Carl Sandburg’s “Chicago”

Carl Sandburg wrote his most famous poem “Chicago” in 1916 while working for the Chicago Daily News. In the poem, Sandburg transforms the city of Chicago into a living, breathing human being. Through his use of personification he reveals the characteristics and qualities that the city holds: whether good or bad. Sandburg uses many other literary techniques, one in particular being counter arguments. First he reveals the bad qualities that Chicago possesses. “They tell me you are wicked and I believe them, for I have seen your painted women under the gas lamps luring the farm boys.” (6) This line shows the evil and corruption of innocence and the temptation that lies in the city. 

Opposing the evil that Sandburg reveals, he goes on to show the redeemable qualities that Chicago holds. “Come and show me another city with lifted head singing so proud to be alive and course and strong and cunning” (10) Sandburg is clear that Chicago acts as a live human being. It is in his way of transforming the city into a person that Sandburg captures the audience, turning Chicago into man.

  Sandburg also uses many similes to show connections and similarities between people and Chicago. “Fierce as a dog with tongue lapping for action, cunning as a savage pitted against the wilderness” (12)  His style is particularly powerful and is evident in his use of rhythm in both the beginning of the poem and towards the end. He compares Chicago to the hard working common men that work in its city to show the vigor and energy that it encompasses.