A Salesman Is an It That Stinks Excuse
A Salesman Is an It That Stinks Excuse - meaning Summary
Commodified Human Identity
Cummings attacks the figure of the salesman as a dehumanized, interchangeable "it" whose moral character is dissolved by commerce. The poem insists the product, audience, or setting are irrelevant: whether selling terror, democracy, or trivial goods, the salesperson’s role reduces human relations to transactions. Its tone is satirical and disgusted, highlighting commodification, hypocrisy, and the erosion of personhood when persuasion becomes profit-driven and identity becomes marketable.
Read Complete Analysesa salesman is an it that stinks Excuse Me whether it’s president of the you were say or a jennelman name misder finger isn’t important whether it’s millions of other punks or just a handful absolutely doesn’t matter and whether it’s in lonjewray or shrouds is immaterial it stinks a salesman is an it that stinks to please but whether to please itself or someone else makes no more difference than if it sells hate condoms education snakeoil vac uumcleaners terror strawberries democ ra(caveat emptor)cy superfluous hair or Think We’ve Met subhuman rights Before
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