Selecting a Reader

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1980

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Summary

Background

Poem Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Themes

Money and Wealth

The theme of money is one that moves the narrative of Kooser’s poem forward. The woman has not yet prioritized laundering her dirty coat, and a lack of funds may explain in part her reluctance to buy the speaker’s book. At the same time, the woman is not entirely destitute. She has the funds to get her “raincoat cleaned” and, as Kooser says, “she will” (Line 13).

The woman’s lack of wealth sets up the poem’s conclusion and creates an epiphany for the reader, both the woman reader in the poem and the actual reader of Kooser’s poem. The book's price tag helps the woman realize that some things are worth paying for, like a clean raincoat. By weighing up the value of the book, the woman is able to figure out that she does actually have the resources to clean her coat, and, consequently, she will do just that.

The time at which the poet wrote the poem further defines the theme of money and wealth. Kooser published the poem in 1980. As noted in the Historical Context section of the guide, the 1980s mark a time in American history when the economies of the Midwestern states were in flux, impacting the residents of these states and their financial stability. In this poem, the theme of money and wealth suggests that poetry — the reading, writing, and purchasing of it — is a privilege. Kooser acknowledges his privileged position as the poet engaged in the act of selecting a reader, humbling poetry at the same time.

Watching and the Male Gaze

Another big theme in “Selecting a Reader” involves the act of watching, in particular, a man’s act of watching a woman. The speaker, as he fantasizes about a female reader he selects to engage with his poetry, writes as if he is closely observing the woman. He points out that her “hair [is] still damp at the neck” (Line 4), as well as details of her old raincoat and her glasses. The speaker’s scrutiny reflects a careful evaluation of the woman, and this event accounts for all of the actions in the poem. The speaker imagines a woman approach his book, put on her glasses, thumb through his book, and put the book back on its shelf. The woman comes to life through the eyes of the male speaker of the poem, presumably Kooser himself.

The gender dynamic in the poem calls to mind a concept called the male gaze. In “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” (1975), Laura Mulvey explains the fraught nature of the male gaze: “In a world ordered by sexual imbalance, pleasure in looking has been split between active male and passive female,” says Mulvey. “The determining male gaze projects its phantasy onto the female figure.” Kooser’s poem reinforces the elements of the male gaze as the speaker projects his fantasy onto the female reader he imagines and imposes his desires on her. Even if his fantasy is somewhat effacing and empowering for the woman, it is still his fantasy, and the woman still becomes his object.

The Value of Poetry

In “Selecting a Reader,” Kooser explores the theme of poetry’s value in the context of everyday life. One interpretation of the poem involves the notion that poetry has little practical value. The woman puts the speaker’s book back on the shelf because it won’t help her in any practical way. The act of buying this book of poems will not clean her raincoat, but it can cost the reader money that may be better spent elsewhere. This reading of the poem reflects Kooser’s own understanding of poetry. As Kooser explains in his talk with Kenyon Review, attending a reading where a poet reads difficult poems for 60 minutes is “an altogether unpleasant experience.” In this poem, this unpleasantness manifests in the woman’s choice to put the book back on the shelf.

Conversely, Kooser uses the speaker’s fantasy of the woman to convey the idea that poetry can have some use to people. The woman discovers something because of the speaker’s book: She figures out she would rather spend the money on cleaning her coat. The poems have value because the price tag affixed to them enables the woman to experience the realization that she is better off investing the money in a clean coat. After engaging with the speaker's poetry, the woman finds a clear sense of purpose.