The Lives of Workers as Depicted in ‘The Steelworks’ and ‘From the Journal of a Disappointed Man’ Anonymous 12th Grade

‘The Steelworks’ by Owen Sheers and ‘From the Journal of a Disappointed Man’ by Andrew Motion are both poems that focus on a stereotypical male-dominated occupation (the repair of the pier and the manufacture of the steel) and can thus be said to be concerned with the changing working lives of men. However, Sheers explores the impact on the men of the closure of a major manufacturing plant and subsequent displacement of the workers, whilst Motion is interested in exploring the ineffectiveness of the labours and their inability to get the job done (“The secret problem”). Both poems also highlight the difficulties on men as nether stereotype of a male is successful in ether poem as they both failure to continue with a task.

‘The Journal’ and ‘The Steelworks’ each present struggle however in different ways. Motion uses a structure based on a factual, prose-like style which flows in the way that a story would. The use of cross section enjambment emphasis how the lines flow which is seen in the lines: “I discovered these men driving a new pile... into a pier”, “Everything else was in the massive style...ignoring me and “Nevertheless, by paying close attention...to the obscure movements...”. The syntax is awkward due to this. However...