Cluster 1 Poetry From Different Culture Notes

Richard Dodding 11TPB





POETRY FROM DIFFERENT CULTURES

CLUSTER ONE



VULTURES ­ CHINUA ACHEBE

TONE, THEMES AND ATTITUDE
VULTURES EXPLORES WHETHER IT IS BETTER TO BE GOOD WITH A
BIT OF BAD, OR BAD WITH A BIT OF GOOD, AND HIGHLIGHTS THE
HYPOCRICY THAT SOMEONE CAN KILL JEWS AT A CONCENTRATION…

Richard Dodding 11TPB




PUNCTUATION ALLOWS THE POEM TO FLOW UNHINDERED AND
MAKES IT SEEM MORE LIKE A RANT
1ST STANZA = VULTURES ­ LOVE AND TOGETHERNESS IN THE MIDST
OF DEATH AROUND THEM
2ND STANZA = ENIGMA OF LOVE IN FACE OF DEATH AND
DESTRUCTION
3RD STANZA = HYPOCRISY OF…

Richard Dodding 11TPB




CLEAR SEMANTIC FIELD OF DEATH: CHARNEL HOUSE (GRAVEYARD),
REMAINS, DEAD TREE, SWOLLEN CORPSE.
ALSO A SEMANTIC FIELD OF LOVE: HIS MATE, LOVE, COILED UP,
AFFECTIONATLY.
METAPHORS SUCH AS OGRE (DESCRIBING THE COMMANDANT) AND
`TINY GLOW WORM' (DESCRIBING THE SMALL AMOUNT OF LOVE)
ARE USED TO GREAT EFFECT,…

Richard Dodding 11TPB




DISTRICT SIX WAS A SHANTY TOWN, WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT
RACES LIVING THERE. A VERY BOHEMIAN PLACE. THE APARTHEID
GOVERNMENT BULLDOZED IT IN THE WAY FOR A WHITE
SETTLEMENT, BUT NEVER REBUILT IT FULLY.
THE POEM EXPLORES THE FACT THAT WHITE PEOPLE ARE STILL
CONSIDERED SUPERIOR…

Richard Dodding 11TPB




THE FIRST STANZA ESTABLISHES A SCENE, AND ENDS WITH
`PURPLEFLOWERING AMIABLE WEEDS'. THIS PHRASE SHOWS
THAT JUST EBCAUSE PUBLIC OPINION IS BAD (AS THEY ARE WEEDS,
A PEST) IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT IT IS BAD, AND THE
BRIGHT PURPLE COLOUR OF THE WEEDS COULD BE VIEWED…

Richard Dodding 11TPB




DRAWN TO IT, HE IS MORE USED TO THIS THAN THE SOPHISTICATED
WHITE SOCIETY.
`IT'S IN THE BONE' A METAPHOR WHICH MAKES HIM FEEL LIKE HE
BELONGS, LIKE THE CAFÉ IS PART OF HIM. HE DOESN'T ACTUALLY
WANT TO BE PART OF THE WHITE CAFÉ.
THE FINAL…

Richard Dodding 11TPB




FORM AND STRUCTURE
THE POEM HAS NO PUNCTUATION IN IT, WHICH ATTEMPTS TO
CREATE A CYCLICAL FEELING THAT THIS HAPPENS TO HIM
EVERYDAY AND THERE IS NO WAY FOR HIM TO ESCAPE.
THE POEM CAN BE SPLIT INTO TWO DISTINCT SECTIONS, ONE ABOUT
HOW HE LONGS FOR…

Richard Dodding 11TPB




THE WORD `WOMBING' IS MADE UP, BUT IS SYMBOLIC OF A MOTHER
TAKING CARE OF ITS CHILD, WHICH IS WHAT THE SEA DOES TO THE
ISLAND MAN, MAKING HIM FEEL SAFE AND SECURE.
SIBILANCE IS USED `SOUND OF BLUE SURF' TO SOUND LIKE THE
WAVES, AND MAKE…

Richard Dodding 11TPB




TRYING TO CHANGE IT, AND THERE IS A SLIGHT TINGE OF SADNESS
THAT THESE TWO VERY DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE WILL NEVER
REALLY GET TO MEET IN THE REAL WORLD.
IT TAKES A CRITICAL LOOK AT THE IDEA OF THE AMERICAN DREAM
(THAT ANYBODY CAN ACHEIEVE ANYTHING…

Richard Dodding 11TPB




THEY HAVE, AND THIS IS HOW WE, IN THIS SOCIETY, TEND TO MAKE
JUDGEMENTS ON PEOPLE.
THE SCAVENGERS ARE DESCRIBED IN A VERY DIFFERENT MANNER,
WITH `HANGING ON' TRYING TO MAKE THEM SOUND ANAMALISTIC,
AND WORDS SUCH AS `GREY IRON HAIR' MAKING THEM SEEM
BORING AND DULL…