Caucasia written by Danzy Senna, is similar and yet different compared to Song of Solomon. In Caucasia, Birdie is a young bi-racial girl, in which she is the daughter of a black man and white woman. While Birdie appears and passes for white, she embraces her black identity even more so. Birdie is torn apart from those she loves, yet she undergoes a journey to find them. In Song of Solomon, there is an all black family- the Dead family, that struggles within itself and within an all black community. Milkman is born into a world that is divided between black and white. Throughout the novel he develops as a person with the help of a wise family member and his own experience. According to June Jordan, “Affirmation of Black values and lifestyle within the American context is, indeed, an act of protest.” (Notes Toward a Black Balancing of Love and Hatred, 47) Through affirmation of Black values and lifestyle, Caucasia and Song of Solomon show instances of Black protest in the form of Birdie’s and Milkman’s characters, their relationship to their black communities and family, and the adventures that they undergo to find answers. When Cole and her father leave Birdie, they leave her a box that her father had written “Negrobilia” on the side. Birdie holds this box very dear to her heart, adding to it as the novel progresses. This Negrobilia box represents and symbolizes Black values and lifestyle consisting of items that Birdie, her father and sister owned, and had used. The items in
Although society advocates believing in a ‘sameness’ between people who are black or white, individuals are still organized by race, class, gender and sexuality into social hierarchies. These hierarchies essentially formulate stigmas that suppress certain races and discriminate against them. Caucasia written by Danzy Senna is focused around a young mixed girl, Birdie, who encounters obstacles in her life that help her form her own perceptions about issues regarding class, race, and sexuality. These obstacles fundamentally shape her to have a unique outlook on society where she begins to question white privilege and also sympathize towards the mistreatment of black individuals. Senna explores the fundamental problems that are associated
Richard Blanco is a Cuban- American poet who was given the oppurunity to write an inaugaration poem for Barack Obama's second swearing-in. He wrote a poem titled "One Today" that praised the good and unique things about the United States and also the everyday people who's daily routines help to make America the proud country that it is.
The poem “ Feliks Skrzynecki” communicates to the responders that as a result of the Skrzynecki family migrating to Australia, Peter had lost a significant aspect of his life which was his relationship with his father due to the barriers that had arisen restricting them from proper communication.
Just as poetry is a permanent mark of feelings that last forever on paper, tattoos are permanent symbols that last forever on the skin. Tattoos and poetry can easily be combined such as in Kim Addonizio’s sonnet, “First Poem for You,” the speaker admires her partner’s nature themed tattoos in a darkened room. This may seem to be a simple poem, but by utilizing tattoos as symbols, including tactile and visual imagery in her poem, and using the sonnet as her structure, Addonizio laments about the true meaning of relationships and their longevity.
Beauty is a subjective idea that focuses on the characteristics preferable to a single species that gives an advantage over another and at the cost of another species survival. Humans have created astounding empires with beautiful cities and monuments because they were the most progressive species that are able to do so because of their capacity for violence. Some empires fear for their survival, so they must eliminate any threat whether it be humans or other animals. The poem, “Thanks” by Yusef Komunyakaa, it symbolizes how humans can become single minded only driven by their own personal desires at the sake of anyone else. Humans naturally commit ugly atrocities to progress their own beauty, or at least idea of, and they instinctively oppose nature because mankind is the dark side of nature.
Much like the kitchen, the birdcage is also used as a symbol for Mrs. Wright. In the play, Mrs. Peters finds the birdcage empty. The two ladies also find that the cage?s door hinge is pulled apart. The ladies conclude that someone had ?been rough with it.? The cage in the play suggests many things. A cage signifies imprisonment and captivity. This easily fits within the play and represents the confinement
One struggle many individuals experience is speaking with conviction. Especially in today's day and age where people are possessed by their phone and would more likely send out a tweet then have a conversation with a loved one. The Poem “Totally like whatever, you know?” written by Taylor Mali addresses his concern that people no longer speak with meaning in discussions and conversations. He uses humor, sarcasm, as well as XXXXX to get his point across that people of this generation greatly lack confidence when they communicate. Throughout the poem he uses the word “like” in systematic places to strengthen his point. These places strengthen his argument because they sound natural and unnoticeable when listening to the poem but when reading
Milkman, the main character, son of Macon Dead, friend of Guitar Bains and great- grandson of Solomon is in every way impacted by their thoughts whether he knows it or not. Milkman is careless when it comes to the perception of racism. He feels it doesn’t affect him in any way because of who he is, but he doesn’t even know who he is as a man or as a black man.
