“More About People” Poem Notes – Explanation and Poetic Devices

“More About People” is a beautiful and very relevant poem by Fredric Ogden Nash. The poem talks about different human behaviours of engagement with fellow beings. Here you would find notes based on the poem “More About People” & the notes include summary, explanation and poetic devices etc. Click here for Q/Ans.

Poem: More About People

When people aren’t asking questions
They’re making suggestions.
And when they’re not doing one of those
They’re either looking over your shoulder or stepping on your toes.
And then as if that weren’t enough to annoy you
They employ you.
Anybody at leisure
Incurs everybody’s displeasure.
It seems to be very irking
To people at work to see other people not working,
So they tell you that work is wonderful medicine,
Just look at Firestone and Ford and Edison,
And they lecture you till they’re out of breath or something
And then if you don’t succumb they starve you to death or something.
All of which results in a nasty quirk:
That if you don’t want to work you have to work to earn enough money so that you won’t have to work.

Fredric Ogden Nash (1902-1971)

Glossary

Here’s a glossary of some important terms, words, and phrases from the poem:

1. Suggestions: Ideas or proposals put forward for consideration.
2. Looking over your shoulder: Watching someone closely or scrutinizing their actions.
3. Stepping on your toes: Upsetting or offending by intruding on someone’s personal space or interfering with their activities.
4. Employ: To give someone a job or work.
5. At leisure: Having free time or not engaged in work.
6. Incurs: Brings upon oneself, in this context, attracting displeasure.
7. Irking: Annoying or irritating.
8. Work is wonderful medicine: An expression used to convey the idea that work is beneficial or therapeutic.
9. Firestone, Ford, and Edison: Refers to Harvey Firestone, Henry Ford, and Thomas Edison, prominent figures known for their work and success in industry and innovation.
10. Lecture: To give a long, tedious talk or speech.
11. Succumb: Accept defeat and surrender, give in
12. Starve you to death: To deprive someone of resources or support until they are forced to comply.
13. Nasty quirk: Unpleasant or annoying behavior or habit.
14. Earn enough money: Obtain sufficient income or financial resources.
15. Irony: A literary device where there is a contrast between expectation and reality, often with a humorous or satirical effect.
16. Satire: The use of humor, irony, or exaggeration to criticize or mock societal issues or behaviors.

Summary

The poem “More about people” by Ogden Nash humorously explores the dynamics of human interaction and the paradox of work. Nash highlights how people constantly offer suggestions, ask questions, or invade personal space when not occupied with their own tasks. Despite the annoyance, they may even offer you a job, emphasizing the societal pressure to work. Nash portrays the irony that those who don’t want to work often end up having to work to support themselves, creating a humorous commentary on the expectations surrounding work and leisure in society.

Line by Line Explanation of “More about the People

Let’s break down the poem “More about people” by Ogden Nash line by line:

“When people aren’t asking questions
They’re making suggestions.”

This means that when people aren’t inquiring about something, they’re usually offering their opinions or advice. It suggests that people are always involved in some kind of interaction or engagement with others

“And when they’re not doing one of those
They’re either looking over your shoulder or stepping on your toes.”

Here, Nash humorously points out that when people aren’t asking questions or making suggestions, they’re likely intruding on your personal space or interfering with your activities. They’re either peeking at what you’re doing or getting in your way.

“And then as if that weren’t enough to annoy you
They employ you.”

After all the previous annoyances, people might even offer you a job, which could be seen as both a blessing and a curse, depending on the circumstances. It adds another layer of interaction and possibly irritation.

“Anybody at leisure
Incurs everybody’s displeasure.”

When someone isn’t busy or working, it tends to bother others around them. It’s like people don’t like seeing others idle, as if it somehow affects them negatively.

“It seems to be very irking
To people at work to see other people not working,”

This couplet highlights the annoyance of those who are working when they see others not working. It’s as if the sight of leisure or idleness disturbs them. This can create tension or frustration.

“So they tell you that work is wonderful medicine,
Just look at Firestone and Ford and Edison,”

Some may attempt to inspire you by highlighting the accomplishments of hardworking individuals such as Firestone, Ford, and Edison. Nash uses sarcasm to illustrate how people often use these success stories to persuade you that hard work is beneficial

“And they lecture you till they’re out of breath or something
And then if you don’t succumb they starve you to death or something.”

This part humorously suggests that if you don’t heed their advice to work hard, they’ll keep lecturing you until they’re tired. If persuasion doesn’t work, sometimes people resort to more extreme measures, like cutting off support or resources, to compel you to work.

“All of which results in a nasty quirk:
That if you don’t want to work you have to work to earn enough money
so that you won’t have to work.”

The poem ends with a clever paradoxical twist. It points out the irony that if you don’t want to work, you often end up having to work anyway to earn money so that you can avoid having to work in the future. It’s a funny commentary on the irony of the work ethic and societal expectations.

Explanation of the Poem Stanza Wise

Let’s break down Fredric Ogden Nash’s poem “More about people” both literally and in a literary sense.

