n Flood would feel as he reflected back on both his victories and sorrows. I do think thatyoung readers would enjoy the cadence of this poem and the word play, but would find it hard tounderstand Eben's choice to be isolated.Speaking as an older student I can feel the tug of Mr. Flood's emotions as he reviews hispast, because I, too, have a past that has both victories and sorrows. I understand sometimes theneed to sit and reflect but unlike Mr. Flood I anticipate that I have more time to live. Therefore, Istill feel the need of company, be it of new friends or old ones. In addition, with the maturity ofage, I am able to recognize in others this acceptance of their own mortality, and see how theycloak it around themselves and wear it with dignity.To the older people reading this poem, maybe it would feel comfortable, like an old pair ofshoes. They would have understood Mr. Flood's references to the "many a change" (34) andwould also feel that they too"may not have many more" years ahead of them (10). They would getenjoyment out of these words that express and accept the knowledge of what has been and ofwhat is now left. The aloneness would be one of the things with which they just live becausetheir contemporaries have passed on and any new found friends may be younger or they are asurface level relationship. They could empathize with Mr. Flood because in some way all humanbeings have their own "jug"(51) with which to sing "auld lang syne"(42) and when that toast isdone they, too, are "again alone"(52) as Mr. Flood finds himself to be. This acceptance is a meansof survival, sometimes you must become your own best friend because you are the only one whoknows you anymore. "Mr. Flood's Party" seems to present two worlds, a world of illusion and a worldof reality. It is a long poem with a complex stanza, it uses heightened language and gives Mr.Flood emotional and intellectual depth by the use of images and illusions to the past. ...
