emigre vs checking out me history comparison

Both poems convey ideas of how humankind’s greed of power affects lives of many people 

Language The emigree (similarity)

• Refrain is used by noun “sunlight” >> speaker has an idealised picture of the past

“My memory of it is sunlight-clear….it seems” 

• Positive memories, not limited but free flowing

• Pathetic fallacy >> positive imagery, juxtaposes her understanding as an adult

• Syntax of these lines places her memory before “seems”

• “Seems”: verb >> doubt. Literally: to appear to exist: there seems no need to go now

• Gives the outward appearance of being/to pretend to be, suggests uncertainty, we question her memory if it is clear or if she just wants to be comforted by the idea of it

“I am branded by the impression of sunlight”

• Syntax precedes “sunlight” which naturally gives negative connotations to the supposed positive word, could be a symbol of freedom

• “Branded”: denotes a mark to show ownership, connotes oppression, origin of word: ‘akin to burn’ ,, sunlight now sounds painful than positive links to “paperweight”

• ALT. repetition of sunlight provides her w defence against threats/menace of ‘them’

• to explore difficulties faced by migrants fleeing corrupt political systems in the countries they leave & in countries they settle in 

Language- COMH (similarity)

• the education system in Guyana (where he grew up) ‘bandaged up me [his] eye” & he became seemingly “blind”

• Verbs “blind” / “bandage” in the extended metaphor >> gruesome image of torture w connotations of helplessness & uncertainty seen thru verb “blind” ; it’s as if  physical torment…