Surplus Value by David C.

Ward

Summary of the poem:

The poem, “Surplus Value” by David C. Ward provides a cruel portrayal of industrial capitalism

through the story of the speaker's brother-in-law, an auto machinist in Detroit who experiences

the boom of the automotive industry which at first provides him and his family a life with great

financial stability. After twenty years of living well, the company begins outsourcing and making

their workers work harder while paying them less in order to make increased profit providing the

company an advantage in the industry. While feeling exploited and having significantly less

money, the man gives up his possession he valued and has an overall decline in mental health.

The poem ends with further demonstration of the negative effects of industrialization and

capitalism by showing how it polluted the surrounding environment, specifically the Saginaw

River in Michigan.

Significant poetic devices and their significance (e.g. metaphors, symbols, rhyme scheme,

form, imagery, repetition, etc.):

1. Metaphor: In line 3, the speaker metaphorically describes his brother-in-law as a “bantam”, a

small yet strong type of chicken, informing the readers that the man has a tough personality. This

places further emphasis on the tragic ending of the poem as despite the man's resilient nature he

was powerless and could not do anything while facing the exploitation of the company leading to

his downfall. In addition, this metaphor both foreshadows and mirrors the dehumanization

(chicken) of labor as workers' actual lives are seen as insignificant to the company's demands in

growing. This can be further seen through the metaphor in line 15 as the company is described to
have, “slashed and burned/ Their way through labor and its costs”, referring to the

slash-and-burn agricultural method, which entails clearing and burning vast tracts of forest. This

suggests that the employees were merely deadwood to be sacrificed to the selfish owners of the

companies.

2. Visual imagery: In lines 4 and 5, visual imagery is utilized when portraying the life of the

brother-in-law that most would consider the stereotypical American Dream by stating how “He

rode a Harley soft-tail, drank Iron City, and lived / With his wife and kids in a house he mostly

built himself.” This vivid imagery paints a clear picture for highlighting his pride, contentment,

and self-reliance in his life. The specific references to the Harley motorcycle and Iron City beer

also evoke a sense of working-class identity and culture, grounding the reader in the character's

world. Another instance of visual imagery can be seen in line 23 where Ward describes the

appearance or state of the brother-in-law after being exploited during the collapse of the

automotive industry stating that he was, “Bowing his neck each day as the scars grew deeper

now, and inward”. His posture suggests that he feels shameful or defeated and portrays how he

continues to carry on that emotional weight with him after so long. This is illustrated further as

the scars on his body being “deeper” demonstrate both the physical and psychological toll of his

work degrading him.

3. Symbolism/Hyperbole: In the second stanza of the poem, Michigan’s Saginaw River is stated

to have “never iced” due to the pollution it received from industries dumping their waste into it

underscoring yet another destructive characteristic of industrialization and capitalism. However,

the poem concludes by stating that it is now, “frozen all year long”, which is a clear exaggeration

serving as a symbol for how Detroit has never recovered from the collapse of the automotive

industry as it is economically stuck and emotionally cold. This can be seen through the
brother-in-law becoming increasingly “quieter” from the years of exploitation and abuse that he

received from his work.

4. Allusion: The poem's title, “Surplus Value”, is an allusion to the term involved in Karl

Marx’s theory of political economics which means that workers create more value than they are

paid, in other words, it measures workers exploitation. The poem shows how this exploitation

plays out in an individual's life and career, as the brother-in-law, an auto machinist, loses his

union contract, job benefits, and financial stability therefore depicting a harsh portrayal of

American capitalism. In addition, Marx also foresaw that the system would eventually collapse

due to the “boom” and bust cycles that are cataclysmic and an inevitable consequence of

capitalism which the poem illustrates as well.

5. Juxtaposition: In lines 18 and 19, juxtaposition can be seen utilized with the transitions of

“economy of scale” to “scarcity” and "dole” to “steady paycheck”, emphasizing the

transformation from wealth to poverty that took place in the brother-in-law's life. For him, the

change from abundance to scarcity not only means financial hardship but also a loss of

self-worth as his skill and effort are no longer valued. His pride in his work diminishes as

economic conditions strip away his ability to provide for his family and maintain a sense of

personal achievement.

Identify the speaker of the poem: Brother-in-law of the main character who narrates his life

(third person) in detail suggesting that they were very close.

Identify the speaker’s attitude(s) toward the subject of the poem:

The speaker is highly critical of the larger economic and corporate systems whose profit-driven

decisions undermine workers stability which is what his brother-in-law experienced. The speaker

further condemns these industries by making sure to note how they polluted the Saginaw River

in Michigan demonstrating their destructive capability to the surrounding environment. The

speaker also evokes strong sympathy for his brother-in-law by narrating his life, his hard work,

his pride, and ultimately the demise of his livelihood, as he has been victimized by

uncontrollable economic forces.

Paired poems (identify three poems from the anthology and describe why they would pair

well with this poem) Two points of comparison.

