The One Thing Everyone Always Wants More Of: An Explication of Dana Gioia's "Money" Money. There is no doubt it makes the world go around, especially in today's fast-paced economy. In the poem "Money," Dana Gioia does an excellent job of expressing how all-consuming money and it's perks can be. For some, money completely consumes his or hers life and becomes more of an obsession or a toxic poison than anything. It seems as if Gioia is trying to let readers see the negative side of money. He does this by using personification, imagery, and metaphors. Personification might be one of the strongest literary devices used in this poem. Stanza five states, "Money breeds money." (line 13) which happens to do an amazing job of helping Gioia make the point of how money can either make or break people and how much society cares for…show more content… Gioia uses it to give readers a less glamorous picture of money that people tend to not think about. In stanza four, it is stated "It greases the palm, feathers a nest,/ holds heads above water,/ makes both ends meet." (lines 10-12). These lines give readers a figurative image of how money can make people greedy and evil, but it is also a necessary evil. Money can't buy happiness, but it is essential for a house and food and many other essentials. "It greases the palm" gives readers an image of bribery and how the more money a person has, the easier it is to get out of trouble. "Feathers a nest" is a nice illusion to having a home. The more money someone has, the better the "nest" he or she can have and the better it can be "feathered." Money is also used to describe "making ends meet and holding heads above water" because, as previously stated, it is an absolutely essential thing to have in today's world. The more a person has, the better he or she can live and the more luxuries that can be afforded. Money keeps people afloat by paying bills so he or she does not feel as if they are
