Modernist poetry is characterized by a love of paradox. Instead of confirming our supositions about the world, it means to challenge them. A famous example is the opening of T.S. Elliot's The Wast Land: "April is the cruellest month", where spring, traditionally seen as a fair and benevolent season, is shown as harsh, as if it were fall or winter. In this poem, the author presents us with a man that has "everything" (wealth and education), yet instead of leading a happy life kills himself. The apparent incongruence is meant to shock us into reflection.