Annotated Bibliography on The Man With The Beautiful Eyes

Rebechhi, A. “‘The Man With The Beautiful Eyes’ Charles Bukowski Poem Analysis Essay.” issue (2017). 5 March 2020. <https://issuu.com/alejandrorebecchi/docs/poem_analysis_essay>.

According to Alejandro Rebecchi, the poem tells of a story that took place during Charles Bukowski’s childhood it speaks about a house that seems abandoned, has bamboo trees and a fish pond that had tamed goldfish. The children played there contrary to their parents’ instructions not to go near the house; the children did this because of curiosity. The poet describes children’s’ thoughts and actions on how they view the world from their perspective. The children assume that the house is abandoned, but one day, they hear a voice from inside the house, “YOU GOD DAMNED WHORE.” They realize that a man does live in the house. When the man opens the door of the house, the children see him as unkempt and holding a bottle of whiskey. What stands out the most about that man is his eyes, which the children describe as beautiful. After the encounter, the children go back to Charles’ yard to discuss and later come up with a theory that the reason their parents forbade them from going to the house was because their parents were jealous of the man. After all, they were not as ‘strong’ and as ‘natural’ as he was. In reality, they were told to stay away from the house because the man was a social outcast, probably an alcoholic. Here, we see how society treats people who do not fit eg, drug addicts, the homeless, etc. Charles and his friends became fascinated by the man and give him qualities such as  ‘strong’ and natural.’ Thye go back to the house many times, but unfortunately, they do not see the man again; instead, they find the house and the bamboo trees burned down, and the fish pond dried up with the fish in it. After discussing what happened, the children blame their parents for the nasty outcome. The children end up believing that beautiful things will always be forbidden, expressing a feeling of despair and uneasiness towards life.

“The Man With The Beautiful Eyes.” Moving Image Education. org (n.d.). <https://movingimageeducation.org/browse-films/films/the-man-with-the-beautiful-eyes>.

The narrator remembers a strange house where he played with his friends in the bamboo yard. One day an unshaven man appeared from the house whose eyes blazed with brightness. He made a strong impression on the boys. When the man’s house burnt down, they suspect that their parents did it out of spite because the man was strong and beautiful, and they were jealous of that.

Hodgson, Jonathan. “The Man With The Beautiful Eyes.” Vimeo.com, Vimeo, 2011, 5:38, <https://vimeo.com/19909066>

The video shows children who find a strange house with an overgrown garden and play there. One day while they were playing, they met a man who welcomed them. He was an alcoholic with a free and carefree spirit. Unlike their parents, the children find the man appealing.

Hodgson, Jonathan. “The Man With The Beautiful Eyes.” YouTube, Sherbet, 2015, 5:38, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7E0Io7wrzqs>

In the video, children fin a strange house and play in its yard often despite their parents’ warnings. There seem to be no movements in the house, and the children assume that the house is abandoned. However, one day a voice is heard in the house saying, “YOU GOD DAMNED WHORE,” and an unkempt man emerges from it holding a bottle of whiskey. He makes an impression on the children who see him as healthy and beautiful. He goes back to the house, never to be seen again. One day, the children find his house burnt down, his fishpond and bamboo trees drained and burnt. They blame their parents for this thinking that their jealousy of the man’s beauty drove them to do so.

Works Cited

Hodgson, Jonathan. “The Man with The Beautiful Eyes.” Vimeo.com, Vimeo, 2011, 5:38, <https://vimeo.com/19909066>

Hodgson, Jonathan. “The Man with The Beautiful Eyes.” YouTube, Sherbet, 2015, 5:38, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7E0Io7wrzqs>

Rebechhi, A. “‘The Man With The Beautiful Eyes’ Charles Bukowski Poem Analysis Essay.” issuu (2017). 5 Marc 2020. <https://issuu.com/alejandrorebecchi/docs/poem_analysis_essay>.

“The Man With The Beautiful Eyes.” Moving Image Education. org (n.d.). <https://movingimageeducation.org/browse-films/films/the-man-with-the-beautiful-eyes>.