Analysis of a Poem "Enter Without so Much as Knocking" by Bruce Dawe

The title ‘televistas’ indicates that our perspective of the world is seen only through our television sets, that our experience of life is limited and controlled. In the poem 'Enter Without So Much as Knocking' we are only identified in terms of the brand names we chose to buy, but in ‘televistas’ we are only identified in terms of the brand names of communication programs, in this case it’s the companies ‘sanyo’ and ‘Rank Arena’. Our society today has been defined through its relationship with the media and stages in our lives are marked by certain programs. It is worthwhile noting that none of these media products are Australian and thereby lies the message, that we are victims of cultural imperialism and this indicates that we have no culture of our own.

The second stanza begins 'O happy hour' this is like an offering to some powerful God. The modern god is television and its viewing content, American cartoons are being satirized. Childhood is defined in terms of viewing habits and children are brainwashed with American culture. The romantic image 'blue-remembered hills of childhood/ Where each seeks the other's eye!' highlights that as children their attention was always beyond the screen, to a distant world, where communication and contact was looked for. Then the focus swiftly returns to television, comedians and magicians. The couple in the poem ‘televistas’ are never identified by name, their insignificance defines the nature of our modern existence, and the pronoun 'they' serves as their identity. Their understanding of love is oversimplified and superficial.

The phrase 'fortune smiled' indicates the presence of an all-powerful, abstract being and time is defined by the television schedule. Hence 'between commercial' 'Dreams were swapped and, futures planned'. The frantic pace of decision making reflects Dawe's idea that there is little time for real communication. The Midweek Movie is seen as one of life's big challenges, as they 'bravely faced' it. According to Dawe television has become a substitute for living.

'A faulty tube' has led to the beginning of a relationship. We don't have time to bother with communication, we only refer to emotions. Their 'first failing-out' as a couple is over the choice of a TV program, the content of which is designed to entertain rather than educate or stimulate. The metaphor of being in a cinema: 'reconciliation ushered’ reinforces that emotions must be kept quiet, so to belittle from the entertainment. The mention of Cheezels, another snack food, full of artificial flavors, further emphasizes that their experiences lack realism. The end of the viewing day represents the end of a cycle in their relationship. As they 'swore to be ever faithful' we sense that they do not exist beyond their connection with the television. The hours between viewing are merely an interlude – that their relationship exists only in terms of their viewing habits.

TV overshadows every aspect, controlling what we eat, what we do and even our relationships.