Disillusionment of Ten O'Clock Themes
Versions of Reality
Stevens wasn't much of a religious guy, but one thing he did believe in was the power of imagination. Why? Because imagination opens up all possible versions of reality. How does it do that? By cre...
Appearances
Our speaker is totally judging by appearances. And he doesn't like what he sees. All the people in the little boxes they call houses are boring the speaker to death. They don't ever push the metaph...
Repression
"Disillusionment of Ten O'Clock" was written in 1915, so middle-class America was still holding on to the hopes that it could be the European middle class. It was all a bit stuffy, and Stevens was...
Madness
"Disillusionment of Ten O'Clock" seems to ask, "What's crazier: dreaming of baboons and tigers, or living a boring life?" The obvious answer, or not, is that a boring life and a boring dream life...