Question

Which lines best reveal Lawrence Ferlinghetti's troubled view of modern American society?

To the Oracle at Delphi

by Lawrence Ferlinghetti (excerpt)


I, Americus, the American,

wrought from the dark in my mother long ago,

from the dark of ancient Europa—

Why are you staring at me now

in the dusk of our civilization--


Why are you staring at me

as if I were America itself

the new Empire

vaster than any in ancient days

with its electronic highways

carrying its corporate monoculture

around the world

And English the Latin of our days—


Great Oracle, sleeping through the centuries,

Awaken now at last

And tell us how to save us from ourselves

and how to survive our own rulers

who would make a plutocracy of our democracy

in the Great Divide

between the rich and the poor

in whom Walt Whitman heard America singing

Answer 1

Ferlinghetti believes the new America that is ruled by corporations is not the true America. Instead, he ironically speaks of a "new Empire" that is "vaster" but not greater than past empires. Ferlinghetti suggests that the new American empire has technological ("electronic highways") and economic ("corporate") power. But it does not have a culture of any worth or value ("carrying its corporate monoculture/ around the world"). As a result, American society is lost. This is why Ferlinghetti asks the Sybil to "save" the American people:

And tell us how to save us from ourselves

and how to survive our own rulers

who would make a plutocracy of our democracy

He also asks the Sybil to awaken Americans by speaking in a "poet’s voice" and asks her to reinvigorate America’s culture:

the voice of the people mixed

with a wild soft laughter—

And give us new dreams to dream,

Give us new myths to live by!

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

D.)carrying its corporate monoculture

E.)And tell us how to save us from ourselves

F.)who would make a plutocracy of our democracy

Explanation: The Oracle at Delphi written by Lawrence Ferlinghetti was a poem in which he criticizes the modern American society, he really wanted to show how much the morality has decay for the capitalist tendencies and how America exported his monoculture to the rest of the world.

Hope this helps.