Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Job Hunter" by Wanda Coleman offers a vivid portrayal of the job search process, reimagined as a wild west showdown, cleverly juxtaposing the modern corporate world with the lawless frontier of yesteryear. Through this metaphorical landscape, Coleman navigates the themes of identity, societal expectations, and the dehumanizing aspects of the job market. The poem captures the emotional rollercoaster of job hunting, blending elements of hope, despair, and the relentless pursuit of economic survival in a world that often feels indifferent to individual struggles.

The opening lines immediately transport the reader to the "newsprint want-ad range," setting the stage for a quest fraught with challenges and uncertainties. The speaker's journey to "head to town" and muster "courage for the showdown" frames the job interview as a high-stakes duel, emphasizing the combative nature of seeking employment. This imagery reflects the competitive, often adversarial, environment of the job market, where applicants must prove themselves worthy in the eyes of those who hold power over their financial stability.

Coleman's use of western motifs to describe the interview process is both ironic and poignant. The speaker's self-presentation—"wig hat, earringed & platform shod"—is a defiant assertion of identity in the face of corporate conformity. This expression of individuality, however, is perceived as threatening by the "dough-flesh desk-riders," underscoring the tension between personal authenticity and the need to fit into predetermined professional roles. The phrase "something outlaw" suggests that it is the speaker's departure from normative expectations that unnerves potential employers, highlighting the societal pressures to conform.

The metaphor of the job hunter as a gunslinger, with a purse likened to a "six-shooter & bullets," cleverly subverts traditional gender roles and the expectations placed upon women in professional settings. This imagery challenges the notion that femininity and professionalism are mutually exclusive, critiquing the performative aspects of job interviews where one must often mask their true self to appear as the ideal candidate.

The climactic confrontation with the "sheriff," an IBM executive, encapsulates the daunting power dynamics at play. The executive, armed with the ability to type "120 words per secretary," symbolizes the mechanization and impersonality of the corporate world, where human value is often reduced to productivity metrics. The speaker's defeat, unable to match the speed of "white-out" before being "blown to blazes," illustrates the overwhelming sense of inadequacy and defeat that can accompany job rejection.

Ending with the image of "death is an elevator on its way down to the lobby," Coleman evokes a sense of existential dread, capturing the soul-crushing impact of repeated failures in the job market. This final metaphor suggests not only the end of a job prospect but also the diminishment of hope and self-esteem that can result from the relentless cycle of seeking employment.

"Job Hunter" is a poignant commentary on the dehumanizing experience of job searching, masterfully using the wild west analogy to explore themes of identity, conformity, and the struggle for economic survival. Through this unique lens, Coleman offers a critical reflection on the challenges of navigating a world that often values conformity over individuality, productivity over humanity.

POEM TEXT: https://www.google.com/books/edition/For_a_Living/ZDIa10WKf28C?q=WANDA+COLEMAN+%22I+AM+A+CLERK%22&gbpv=1&bsq=job%20hunter#f=false

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