19 pages 38 minutes read

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Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1926

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Summary and Study Guide

Overview

Dorothy Parker is the author of the satirical lyric “Résumé,” which she published in her first poetry collection, Enough Rope (1926). The poem captures Parker’s famous acerbic wit and humor as she aims her sharp tongue at harmful behaviors. Specifically, Parker’s flippant attitude allows the speaker to bluntly address death by suicide with the poem’s key message: Don’t do it. The primary takeaway links to the themes of Suicide Versus Life, The Allure of Death and Self-Harm, and The Hardships of Life. “Résumé” is one of Parker’s most-read poems, and its glib tone matches that of her other works, such as the two-line poem “News Item” (1926) where she famously declares, “Men seldom make passes / At girls who wear glasses” (Lines 1-2).

Content Warning: As the Overview indicates, Parker’s poem centers on suicidal ideation and harmful behavior.

Poet Biography

Dorothy Parker was born during the summer of 1893 in New Jersey, but she grew up in New York City. She had two elder brothers and an older sister. Her father, J.

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