Consumer's Report By Peter Porter Flashcards
Tone
Critical, informative, reflective
Form
2 stanzas of very different lengths
Lack of punctuation
Free verse
Message
Critique of consumerist society and the mindless way we subscribe to it - compelled to always buy the newest thing at the expense of enjoying what we have and living
He draws attention to our lacking experience of life
This is a parody (jaded critique) of a consumer’s report to a marketing survey so he offers an opinion on a product called ‘life’
Aphorisms
‘Life is a gift’
‘What is my purpose in life?’
‘Youth is wasted on the young’
‘I didn’t choose to be born’
Extended metaphor
Life is a product you try and review
The name of the product i tested is Life,
I have completed the form you sent me
And understand that my answers are confidential
First stanza introduces the report whereas the second stanza is his review/report
‘Confidential’ suggests a sort of intimacy with the reader - he’s telling us his persona experience/ review (emphasises the uniqueness of everyone’s lives)
I had it as a gift
I didn’t feelmuch while using it,
In fact I think I’d have liked to be more excited.
It seemed gentle on the hands
But left an embarrassing deposit behind.
Repetition of I: personal experience / intimacy
‘Gift’ suggests that life is free, but it is a present that you have to take care of (encouraging gratefulness towards life)
‘I think i’d have liked to be more excited’ first slight criticism: consumerism makes us so eager for the next best thing that it loses it’s charm and excitement (it all become the same)
‘Gentle’ fragile - it must be taken care of
‘Embarrassing deposit’ - the mistakes and regrets you leave behind when you die (emphasises the mesiness of life which contrasts the uniformity consumerist society tries imposing)
It was not economical
And I have used much more than I thought
(I suppose I have about half left
But it’s difficult to tell)-
Although the instructions are fairly large
There are so many of them
I don’t know which to follow, especially
As they seem to contradict eachother.
‘Economical’ expensive: it takes a lot from you
‘And I have…. difficult to tell)’ time passes by quickly and is gone before you know it - encourages us to make the most of what we have (this is emphasised by the economical line)
‘Although… contradict eachother’ you are put into the world without instructions and aren’t given guidance - everyone always gives you different advice (emphasises messiness of life)
I’m not sure such a thing
Should be out in the way of children -
It’s difficult to think of a purpose
Also the price is much too high.
Things are pilling up so fast,
After all, the world got by
For a thousand million years
Without this, do we need it now?
‘Children’ life is too significant to be given to something so naive and innocent as children - they never know what to do with it
‘It’s difficult to think of a purpose’ everyone has a different idea of the purpose and you need to find it on your own (lack of uniformity)
‘The price is much too high’ double meaning: life is precious and requires sacrifices but also criticises the expensive nature of consumerism (it takes away your life and experiences)
‘Things are piling up so fast’ problems and issues in the world are overwhelming
Rhetorical question: invites the reader to reflect - criticism of consumerism - is it really necessary to dedicate your life searching for the best product and never enjoying what you have?
(Incidentally, please ask your man
To stop calling me ‘the respondent’,
I don’t like the sound of it.)
‘The respondent’ creates a sense of lack of individuality - he wants to live and experience life and make real changes instead of just respond to everything thrown at him (wants to have an impact)
Further criticism of consumerism: it removes our individuality and experiences since we never stop searching and appreciate what we own.
There seems to be a lot of different labels,
Sizes and colours should be uniform,
The shape is awkward, it’s waterproof
But not heat resistant, it doesn’t keep
Yet it’s very difficult to get rid of:
Whenever they make it cheaper they seem
To put less in it - if you say you don’t
want it, then it’s delivered anyway.
List of complaints: emphasises the imperfections of life that make it unique and varied (response to consumerism)
‘Uniform’: society tries to make us uniform with consumerism
‘It doesn’t keep’: life can be taken away from you in a moment yet when someone dies, it feels like you cant get rid of their memory
‘Whenever they make it cheaper…’ if you take the easy/fast choice in life, it loses it’s interest and value - this reflects consumerism: by always choosing the easiest best product you find it all loses value and you just become uniform
I’d agree it’s a popular product,
It’s got into the language; people
Even say they’re on the side of it.
Personally I think it’s overdone,
A small thing people are ready
To behave badly about. I think
Referencing the language and aphorisms used to describe life
‘Popular product’ emphasises the chain reaction with a new product - everyone chases behind it
‘I think it’s overdone’ : criticism - people shouldn’t be so obsessed with these new products: the real thrill to it is the chasing rather than the product
To behave badly about. I think
We should take it for granted. If its
Experts are called philosophers or market
Researchers or historians, we shouldn’t
care. We are the consumers and the last
Law makers. So finally, I’d buy it.
But the question of a ‘best buy’
I’d like to leave until I get
The competitive product you said you’d send.
Shift from I to We: commenting on humanity as a whole (reflects the uniformity in the consumerism: no longer personal and unique)
‘We should take it for granted’ suggesting to stop stressing over death and live more fully - dont waste your life and have and impact
Contrast between philisophers and market : difference between the experts on life vs the products that dictate our life (different kind of leaders/experts)
Ironic: he’s forced to accept but would buy it - mirrors consumerism: we end up buying everything we get in front of us because society forces us to (we don’t buy for the product, only for the thrill of having the best thing on the market)
Ends in a resigning tone: criticism of everyone accepting the consumerist/lifeless style imposed on people
Last line: jaded critique - he’ll buy the product yet still wants the better one (there is always something better and no matter how much you buy, you will always want the best thing, which is unachievable)
