Nancy’s Comments on Spoon River Anthology

October 3rd, 2013

Spoon River introduces life in a small town, a slice of 19th century American life; the realm of my grandparents, and my great grandparents. Edgar Lee Masters crafted an artful masterpiece, popular in literature classes because it takes time and consideration to unearth the gems scattered about this collection of eulogies. The relationships, life work, misfortune and bad deeds are woven together through these retrospective poems.

In the insular society of Spoon River, conventional thought clearly separated the influential, religious and prosperous folk from the thieves, drunks and ne’er do well paupers.  Yet, in this anthology, all are gathered on the “Hill.”  Death – the great equalizer brings them all back to dust. The author plays with this theme again and again through the dark humor pondering those lives now six feet under. What I like about this book is the way it underscores that we are all equal. The sins of the rich and poor are not so different. And although a work of fiction, we are told it was based on some real people – and as the dirty laundry of the town is aired into the cemetery of this small town, truth is pronounced at last. Those who may have managed to front their crimes in life, have had had them exposed in death.