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Does the poem give us insights into North America of the 1960's?

How different is the time and culture of this poem to your own?

How do you think the meaning and impact of this poem might have changed since 1968?

Is this poem still as relevant today as when it was written?

T&S Reflection

The poem It’s Dangerous to Read Newspapers by Margaret Atwood shares the

perspective of a newspaper writer who has stayed away from war their entire life, and now

struggles with the news of pain and suffering. Its themes are that of guilt and the knowledge of

death, and to this day, reflect upon our own lives.

This is not to say that the poem itself does not show indications of a time period. The

lines hold old ideas from 1968, the year the poem was written and released. Atwood refers to

many old references that, back in the 60s, would seem common. When describing a war photo

she said the “black and white of a war photo”, showing the lack of modern footage in the war.

She referred to a typewriter as “my electric typewriter”, showing a common writer’s experience

in the once modern 1960s technology. These are small changes that a person in the 21st century

would be able to piece out, but when referring to basic life, the poem doesn’t show any true age

to it.

Starting with the childhood sandbox, then traveling to school and aging up as the

character grows old, no true time is specified in the writing. When first reading this section, I

reflected upon the poem and connected it to my own life instantly. It seemed my own life

compared with that of a person back many decades ago. When reading these lines, “While I was

building neat / castles in the sandbox… and as I walked to the school / washed and combed…”,
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there is no indication of a time period. This allowed the poem to keep its message relevant, and

half a century later people can still connect to the situations.

The message shares the guilt behind knowledge, and how news can make those living

comfortably become connected in the same grief and depression. Back in 1968, the only way to

hear of any news was either through conversations or in the newspaper. Kept in the quiet of the

American sheltered life, hearing of such news would bring many content citizens a sense of guilt

and grief. This poem would have shared that common feeling with the entire nation, and would

have connected the people in a common dislike of destruction. This feeling, however, connects to

more than just those in 1968. It also connects people from other decades. It is as relevant today

as it was half a century ago. The impact of the poem has not changed nor faded with time. If

anything, it has only become more relevant with the Information Age, and a rapid digital news

industry. Without a doubt, I was able to connect fully with each line and message Atwood placed

in the poem.