Poetry · Chapter
Edward J. Brundage explained
A brief, satirical poem addressing Edward J.
What happens
A brief, satirical poem addressing Edward J. Brundage, the Attorney General of Illinois, expressing a mix of personal liking and disapproval over his ruling that only beer with half a percent alcohol could be sold.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This is the story's dramatic climax because the speaker confronts the painful realization that his child’s lov…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Humor and Satire
The poem uses a light, rhyming critique to mock a political figure's decision.
Characters to notice
- Edward J. Brundage
Addressed directly in the poem as the Attorney General of Illinois, criticized for his ruling on beer alcohol content.
Key passages
“I like you, Ed Brundage, that’s clear; Else your map wouldn’t loom up in here; But I like you less well Since you ruled they could sell Nothing stronger than half per cent beer.”
The speaker admits to liking Ed Brundage, but that fondness diminishes because Brundage enforced a law allowing only very weak beer to be sold.
Summarizes the poem's critique of Brundage's prohibition-related policy.
