Abstract
An exploration of Anne Sexton's examination of popular culture and her employment of commonly known contemporary references reveals her attempt to redefine the concept of culture. References to the popular film of Walter Mitty, suggestions of the comic strip Gasoline Alley, and verses from a quintessential pop song by Al Jolson (with significant hiatuses) create an alternative environment to the modernist classic of Eliot's "The Wasteland" with which Sexton creates a dialogue in her poem "Hurry Up Please, It's Time." Despite Sexton's awareness that she was perceived by others as lacking "taste," and despite her internalization of this deep criticism, she was determined to find her own way. Her use of the popular culture surrounding herâas opposed to the elitist culture of modernismâwas part of her attempted redefinition of culture, her act of insurrection.
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