A person’s identity is developed throughout their lifetime by memorable events. Therefore, facts that can be recorded on paper do not entirely define people. That is the issue in “The Unknown Citizen,” a formal eulogy given to an “unknown citizen” by the state. In the eulogy, the lack of personal information makes the unknown citizen’s identity nearly vanish. The author’s use of vague word choice, serious tone, short sentences, and frequent end stopped lines all work together to create an impersonal eulogy, suggesting that if we begin to be defined by facts then we lose our sense of identity. The author’s ambiguous word choice helps show that the speaker uses words that make the poem an impersonal representation of the “unknown citizen.”