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Analysis Of The Poem ' The Prisoner Who Wore Glasses '

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Through hardships and oppression, “a nation’s culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people” (Mahatma Gandhi). The literary selections of “The Prisoner Who Wore Glasses” by Bessie Head, “The Snowflakes Sail Gently Down” and “You Laughed and Laughed and Laughed” by Gabriel Okara, are prime examples of this perseverance of culture. The short story by Bessie Head takes place in the 1940s during a time of political unrest in South Africa, and is based off of a true story. Through the years, her writing became a “search for identity and a testament to the absolute horrors of racism” (Modern World Literature, 11), which is reflected in the story. In the two poems by Gabriel Okara, his writing is a “testament to the independence …show more content…

When Hannetjie admits he’s at his limit, Brille asks “why don’t you like your own medicine, Hannetjie” (Head, 15). Brille pushed his warder so far so he could understand the full extent of what happened to people in those prisons, and how unnecessarily bad they are for everyone there. Not only that, but the symbolism of the warder’s and Span One’s changed relationship at the end of the story addresses the future of racism in South Africa. Brille is eventually able to break Hannetjie down enough through persistence to get him to change his views on the prisoners. Brille eventually reveals that Span One wants “a good warder because without a good warder we won’t be able to manage the long stretch ahead” (Head, 16). Through this, the author explains that there should not be sides when it comes to racial divides, as everyone is human and essentially should all be united as one, not divided. “The Prisoner Who Wore Glasses is not the only literary work that delves deep into the controversies of society.
“The Snowflakes Sail Gently Down” by Gabriel Okara addresses the issues of ignorance and lack of cultural appreciation in Nigerian society. One way Okara expresses his criticism to society is through the heavy use of metaphor within the poem. In the poem, Okara compares the seasons of winter and summer to everything bad and good in the world, respectively. For example,

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