Reading journal - 1st September 1939

• Setting - 52nd Street, New York, in a dive reflecting upon life
• 'uncertain and afraid' - feelings of most people, Auden representing/speaking for society
• metaphorical language - 'blind skyscrapers' - dictators, blinded by their power, unable to see anything past their own vision?
• 'euphoric dream' - dictatorship, their idea, or perhaps the euphoric dream of America who are not involved in the war
• symbolic of stormy relationship between countries - war
• time is shown through historical figures - Nijinsky, Diaghilev
• irregular rhyme scheme, enjambment - stream of thoughts, Auden's own feelings
• speech - collective voice, again speaking on behalf of everyone- 'I will be true to the wife, I'll concentrate more on my work'.
• Linz - third largest city of Austria - Adolf Hitler grew up here, hence 'What huge imago made a psychopathic god'
• contrast - 'bright' and 'darkened' - illustrating change in people, from being hopeful to hopeless
• 'Offends the september night' - personifying the night, representing those offended by the situation? War?