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Articles

Volume 14, Number 2 (1989)

A Critical Appraisal of "The Parable of Puffsky" by E.J. Pratt: Mythic Convention and False Syllogism

  • Daniel T. Fischlin
Submitted
May 22, 2008
Published
1989-06-06

Abstract

The limitations and weaknesses inherent in Pratt's writing are especially evident in "The Parable of Puffsky," which propagates racist stereotypes under the guise of an anti-materialist message. Pratt's tendency is towards facile cultural generalizations. The poet's considerable prosodic skill enables him to didactically underline his ideas; for example, the reiteration of masculine rhymes lend considerably to the declarative -- and thus authoritarian -- nature of the poem. Since "Puffsky" is apparently an anti-materialist piece of work, the racial undertones are usually overlooked.