Comparative Essay, How is the theme of 'identity' dealt within the poems 'Presents from My Aunts in Pakistan' and 'Nothing's Changed'.

Comparative Essay, How is the theme of ‘identity’ dealt within the poems ‘Presents from My Aunts in Pakistan’ and ‘Nothing’s Changed’.

The poem is written in free verse, where the phrases are arranged loosely across the page. It is divided into stanzas of varying length.

The poem, ‘Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan,’ investigates problems of identity from the point of view of a "half-English" girl growing up in England but receiving regular presents from her relatives back home.

The poet’s use of the word phrases ‘feeling alien', 'half-English' and having 'no fixed nationality' are direct statements about her conflict of identity. She contrasts the beautiful clothes and jewellery of India with the classic English cardigans from Marks and Spencer. There is a slight pun about her aunts ‘requesting cardigans from Marks and Spencer’s to further explore this shared culture. The ‘radiant’ clothes are so carefully described to stress their difference to British clothing. When a glass bangle 'drew blood' it is an image of how she is not used to these items of clothing. She is also drawn to the loveliness of these things, but feels awkward wearing them; ‘I tried satin-silken top-/was alien in the sitting-room. /I could never be as lovely as those clothes’, (lines 16-19).The girl ‘longed for denim and corduroy’’, (lines 20-21).This shows she wants to ‘fit in’ so she has to struggle between two cultural identities.

As she grows older, the clothes form a link with the country she left as a child and she develops her interest in the place through family stories, old photographs and newspaper reports. However, when she imagines herself in Pakistan, she still feels like a citizen of "no fixed nationality".

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The poem "Nothing's Changed" is set in post-apartheid era of racial segregation in South Africa, where there are laws enforced by the police. These laws kept black people and white people apart residentially, of the multi-racial District Six, which was demolished under the old regime, returns to visit the place. It is hardly recognisable as the former houses and shops have gone and the area has been neglected since it was torn down. The poet sees a new inn which he feels is 'whites only', not because of apartheid but because of the divisions created by wealth. Also, the poet looks at attempts to change this system, and shows how they are ineffective, making no real difference. This makes him reflect that despite the changing political situation, there are still huge inequalities between blacks and whites.

However, though South Africa has supposed to have changed, he knows the new restaurant is really 'whites-only'. The most important image is “glass”. It symbolises division of colour and class. The poet Afrika sees himself as a “boy again”, who has left imprint on glass. He wants to break the glass. This shows he wants to break down the apartheid system, which divides people in South Africa.

The deep anger he feels makes him want, ’hands burn for a stone, or a bomb to shiver down the glass, (lines 45-47).This belief leads him to a bitter conclusion that "Nothing's Changed".

Depicts society where rich and poor are divided. Contrasted with “working man's café”: no tablecloth and nowhere to wash hands”.

This poem depicts a society where rich and poor are divided. In the apartheid era of racial segregation in South Africa, where the poem is set, laws, enforced by the police, kept apart black and white people

In conclusion, the theme of identity in the poem ‘Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan’ is dealt with through the use of