The poem describes various behaviors and attitudes of people towards others, particularly in the context of work and leisure. Here’s a breakdown:

1. People are always either asking questions or making suggestions.
2. When they’re not doing that, they’re either nosily looking over your shoulder or intrusively stepping on your toes, metaphorically meaning they invade your personal space or interfere in your affairs.
3. Despite all this, they still find a way to involve you in their activities by employing you.
4. If someone has free time, it seems to bother others, who prefer everyone to be working.
5. There’s pressure to work because not working is frowned upon. People even try to convince you that work is good for you, citing successful examples like Firestone, Ford, and Edison.
6. If you resist working, they might even resort to extreme measures like starving you financially until you comply.
7. The irony is that if you want to avoid work, you often have to work hard to earn enough money to sustain yourself without working.

Central Idea & Message of the Poem “More About People”

The central idea of the poem is the perpetual cycle of pressure and expectation placed upon individuals by society. The poem highlights how people constantly ask questions, make suggestions, look over your shoulder, or step on your toes, creating a sense of annoyance and intrusion. Furthermore, it illustrates how societal norms dictate that work is essential, often using examples of successful individuals to reinforce this idea. However, the poem suggests a paradoxical situation where one must work to avoid work, emphasizing the irony and absurdity of the societal construct.

Overall, the message of the poem reflects on the pressures and contradictions inherent in human society and the expectations placed upon individuals in the realm of work and productivity.

Literary Analysis of the Poem “More About the People”

Nash uses humor and irony to comment on societal attitudes towards work and leisure. Here’s how:

1. Satire: Nash satirizes the societal pressure to work and the hypocrisy of those who advocate for it. He portrays a world where leisure is frowned upon, and everyone is expected to work tirelessly, even if it means invading others’ space or imposing unwanted advice.
2. Irony: The poem is rich in irony. For instance, the idea that people disturb you while you’re not working, and then employ you, highlights the absurdity of the situation. Similarly, the notion that one must work to avoid work is a paradox that underscores the relentless cycle of societal expectations.
3. Humor: Nash’s witty language and playful tone add humor to the poem. Phrases like “looking over your shoulder” and “stepping on your toes” create vivid images of intrusion, while lines such as “they lecture you till they’re out of breath or something” inject a light-hearted tone into the criticism of societal norms.

In summary, Nash’s poem offers a humorous yet incisive commentary on the pressures and contradictions inherent in society’s attitudes towards work and leisure.

Poetic Devices in “More about the People”

“More about people” by Ogden Nash employs several poetic devices to enhance its meaning and impact. Here are some of the key ones:

1. Rhyme Scheme: The poem follows a regular rhyme scheme, with the second and fourth lines of each stanza rhyming. The rhyme scheme is AABBCCDD, and so on, which helps create a rhythmic flow and adds a playful tone to the poem.
2. Repetition: Nash uses repetition to emphasize certain ideas and create rhythm within the poem. For instance, the repetition of “And” & “they”‘…” draws attention to the different behaviors people exhibit.
3. Metaphor: The poem contains metaphorical language to describe human behavior. For example, “looking over your shoulder” and “stepping on your toes” are metaphorical expressions representing intrusion and interference, respectively.
4. Personification: The poem, though subtle, personifies work and leisure, portraying them as active agents that elicit certain reactions from people. For example, work is described as “wonderful medicine,” suggesting that it has a personality or characteristic as a remedy or cure for idleness or laziness.
5. Irony: Irony is a prominent literary device in the poem. Nash uses irony to highlight the absurdity of societal expectations and behaviors. For example, the idea that people disturb you while you’re not working and then employ you is ironic; and the idea that one must work to avoid work is ironic and highlights the absurdity of the situation.
6. Hyperbole: Nash employs hyperbole, or exaggeration, to emphasize certain points and add humor to the poem. For instance, the idea that people might “starve you to death” if you don’t comply with their expectations is an exaggerated scenario that underscores the pressure to work.
7. Allusion: The poem contains an allusion to historical figures such as Firestone, Ford, and Edison. These references serve to illustrate the societal pressure to work by citing successful individuals from the past.
8. Imagery: Nash uses vivid imagery to create pictures in the reader’s mind. For example, the image of someone “looking over your shoulder” or “stepping on your toes” evokes a sense of intrusion and discomfort.
9. Alliteration: Nash uses alliteration, the repetition of initial consonant sounds, to create a pleasing sound and rhythm. For example, in the lines – ‘aren’t asking’ (1st line), shoulder or stepping (4th line), succumb they starve (14th line), want to work (16th line)

All these poetic devices help make the poem engaging and thought-provoking, while also adding a humorous and playful tone to the commentary on human behavior and societal expectations.

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Key Points

• People can be nosy: The poem starts by saying that people are always doing one of three things: asking questions, making suggestions, or getting in your way.
• Work can be a drag: The poem talks about how some people think everyone should always be working. They might even pressure you to get a job if you’re relaxing.
• The poem mentions Firestone, Ford, and Edison, who were all famous inventors or businessmen known for hard work.
• The work cycle: The poem ends with a funny twist. It says that even though we might not like work, we have to do it to earn money so we can eventually stop working! The line is a bit silly, but it makes you think about why we work and how we spend our time.
• Exaggeration: The poem uses exaggeration, like saying people will “starve you to death” if you don’t work, to make its point in a humorous way.
• Irony: The poem uses irony by saying work is “wonderful medicine” even though most people wouldn’t describe it that way.

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