Spoon River Anthology · Chapter
English Thornton explained
English Thornton delivers a fiery, patriotic call to arms, urging the descendants of Revolutionary War and Black Hawk War veterans to rise up against the corrupt elites and pretenders who have inherited wealth and power through bribery and
What happens
English Thornton delivers a fiery, patriotic call to arms, urging the descendants of Revolutionary War and Black Hawk War veterans to rise up against the corrupt elites and pretenders who have inherited wealth and power through bribery and theft. He threatens that if they fail to destroy these 'vermin,' his ghost will annihilate the city and state.
Themes in this chapter
Class and Power
Thornton contrasts the hardy yeomanry with the parasitic elites who inherited wealth through bribery and theft, calling for a class-based uprising.
Hypocrisy and Corruption
He condemns the descendants of those who took bribes from railroads and sat in legislatures, highlighting systemic corruption.
Characters to notice
- English Thornton
Delivers a passionate, vengeful speech calling on the sons of early American fighters to reclaim their city and state from corrupt elites.
Key passages
“You sons of the men Who fought with Washington at Valley Forge, And whipped Black Hawk at Starved Rock, Arise!”
You descendants of the soldiers who fought under Washington at Valley Forge and defeated Black Hawk at Starved Rock, rise up!
Thornton invokes the heroic legacy of the listeners' ancestors to inspire action.
“Do battle with the descendants of those Who bought land in the loop when it was waste sand, And sold blankets and guns to the army of Grant, And sat in legislatures in the early days, Taking bribes from the railroads!”
Fight against the heirs of those who speculated on worthless land, profiteered from the Union Army, and took railroad bribes as legislators.
He identifies the corrupt elite by their ancestors' shady dealings.
“By God! If you do not destroy these vermin My avenging ghost will wipe out Your city and your state.”
I swear, if you fail to eliminate these parasites, my vengeful spirit will annihilate your city and state.
Thornton threatens supernatural retribution if his call to action is ignored.