Monologue, by Hone Tuwhare a) The person in this poem is a factory worker. Actually, he works in a steel factory.

Authors Avatar
T.P. on "Monologue", by Hone Tuwhare

a) The person in this poem is a factory worker. Actually, he works in a steel factory. He likes to work near the door, with his work-bench and a locker handy. He emphasizes the fact that he is near the door, probably because the door is a synonym for freedom, hope or even escape for him. There are lots clamorous machines in the place, as well as people doing different kind of activities, such as kneading, shaping and putting things altogether.

As he is near the door, he can always talk to people who go into the factory looking for a job. He puts in his shoes and is kind and helpful to them, because, somehow he is in the same condition as they are. Also, working near to the big door involves being the farthest away from his bosses.

b) There are many kinds of imagery. As for sensitive images, the place is described chilly and gloomy in winter, and as hottish in summer, when the dust enters and obstructs the workers' noses. Secondly, auditory images are used to describe how the machines that are used turn the factory into a thundering site: "A noisy place with [...] machines thumping and thrusting". Visual images are also employed in the poem, for example, when the writer describes the big doors, the smoke rising, or what the workers are doing in the factory.
Join now!


c) In our opinion, the worker has mixed feelings about this place. On one hand he tolerates it because it is his job and he earns a living by doing it: "I put up with it", he says. Besides, he appreciates being near the doors, and that makes he feel really lucky; on the other hand, he is afraid of it. As we see it, he needs the doors to be there in case he has to escape, as if he were predicting that something bad is going to happen. We do not think that he hates the ...

This is a preview of the whole essay