1. A Long Journey: The poem, “A Long Journey” by Musaemura Zimunya is told by a

Zimbabwean who discusses the impacts of industrialization and the intricate transformations

their community experiences under British colonial control, valuing the many pleasures and

conveniences of contemporary life while simultaneously grappling with the enormous history of

agony and violence that came before it. Similar to “Surplus Value”, they both share the themes of

being disillusioned with living in a setting that seems perfectly fine at first. In “A Long Journey”,

Zimunya describes the transition from traditional rural life of “the sledge and the ox-cart” to the

industrial and urban life in the city, symbolized by the arrival of modern transportation like the

“motor-car” and “bus”. This modernization may seem very beneficial for the speaker; however,

at the end, Zimunya utilizes the personification of an “almighty hand”, representing the colonials

oppressive past, reaching for the speaker's shirt to suggest that it continues to exert control over

the speaker's life, despite his attempts to escape it. This haunting image conveys the idea that the
speaker is never truly free from the burdens of history, even in modern society. Likewise, in

“Surplus Value”, the visual imagery of the life of the brother-in-law that most would consider the

stereotypical American Dream states how, “He rode a Harley soft-tail, drank Iron City, and lived

/ With his wife and kids in a house he mostly built himself.” This vivid imagery paints a clear

picture for highlighting his pride, contentment, and self-reliance in his life. However, this quickly

changes as the company he works for metaphorically, “slashed and burned/ Their way through

labor and its costs” causing him financial hardships and the feeling of being exploited. This

makes the man give up his possession he valued like the “Harley” and causes him to have an

overall decline in mental health which can be seen through the depiction of his “scars”

representing both the physical and psychological toll he endured from this job. As a result, the

disillusionment of the American dream is further emphasized as the lives of workers under

capitalism can abruptly decline destroying any chance of fully experiencing it. Another point of

comparison that can be drawn by both of the poems is the use of rivers as symbols. In “A Long

Journey” the “rivers” represent how the suffering Zimbabwe experienced in the past flows

through history similarly to how a river flows across a landscape demonstrating how it has

shaped its people and still affects them till this day. On the other hand, Michigan’s “Saginaw

River” is utilized as a symbol to demonstrate the pollution it received from industries dumping

their waste into it causing it to have “never iced”, underscoring yet another destructive

characteristic of industrialization and capitalism. In addition, the following line states that the

river is now “frozen all year long” symbolically showing how Detroit has never recovered from

the collapse of the automotive industry as it is economically stuck and emotionally cold.

2. Australia 1970: The poem, “Australia 1970” by Judith Wright focuses on how environmental

degradation and industrialization will cause the death of the unique culture or lifestyle of
Australia. Like the poem “Surplus Value”, they both demonstrate the theme of industrialization

being harmful towards the environment. This can be seen in “Australia 1970” when Wright

commences each of the first four stanzas with a symbol of an animal or a natural resource in

Australia such as, “the eaglehawk” or “the ironwood” emphasizing their importance and how

they have been diminished by industrialization's destructive effects. In comparison, in “Surplus

Value”, Michigan’s “Saginaw River” is utilized to demonstrate how the pollution it received

from industries dumping their waste into it caused it to have “never iced”, underscoring

industrialization capability of bringing upon damage to the environment. Another point of

comparison is how both poems portray the theme of society lacking empathy. In “Australia

1970” there is a change in the poem's structure in the fifth stanza as the symbol of nature is no

longer present in the first line and instead describes humanity as “conquerors and self-poisoners”

emphasizing the selfishness that causes society to bring harm upon itself. This is seen and further

highlighted in “Surplus Value” through the metaphor in line 15 which states that the company

that exploited the hardworking man, “slashed and burned/ Their way through labor and its costs”.

This refers to the slash-and-burn agricultural method, which entails clearing and burning vast

tracts of forest, suggesting that the employees were merely deadwood to be sacrificed to the

selfish owners of the company whose profit-driven decisions undermined workers' stability .

3. Father Returning Home: The poem, “Father Returning Home” by Dilip Chitre captures the

lonely and disconnected life of a father as he returns home from work on a crowded train,

highlighting his feeling of displacement from both society and his own family. Like the poem,

“Surplus Value” they both share similar themes of disillusionment in hard working fathers. In

“Father Returning Home”, Chitre includes a metaphor or oxymoron when the speaker describes

his father having “unseeing eyes” despite them being actually open. This suggests that he is
physically present but mentally or emotionally disconnected due to his deep disillusionment with

the world around him, where repetitive routine and monotony have stripped away his

engagement with life. Similarly, in “Surplus Value” the possessions the brother-in-law valued

including the “Harley” and “cabin” which symbolized the typical American dream had to be

given up due to his significant decrease in money caused by the company he worked for

exploiting him and paying him less. This therefore illustrates the disillusionment involved in the

American dream as the capitalism that serves as the foundation for achieving it is fueled by

greedy companies that can at any point bring the downfall to its workers which they do not care

for. Another point of comparison between both poems can be through their similar depictions of

the fathers being worn out physically and mentally due to excessive labor. In “Father Returning

Home” the visual imagery of the father having, “greying hairs on his wrist” not also show his

elderly age but may also be an indicator of the amount of stress he endures from his monotonous

work. Likewise, in “Surplus Value”, the brother-in-law after being exploited during the collapse

of the automotive industry is described to be, “Bowing his neck each day as the scars grew

deeper now, and inward”. His posture suggests that he feels shameful or defeated as his pride in

his skill is diminished and practically humiliated by the company as they strip it away by no

longer allowing it to be able to provide for his family while also maintaining a sense of personal

achievement. This is illustrated further as the scars on his body being “deeper” demonstrate both

the physical and psychological toll of his work degrading him.

Memorable lines (include lines that reinforce poetic devices, theme, concepts, etc)

1. “For twenty years of work, good times, and happy with it.’
2. “The companies and their money men slashed and burned / Their way through labor and its

costs in search of a market.”

3. “Bowing his neck each day as the scars grew deeper now and inward.”

4. “Heedless the factories flushed their waste straight into / The Saginaw River so much so that it

never iced …/ Now it's frozen all year long.”