Two Scavengers and Night of the Scorpion

In both poems there are many descriptions to show how people are different and some quotations within both of the poems show clearly the contrast between the two sets of people and the two different cultures. Contrast is used in the poem two scavengers; it gives a brief description of the garbage men “two garbage men in red plastic blazers.” This use of the colour “red” suggests that the garbage men have more colours in their life but this is contrasted by the description of the blazer “plastic” which suggests that the material is very cheap and not of a high quality like the two people in the Mercedes “in a hip three-piece linen suit” which clearly shows the contrast of the rich and poor there is between these two sets of people.

     Similarly both poems make use of metaphors and similes to express the contrast between the two sets of people. The poem Two Scavengers makes use of a simile to show the contrast “looking down like some gargoyle Quasimodo.” This shows the reader of how the bin men felt when they were looking down at the two people in the Mercedes and the use of simile gives a clear image of this feeling that the bin men felt. Similarly the poem Night of the Scorpion makes use of a simile to show the contrast between the two cultures “peasants came like swarms of flies.” This use of simile once again gives the reader a visual image in their mind of the peasants rushing in like flies. This also shows the reader that all the peasants came at once and crowded around what was happening. So in various ways the poems are very similar but also quite different at the same time sue to what the contrast is about, a good contrast of two very fantastic poems.

     The poem Two Scavengers is set out with stanzas, but the stanzas are very uneven and in different lengths, an interpretation of the different in stanza lengths could be that it shows the gap in society and how people are different. Similarly, the poem Night of the Scorpion is also set out in stanzas, but there are only two stanzas, this shows that the poem does not change much, it stays in the same point. However the last stanza is on its own and is small compared to the other stanza, this shows the mother’s view on the whole situation and she says “Thank God the scorpion picked on me and spared my children” which shows how their society is. One of kindness and that they treat each other with respect.

So to conclude both poems make use of contrast but in different ways. Both poems are similar and different in many aspects. An excellent contrast of two fantastic poems, to show the difference in society and difference in cultures.