Reflections Within is a non-traditional stanzaic poem made up of five stanzas containing thirty-four lines that do not form a specific metrical pattern. Rather it is supported by its thematic structure. Each of the five stanzas vary in the amount of lines that each contain. The first stanza is a sestet containing six lines. The same can be observed of the second stanza. The third stanza contains eight lines or an octave. Stanzas four and five are oddly in that their number of lines which are five and nine.
The implementation of African American culture and the time period provides for a subtle but necessary addition to an already traversed plot. For example, the title of the book being “Song of Solomon” could represent God’s love for African Americans, which is a bold statement for the time period Morrison had lived in. Furthermore, the character Pilates, aunt of Milkman, has a name where in the Bible represents a tree that hangs over in a protective stance whereas in African mythology, trees are implemented to connect the living and the spirits. In most, if not all of Morrison’s works, she cleverly uses African traditions and beliefs to get her message across. In Song of Solomon, one used the most is “flight signifying freedom” in which a person is able to declare a specific change in themselves.
The broken birdcage can also be seen as a symbolic item within the story. The birdcage represents how women were oppressed, or “caged in” by men during this time in history. The bird, which symbolizes Mrs. Wright in the story, is not mentioned by the men when they notice the birdcage. This is because Glaspell wanted to emphasize that most men during this time were focused on what women were limited to doing, not who they were as a person. As the men overlook yet another important detail, the women realize that the door to the birdcage is broken. This symbolizes Mrs. Wright breaking away from the chains of oppression put on her by her husband.
The relationship between a parent and child is potentially one of the most influential in a child’s life. A positive interaction often yields admiration, love or a sense of support. A negative relationship may yield distrust, animosity or a sense of solitude. Theodore Roethke’s poem, “My Papa’s Waltz,” describes the admiration of his hardworking father. The speaker, a young boy, depicts roughhousing with his father in the form of a waltz; expressing his desire to stay up and spend more time together though their relationship is detached. Seamus Heaney’s “Digging,” instills a sense of respect, pride, and a slight affliction for the speaker’s choice of the pen over the spade. The speaker has chosen a different path in life than that of his father and grandfather. Although written at different stages in life, both Roethke and Heaney write a poem about their families utilizing vivid imagery to demonstrate the love and pride they felt for these men.
My first text in my anthology is poem named Longing for Father’s love by Olive Eloisa Guillermo. Longing for Father’s Love is a very sentimental yet strong poem due to the wording used by her. After I come across this poem I immediately knew I had to include it in my personal anthology. Every poem has a meaning behind and while I was reading I felt like I was opening myself and expressing my feelings towards my father leaving my family for another family.This line best represents how I feel, how I wished he had stayed and made things differently. I wish he was there when I needed a hug because I didn’t get the grade I wanted, I wish he was there when I felt like I couldn’t sleep because I was afraid of the dark, I wish he was there to love
This paper analyzes and explicates the lyrics and musical aspects of “Aggravatin’ papa” by Bessie Smith. The lyrics contain many rhymes put into different sections, and include slangs, softening the intensity of the occasion of the storytelling just like a daily talk. The tempo is kept slow throughout the song, and the accompaniment is minimal, which makes one think that although the situation portrayed in the song is quite intense, the song itself sounds rather calm. This might be possible because the speaker is only a third person narrating the story, not the character itself. The song, in large, shares a similar style with the musical theatre. In the first four lines, Smith introduces the characters involved in a situation, Mandy and Sam,
“Everything is Plundered,” “I Am Not One of Those Who Left the Land,” and “Midnight Verses” are prime examples of Akhmatova’s symbolic literature. Akhmatova used poetry to help her overcome difficulties in life; it was a way of expressing and setting her feelings free. All of Anna Akhmatova’s poems contain a common theme that connects to her real life: though life can be rough, it is important to deal with problems and work towards acceptance.