Kamikaze
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Ideological
power (Japanese culture of honour and the impact of shame) and the impact
that society has on family members. The pilot suffers from inner conflict as
he wishes to live but also honour his country, his inner conflict is not
resolved due to his family ostracizing him and so “he wondered which had been
the better way to die”.
We never
hear from the pilot, the effect of this is to silence his voice from the
reader and show his isolation – as we hear of him but not from him, he does
not have a voice, he has been silenced.
The reader
could interpret his actions as powerful as he does not conform to the
cultural pressure to be a suicide bomber despite his “shaved head and
powerful incantations”.
The poem
shows the power of the family which is stronger for him than state power.
Nature’s
beauty and preciousness as shown through the “silver” fish helps the pilot to
turn around. Nature has a positive role in this poem.
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Checking out
Me History
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Ideological
power is demonstrated as the speaker is taught a history that is not his. His
heritage is in conflict with the dominant heritage and his heritage is
suppressed. However the speaker it could be argued is powerful as he is
defiant and tries to educate the reader of the his culture, thus showing that
the dominant culture’s power is not absolute.
This is
further shown by the speaker’s refusal to conform to the use of standard English
in the poem showing his conflict with the dominant powers in society. The repetition
of “dem” highlights this, also “dem” is dismissive.
He repeats “dem
“ and “me” throughout the poem showing the conflict between the individual
and the group “dem”.
Perhaps
Agard is demanding the reader carve their own identity and avoid the dominant
ideology form “bandaging up” their eyes. Bandage has positive connotations of
healing but in this context the connotation is negative , this juxtaposition where
he uses the metaphor to suggest harm and not healing perhaps highlights a
bigger idea that the dominant ideology/ power hides between “healing” when in
fact they are harming.
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The Emigree
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The speaker
uses the concept of “sunlight” to highlight that the memories of her country
nurture her.
Also the
poem is about her loss of physical connection with her country but she
remains emotionally connected to it and also culturally as she does not stop
using her native language.
The metaphor
of a “hollow doll” suggests she has no connections with the country she as is
now, she feels empty and dead.
Because the
sun nurtures, perhaps she is trying to hold on to her memories that are like
sunlight to help her stay alive as she is in conflict with her identify and
the present society she finds herself in.
The society
feel she is a burden and they not only do not welcome her, they actively want
rid of her. The society is portrayed as being unkind to victims of war.
The last
stanza has an extra line compared to the other two stanzas, possibly
signifying her addition to the death toll.
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Tissue
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Dharker explores
the idea that paper and its uses help to inform future generations e.g.
through the Koran etc.
The title is
a pun – Tissue as in paper and human tissue, this signifies that both are
linked – perhaps it suggests our reliance on the external.
Humanity is
portrayed as powerful as paper is manmade and Dharker highlights how it
controls our lives e.g. money leads to capitalism and can be destructive for some
in society who are not winners of the system, this is further hinted when she
references “what was paid by credit card”.
The paper
signifies human power and this is juxtaposed with nature’s power which is
shown through the sunlight. When the
sunlight shines through the paper it suggests the ultimate power of nature.
This idea is also reinforced by the repetition of “thinning”.
Paper is
made from trees also which further shows humanity’s attempt to destroy and
alter the land as we use trees to create paper and then “buildings that were
never meant to last”.
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War
Photographer
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“spools of
suffering” the plurality of the spools shows the plurality of conflict –
conflict affects many people and is present everywhere.
The poem
shows the lack of care by those not involved or near the conflict, the
contrast present in the poem shows that the
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Even with the little they, the Cratchits are appreciative. They are not greedy. Word for the Cratchits Tiny tiny little atom Tiny Tim’s “withered” hand “half of half” There is a real sense these people are not hoarding the planet or societal resources. The Cratchits represent the poor. The Cratchits pay attention to the sounds and smells of the food also and enjoy it. Dickens uses hyperbole when talking about the pudding to highlight how importance, rare and incredible and valued it is. Pudding – ”small pudding for a large family”. Bob’s positive perception – “called a circle, meaning half a one” The Cratchits family wealth: “two tumbler and a custard cup without a handle” – this is a symbol of their wealth and how they are viewed in society as people’s status is made up of their possessions. Their possessions are pitiful. “if none of these shadows remain unaltered by the future” This is perhaps Dicken’s key mess
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