1. Our Hunting Fathers Told the Story W.H. Auden Literary Commentary
Sydney Budney, Ciara Fritsch, Monica Bradley A3
Thesis:
In “Our Hunting Fathers Told the Story,” Auden portrays the life and identity crisis of immigrants influenced by the ever-changing social norms of the new country.

2. Connotation and Denotation: “His southern gestures modify” (16)
SENSE:
Meaning and language
Connotation and Denotation:
“His southern gestures modify” (16)
Purpose/Effect:
This poem’s meaning is conveyed through advanced connotations and phrases to showcase the struggle of incognito adaptation to a new country.

3. “Love raging for the personal glory” (7)
SENSE:
Meaning and language
Mood:
“Love raging for the personal glory” (7)
Love = fondness, warmth
Raging = violence, coldness, wild
Glory = praise, fame
“Predicted the result” (12)
Result = not being welcomed as openly as they thought
“The intricate ways of guilt” (14)
Intricate = complicated, complex
Guilt = a conscious wrongdoing
Do they feel guilty because they fought for a better future or because now their children have to live in fear?
Diction:
“To hunger, work illegally and,”(19)
Illegally = forbidden by law or laws
Immigrants are hungry for the new life and they want to be successful and take care of their families and are willing to do what it takes.
Purpose/Effect:
The mood in the poem is a complex variety of hot and cold. There was good intentions when choosing to migrate but those intentions are not long lasting nor influenced by the new society’s feelings yet.

4. Imagery through word choice: “Sadness” (2) “Intolerant look” (5)
“Dying glare” (6)
Symbols:
“Our hunting fathers” (1)
“Creatures” (2) Immigrants
“Lion” (5) Higher Power
Relates to the “Our founding fathers” that created our country
Our hunting fathers = head hunters who hunt the animals
Senses:
Imagery and symbols
Purpose/Effect:
Auden's purpose to add imagery and symbolism is to show the feelings of the immigrants through the animals. He does this to show how they’re tired of the “hunters” constantly coming for them. He uses symbolism to portray how the “hunters” will always and have always hunted “animals” and will continue to do so.

5. “The rightness of god.” (10)
Style:
Poetry techniques
Oxymoron:
“And be anonymous” (20)
Anonymous = unidentified, unseen
Staying under the radar and working to strive for the better future, the American Dream.
Satire:
“The rightness of god.” (10)
Rightness = the quality or state of being morally good, justified, or acceptable
God = the creator and ruler of the universe and source of all moral authority; the supreme being
Moral = “concerned with the principles of right and wrong behavior and the goodness or badness of human character
“In God we trust”
Purpose/Effect:
Auden emphasizes the hypocrisy of a country’s foundation by using sarcasm to twist that foundation the way they twist their beliefs and “promises”.

6. “The liberal appetite for power” (9)
Device/ Technique:
Pattern c
“The liberal appetite for power” (9)
Purpose/ Effect:
Politicians Liberals
“Appetite for power” Control, Being higher up
Aduen has a constant reoccurring pattern between power and guilt. Guilt from the hunters hunting the animals but the power the hunters feel when hunting them. Auden's purpose for this is to convey that although the “hunters” have guilt they are driven by power and superiority. It ties back in with the theme because the immigrants are always running or hiding from hunters aka the gov.
“The intricate ways of guilt” (14)
Intricate- complicated
Complicated due to the fact they feel guilt but feel powerful and enjoyable at the same time

7. Conclusion
For example, in America we have programs for immigrants and put off this impression to the world of this ideal “American Dream” that is really only lived by a small portion of American citizens. Then people come here with high hopes not fully aware of the true feelings and view of immigrants until they are here.
Auden raises awareness of the feelings and impact of the outspoken and discriminative actions of “natives” when trying to adapt to a new life.