GCSE: Sujata Bhatt: from Search For My Tongue

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Poetry Analysis Tatamkhulu Afrika: Nothing's Changed, Sujata Bhatt: from Search for My Tongue, Tom Leonard: from Unrelated Incidents, Derek Walcott: Love after Love

It is a symbol of the divisions of colour, and class - often the same thing in South Africa. As he backs away from it at the end of the poem, Afrika sees himself as a "boy again", who has left the imprint of his "small, mean mouth" on the glass. He wants "a stone, a bomb" to break the glass - he may wish literally to break the window of this inn, but this is clearly meant in a symbolic sense. He wants to break down the system, which separates white and black, rich and poor, in South Africa.
- Word count: 4989
A Summary For all the poems from a different cultures.

is like losing part of one's body. The poet's dream may be something she has really dreamt "overnight" but is clearly also a "dream" in the sense of something she wants to happen - in dreams, if not in reality, it is possible for the body to regenerate. For this reason the poem's ending is ambiguous - perhaps it is only in her dream that the poet can find her "mother tongue". On the other hand, she may be arguing that even when she thinks she has lost it, it can be found again.
- Word count: 3772
'A piece of art, as well as being a creation to be enjoyed, can also be a mirror...If a country or culture lacks such mirrors it has no way of knowing what it looks like, it must travel blind' (Margaret Atwood).

National identity refers to the identification with one's nation. This nation does not necessarily have to be the one in which they were born in. It could be where their parents are from, or even a nation that one feels passionate about and recognises oneself with having characteristics and attitudes similar to people from that nation. National identity can also mean the nature and character of a nation as a collective body. Poetry should be as Margaret Atwood says a 'creation to be enjoyed'.
- Word count: 4444

How do the poets represent the importance of 'roots' in their poetry? Consider how the social and cultural identity of the poets is paramount to the development of the main themes.

Moniza Alvi once said, "Growing up I felt that my origins were invisible, because there weren't many people to identify with in Hatfield at that time, of a mixed race background or indeed from any other race, so I felt there was a bit of a blank drawn over that. I think I had a fairly typical English fifties sixties upbringing". Isolation is specifically included in all the four poems. The poets all feel isolated because of their language and cultural differences to their surroundings.
- Word count: 3574
Poems From Other Cultures and Traditions - From 'Search For My Tongue' Tatamkhulu Afrika, Maqabane.

We unconsciously relate language to the tongue. How often have we said to people, 'Have you lost your tongue?' when they fail to give us an answer or when they remain silent? That's because the tongue is one of the crucial organs we use when speaking. The speaker here has taken a new slant on the question and has said her tongue has indeed been lost, but she means her mother language has been lost, not her physical tongue. The extended metaphor Notice as you read and study the poem that the whole extract builds on an extended metaphor - the physical tongue as a metaphor for language.
- Word count: 9630

Conclusion analysis

Good conclusions usually refer back to the question or title and address it directly - for example by using key words from the title.
How well do you think these conclusions address the title or question? Answering these questions should help you find out.

Do they use key words from the title or question?

Do they answer the question directly?

Can you work out the question or title just by reading the conclusion?

I will compare two poems from completely different cultures to see if we get any comparisons, the poems I have chosen to write about are Half-Caste by John Agard and Search for my Tongue by Sujata Bhatt,

"In conclusion, everyone looks upon culture differently; there are those who take it seriously and those that don't. But whether or not we like it we are all part of a culture and should therefore respect other's. Of course culture can be seen as something to fight with, there are so many people in the world with different views it would be surprising if it wasn't! In my opinion both authors use language as something to fight with and against in their own unique ways. Both of these poems use some sort of violence to get a message across, this to me is a type of fighting, so the answer to my question is 'YES' we could see culture as something to fight with or against because of the language both poems use, for instance the taunting that John Agard uses and the metaphors that Sujata Bhatt uses."

Compare the two poems, 'Presents from my aunts in Pakistan' and 'Search for my tongue' - Both poems shows people thinking about their roots and how each poem conveys their thoughts and feelings.

"After thoroughly reading the poems, I have arrived at two main conclusions. Firstly it is important to know where one comes from, which is perhaps what the girl in the poem was lacking as a child and it is also important to know what has gone into one's making, even quite far back, I think it gives you a sense perhaps of richness. Secondly it is sometimes very difficult knowing two languages but having to neglect the one that belongs to you. One's mother tongue is an important link to your family and your childhood. Last but not least I agree deeply with the statement and I quote ' that's the deepest layer of my identity' which was said by Sujati Bhatt, the writer."

Compare two poems from different cultures and traditions, "Search for my tongue" by Sujata Bhatt and "Presents from my aunts in Pakistan" by Moniza Alvi.

"The stanza in Alvi's poem are irregular and in my opinion that is not for a reason there is also no particular rhyme or rhythm in the poem. I found both poems interesting and ii can relate to them but more to Sujata Bhatt's poem as my mother tongue is also gujerati and I am starting to forget it. I also prefer it because it has a good rhythm and I like the way she shows the contrast between stanza one and three. By Abdul Azim Hassan"

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GCSE: Sujata Bhatt: from Search For My Tongue

Poetry Analysis Tatamkhulu Afrika: Nothing's Changed, Sujata Bhatt: from Search for My Tongue, Tom Leonard: from Unrelated Incidents, Derek Walcott: Love after Love

A Summary For all the poems from a different cultures.

'A piece of art, as well as being a creation to be enjoyed, can also be a mirror...If a country or culture lacks such mirrors it has no way of knowing what it looks like, it must travel blind' (Margaret Atwood).

How do the poets represent the importance of 'roots' in their poetry? Consider how the social and cultural identity of the poets is paramount to the development of the main themes.

Poems From Other Cultures and Traditions - From 'Search For My Tongue' Tatamkhulu Afrika, Maqabane.

Conclusion analysis

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