.

Rhetoric of Revolution/ Spanish Civil War Poems

Inspired by his deep belief in communist ideology, Edwin Rolfe saw war as having a particular purpose. Certainly, Rolfe does not glorify war. He describes it in particularly gruesome and realistic terms. Yet, in spite of the horrors of war, he comments on the necessity of the "purging" sacrifice of war.

The poem "Epitaph" clearly displays Rolfe's beliefs of war. Rolfe first begins the poem by talking about the horrible conditions of war. He describes hos his friend is "pinned by a sniper "and everything/in a simple moment's/ quick explosion of pain [is] over" (Rolfe 7-10). Rolfe's comrade is shot down without mercy. The sniper does not hesitate to quickly end the life of his enemy. As such, the slain soldier is seen as just another target, a subhuman. However, the death of this soldier has purpose. Rolfe creates a simile comparing the death of the soldier with growing, pastoral imagery ( 15-20). Here Rolfe juxtaposes the brutality of war, with the soldier's death, to tranquil nature. In this metaphor, Rolfe states that the blood of the fallen soldier nurtures the land. Therefore, the merciless death of the soldier serves a critical purpose. The soldier's death serves as "nutrients" for the survival of Spain. Because he fights fascism during his life, he ensures that Spain will continue to be free after his death. According to Rolfe, struggling for posterity through war is the ultimate sacrifice.

Religious Imagery in Edwin Rolfe?

In the first period of Edwin Rolfe's work, he presents an unwavering belief in communism. To Rolfe, this is his faith, not Christianity. However, in many of Rolfe's poems, he directly uses religious imagery to set up his belief in the "redeeming" powers of communism. Thus, Rolfe presents a hybridization of American culture. On one level he is a leftist intellectual. On the other hand, his use of religious imagery echoes much of the foundations of America, and therefore a more mainstream America. These two disparate elements combined ultimately display the true "melting pot" of America's nature.

Rolfe sets up communism in a religious light, in order to more easily convince people of its' merits. For example, in "Winds of Another Sphere" Rolfe suggests that the coming of communism to the West will ultimately free man, as a sort of "second coming." He suggests that "winds/ blowing from the east" will soon create this freedom (Rolfe 1-2). This clearly evokes the Biblical imagery of the coming justice of the Lord on the four winds. Yet, the winds from the east is actually the triumph of the Soviet Union. As America harbored anticommunist sentiment at this time, Rolfe attempts to soften American resistance in a roundabout way. He does not make a clear propagandistic approach to his rhetoric. In "Testament to a Flowering Race," Rolfe crafts his use of religious imagery more craftily. From the very mention of the title, Rolfe seeks to praise the virtues of man. In the opening line he states "we are wise in ways which none has preordained" (1). Predestination is a major point of contention between various sects of the Christian denomination. By using this line of thought, he pits Catholicism against Protestantism. Rolfe thus appears as a Catholic humanist who believes in man's responsibility because he is not fated. By pointing these two camps against one another, Rolfe avoids the point of accusation against himself as a communist. He asks his reader to think, and he subtly is able to convince the reader of the merits of communism.

Rolfe certainly believes in communism as an almost religion. However, presenting communism in religious imagery also has implications for his rhetoric. This perspective allows him to negate the atheistic connotations of communism. He is thus able to win adherents over to his side through his rhetoric.

Bonus: Eat, Drink, Man Woman

Ang Lee's film "Eat, Drink, Man, Woman" creates an interesting look at the modern Chinese family. Each one of Chu's daughters ultimately try to escape their father's overbearing influence. However, the daughter's actions to remove themselves from their father show a complex family where they truly do care for one another.

Chef Chu's life centers around his elaborate meals, while his daughters detest such family functions. Every Sunday Chu labors to create a lavish meal for his family, to their nuisance as his sense of taste has gone bad in his old age. The youngest of the daughters Jian Niang tries to live outside the family through her boyfriend. Jian Niang however toys with her "boyfriend" by attempting to feign disinterest in him. This escape, however, becomes complicated as the friendly behavior of her friend ultimately woos the boy. Yet, this ultimately leads in the surprising revelation that Jian Niang has become pregnant and will be leaving the house. The middle child Jia-Chen is a successful worker for an airline company. She escapes her father through her commitment to her work. She is so committed that she ultimately is offered the job of vice president of the company in Holland. Jia-Chen is thus forced to walk the narrow road of leaving her father alone with only Jia-Jen, the oldest daughter, to care for him or to leave completely. An altercation between the two ultimately demonstrates the close bonds each have toward family. Jia Jen also attempts to escape through her commitment to religion and the potential for love in the high school volleyball coach. Jia Jen is a well educated chemistry teacher, albeit shy and often socially awkward. She looks to Christianity, a dumb religion by the standards of her father, to gain acceptance in her world. On the other hand, she attempts to follow the traditional Chinese role of "being married off" through the volley ball coach. However, the children she teaches continually make fun of her, making her dependant on the family. While each daughter attempts to live a life without their father, each of them ultimately realizes the solace found in family. Even though family is not always perfect, as represented by Chu's decision to marry Madame Liang.