Show how the poets sense of cultural identity have been explored in the poems

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Show how the poets sense of cultural identity have been explored in the poems

Introduction: 

The two poets Grace Nichols and Sujata Bhatt have experienced cultural alienation. The three poems ‘Island Man, Hurricane Hits England’ and ‘Search For My Tongue’ all explain how the poets immigrated and felt about the new surroundings which were distant from her homeland and culture. The poets all had a secondary theme, for example in island man the theme is the sea, which is referred to as the ‘blue surf’. In an extract from Graces interview she reveals ‘‘I feel I belong from Guyana because I speak their language and I have sprung from that background’’. This shows us that the poets feel culture is the centre of their identity. It is a strong feeling towards their homeland and identity. My objective is to analyse the poems ‘Island Man, Hurricane Hits England’ and ‘ Search For My Tongue’ and show how the feelings of the poets are presented.

Poem 1: Island Man

Grace Nichols wrote ‘Island Man’ when she moved from Guyana in the Caribbean to England. She moved in 1977. Grace Nichols earlier lived in Georgetown and was born in 1950.

In this poem ‘Island Man’ Grace Nichols is writing about her experience of moving to London where she had to emigrate from her homeland in Guyana. She just couldn’t adjust to the culturally and naturally different environment. Although it is an autobiographical poem the ‘Island Mans’ feelings represent the feeling of Grace Nichols. In an interview she said ‘‘when I’m in England I’m always looking back’’.

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At the start of the poem it starts off positive because ‘Island Man’ is at home in Guyana. When he immigrates to London there is a sudden sign of negativity is shown. At the beginning words such as ‘blue surf’, and the phrases ‘the sun surfacing defiantly’, are used. Then when she moves to England the tone changes so that it reinforces the ‘Island Man’ is isolated and out of place. Grace Nichols felt deeply about the Caribbean as she uses the word ‘wombing’ his is a strong word to use as it refers to your mothers womb. We now ...

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