Journal #13

Journal #13 – Edgar Lee Masters Epitaphs (p. 502)

Read “George Gray” and “Lucinda Matlock” and answer the following questions.


1. What object symbolizes George Gray’s life? How is this object representative of him?

The object that symbolizes George Gray’s life is the boat waiting to go out and sail. The boat represents him because it has been docked its how life and will never go out into the water. This represents George was because his whole life he has been too scared to do anything. George is too scared to take any chances fearing that they will result in a bad consequence where as the boat is the same way because it is worried about bad weather. The sail of his boat was never opened so the chance to enjoy the sea was never taken where as George was the same way because he never took a chance at love or anything exciting.

2. How was Lucinda Matlock’s life different than George Gray’s? How do you interepret the last line of the poem?

The life of Lucinda Matlock’s is very different from George Gray’s in that she enjoyed life and took every chance possible. Throughout her life, she had many years of excitement by trying all the new things and taking the chances that fulfilled her life. This is very different from George because George’s life ended unhappy and unfulfilled where as Lucinda’s was the opposite. Lucinda accepted that life was short and lived every day like it was her last. The last line of the poem was advice that life must be lived to the fullest or else as you die, you will look back and be happy with everything you have done.

3. How are “George Gray” and “Lucinda Matlock” examples of realism?

George Gray and Lucinda Matlock are perfect examples of realism because they both lived the average every day lives of normal people. Both of them were described as normal and never had anything spectacular happen to them. Although the two were completely different in their views on how to live their lives, they were both realistic. George lived and died with the same common problem that many have in that they didn’t live to their ful potential and instead stayed inside in fear of losing. Lucinda lived a happy and fulfilled life just like thousands who live their lives to the ful potential and die with happiness.