Ariel Dorfman's Poem 'Hope'

The poem entitled “Hope” was published during the year 1988 by author Ariel Dorfman. In order to comprehend the poem, the reader must understand the background information of the author’s life. Ariel Dorfman was naïve of Chile during his childhood. Ariel Dorfman is described as someone in search of a country. Dorfman moved and lived in countries such as Argentina and eventually emigrated to the United Stated. Stanley Longman stated in his article about Dorfman’s lifestyle that, “In terms of style, all these experiences led him to adopt a multilayered structure to his novels, juxtaposing reflections, parallel action, surveillance, mystery, uncertainty, and distrust” (Longman). The question that arose while searching background information towards

the author was, “What would you advice someone who is seeking hope as in your poem?”
The poem “Hope” includes seven stanzas, fifty-four lines, and one hundred seventy-four words. The general idea of the poem from the beginning allows the reader to show the mother’s prospective as having hope towards her missing son. This poem “Hope” reveals the thoughts of a loving mother through her eyes, whom is seeking hope that her son may still be existent. Knowing that her son was being tortured, she begins questioning as to why anyone, especially her son would deserve such a cruel punishment. The overall theme of the poem incorporates a mother’s love and ambition when it stated, “and he may might could/still be alive” (53-54). As for the mood, the author has shown a concerned motherly feeling when he wrote, “that they are still/torturing” (42-43), which has shown a concerned mother being curious as if her son is okay. As a narrative poem, readers are able to view the story within the lines. The poem begins, “My son had been/missing” (1-2), which could instantly allow readers to identify the theme which traces back to the title “Hope.”
The attention grabbing hope the mother endures as to her son being alive after his disappearance over a year ago leaves readers intrigued from the beginning of the poem. The reader first came to the realization of the hope when Dorfman wrote, “Which means/ that he was alive” (44-45). From the various rumors within her community that her son may still be alive after all, this happens to be a favorite line due to the feeling readers being able to feel the mother’s emotions. While reading this poem, readers can think of the movie entitled Taken. In the movie, a father goes through many difficult tasks just to find his daughter, whom he loved with all of his heart.
Before reading the background information towards this poem it is unclear as to why the author used words such as “companero” (17), “Villa Grimalidi” (21), and “the Grimaldis” (25). After understanding that after Chile’s elected president was assassinated, many activists fought for their freedom against the military dictatorship which comes to be shown within the poem that this must have taken place during those difficult times of Chile. After researching those three difficult words that may have caused confusion to readers, readers understand that “companero” means a male friend, “Villa Grimalidi” means a torture center for captured prisoners, and “the Grimaldis” is those who torture in the “Villa Grimalidi.”
The poem does not contain a rhyme scheme, alliteration, onomatopoeia, simile, assonance, irony, allusions, symbolism, hyperbole, metaphors, or personification.

The repetition begins when the mother states, that joy cannot be found within this situation through the eyes of the father and mother. Lines 34-39 state, “how can it be that a father’s joy/ a mother’s joy is knowing…” (34-39). This effect allows the reader to understand the pain the family has gone through knowing their son is still captured. Since joy shows a repetition within the poem, it allows the author to emphasize there is not much joy in that. When the author is describing the car that was being remembered when he wrote, “the car with no license plate” (11), readers create a source of imagery inside of their imagination. This provides readers with a visual idea as to the instant capture of their son and his unknown whereabouts. The understatement of the story is founded when others inform the parents of the missing boy that he may still be alive. The author expressed, “they say they recognized/ his voice his scream” (26-27). They may not have seen it as a huge sign of hope to the parents, but it meant the world knowing their son may still be alive. The effect that all literary devices have within the poem is to grab the attention of many who are

interested.
In conclusion, Hope, allows the reader to see through the eyes of a concerned mother that her hope remains strong that her son will soon return home. This poem, written by Ariel Dorfman, has various exciting elements that make a poem interesting and attention grabbing at the same time. Those who may be able to relate to this poem most would be those who have had a loved one suddenly become missing. Having such a terrible feeling not knowing if your loved one will return, only calls for one to gain hope throughout the process. The poem gives hope to not give up the search, to only hope that your loved one will soon return home.