How is the theme, Cultural Identity reflected in the poems“Presents From My Aunts In Pakistan” by Moniza Alvi and “Search For My Tongue” by Sujatta Bahtt?
The poems “Presents From My Aunts In Pakistan” and “Search For My Tongue” are both poems that convey the theme of Cultural Identity by personal experiences. “Presents From My Aunts in Pakistan” focuses on the idea of confusion and loneliness of belonging to two different cultures, while “Search For My Tongue” gives the reader an idea of the fear of losing him/her mother tongue when developing a new language. However, both these poems portrays the image of the difficulties of belonging to two different cultures.
Moniza Alvi, who wrote “Presents From My Aunts In Pakistan” half English and …show more content…
It is based upon an experience of receiving clothes from her Aunts in Pakistan. Alvi describes the types of clothes she receives from Pakistan. The clothes “salwar kameez”, “embossed slippers” ,“candy-striped glass bangles” and “apple green sari” are all clothes that belong to the Pakistan culture. She describes them using colours and attractive adjectives to show the affection she has for those clothes. Furthermore, to make this more effective she does not describe the “Marks and Spencer cardigans” that her aunts wanted. This contrasts between the clothes from Pakistan and England to give us an idea that she feels like Pakistan has a very appealing culture, while England is boring and colourless. “Snapped” is used in line eight which is not a pleasant word to use. She is uses this to tell us that even the bangles do not want to belong to her. Alvi states that she tried on a “costume” but it didn't look good on her. The word “costume” is used rather than “cloth” or “dress”. This is because “costume” is a word used for something like a circus dress, so this displays the hilarious or peculiar look that dress had on …show more content…
“Like an orange splint open” is a negative language simile Alvi uses which might suggest that even thugh she likes the look of the dress she doesn't actually want to try it on. Alvi also encounters discomfort when she tries to put on the “candy-striped glass bangles” They didn't fit her well, and they “snapped and drew blood” This implies that she has outgrown her culture and also that she doesn't fit in with Pakistan anymore. “Satin silken top” is phrase which uses alliteration which adds more emphasis to the statement. Alvi uses personification when she says “costume clung to me” This statement shows embarrassment and difference. The costume didn't fit her, instead it “clung” to her. This statement is followed by “and I was aflame” These two statements support each other, and create an image that makes the reader understand that this culture just holds on to her, because she was born as a Pakistan, not because it fits
The poems “Presents From My Aunts In Pakistan” and “Search For My Tongue” are both poems that convey the theme of Cultural Identity by personal experiences. “Presents From My Aunts in Pakistan” focuses on the idea of confusion and loneliness of belonging to two different cultures, while “Search For My Tongue” gives the reader an idea of the fear of losing him/her mother tongue when developing a new language. However, both these poems portrays the image of the difficulties of belonging to two different cultures.
Moniza Alvi, who wrote “Presents From My Aunts In Pakistan” half English and …show more content…
It is based upon an experience of receiving clothes from her Aunts in Pakistan. Alvi describes the types of clothes she receives from Pakistan. The clothes “salwar kameez”, “embossed slippers” ,“candy-striped glass bangles” and “apple green sari” are all clothes that belong to the Pakistan culture. She describes them using colours and attractive adjectives to show the affection she has for those clothes. Furthermore, to make this more effective she does not describe the “Marks and Spencer cardigans” that her aunts wanted. This contrasts between the clothes from Pakistan and England to give us an idea that she feels like Pakistan has a very appealing culture, while England is boring and colourless. “Snapped” is used in line eight which is not a pleasant word to use. She is uses this to tell us that even the bangles do not want to belong to her. Alvi states that she tried on a “costume” but it didn't look good on her. The word “costume” is used rather than “cloth” or “dress”. This is because “costume” is a word used for something like a circus dress, so this displays the hilarious or peculiar look that dress had on …show more content…
“Like an orange splint open” is a negative language simile Alvi uses which might suggest that even thugh she likes the look of the dress she doesn't actually want to try it on. Alvi also encounters discomfort when she tries to put on the “candy-striped glass bangles” They didn't fit her well, and they “snapped and drew blood” This implies that she has outgrown her culture and also that she doesn't fit in with Pakistan anymore. “Satin silken top” is phrase which uses alliteration which adds more emphasis to the statement. Alvi uses personification when she says “costume clung to me” This statement shows embarrassment and difference. The costume didn't fit her, instead it “clung” to her. This statement is followed by “and I was aflame” These two statements support each other, and create an image that makes the reader understand that this culture just holds on to her, because she was born as a Pakistan, not because it fits