Compare how Nichols and Alvi explore the issue of identity in Hurricane
Hits England and Presents From My Aunts In Pakistan In this essay I
aim to compare the two poems
Compare how Nichols and Alvi explore the issue of identity in
“Hurricane Hits England” and “Presents From My Aunts In Pakistan”
In this essay I aim to compare the two poems “Hurricane Hits England”
by Grace Nichols and “Presents From My Aunts In Pakistan” by Moniza
Alvi. I aim to analyse the language and structure shape of different
meanings, also to see what acts as a trigger in the two poems and
finally to compare the issues rose about culture.
Both of the poets feelings about their culture are triggered by
something, which makes them think about how they feel. Alvi uses the
presents to act as a trigger, which makes her realise, she isn’t as
happy as what she could be. When she describes herself as ”Staring
through the fretwork,” she shows that she feels torn between the two
cultures. She also feels that she is stuck within the English culture
but wants to widen her knowledge to the Pakistani culture and maybe
even switch her culture. Another meaning to when she says this, is
she doesn’t feel the fretwork is only iron but the English culture is
there stopping her and not the iron frame. Or it could even be
herself that is stopping her because she is afraid of not fitting in
since she has changed so much.
In comparison, Nichols uses the hurricane to act as her trigger,
however, it doesn’t have the same effect on her as it did on Alvi.
When Nichols says “It took a hurricane to bring her closer to the
landscape,” she is talking about herself. When she says this, she
means that ever since she moved to England, she has felt that he...
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...ow the traditions as well. The
quotes show that the Pakistani culture follows a tradition of wearing
a salwar kameez, whereas the English culture follows a tradition of
“quick and easy beds”. She uses this as a contrast between the two
cultures to make them apart. Throughout the poem Alvi explores the
different cultures and there meanings.
Nichols refers to the cultures in different ways. When she writes,
”Talk to me Huracon…Oya…Shango,” she is directly addressing them and
talks to them as if they were her family.
I personally think that each of these poems has its own unique
qualities, however my personal favourite is Presents From My Aunts In
Pakistan. I like this poem because Moniza Alvi manages to express her
feelings in a way that I have never been able to and also because she
can explore the way she feels by choosing different things to compare.
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