Compare and contrast the ways In which Grace Nichols represents The

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Compare and contrast the ways In which Grace Nichols represents The

theme of slavery in her poems I coming back and sugar cane.

The two poems written by Grace Nichols are similar because both of

them are about slavery. But they are very different in some ways like

"I coming back" is about getting revenge and "sugar cane" is about the

suffering of slaves. The styles of the poems are different from each

other. This essay will try to explore these poems similarities and

differences.

The two poems content is different but their subject is the same.

The subject is about slavery but they are written in different ways.

"I coming back" is about a slave woman who want's to take revenge on

her master while she is living and, when she Is dead by the help of

her spirit or ghost. She wants to terrorise her master while she is

living and haunt him with her spirit or ghost when she is dead. She is

shown as a powerful figure that wants to take revenge on her master

for treating her as a slave and an animal. She is very threatening

against her master this is shown when she says

"Bone in yuh throat

And laugh in yuh skull

I coming back." (L: 17-19)

Only this sentence shows how threatening the poems could be. She has

used many threatening phrases another one could be

"Ball-a-fire

A skinless higue

I coming back." (L: 11-13)

She is very repetitive on saying "I coming back." This could mean she

is keen on getting revenge.

"Sugar cane" describes the slave as a weak harmless person. Also in

her poem she describes the kind of diseases the slave get and how. She

also describes the slave as a person who can't control his life and is

controlled by the master. In "sugar cane" the slave is shown as a weak

pe...

... middle of paper ...

...ole.

"Some Creole expressions are vivid and concise

and have no equivalent English."

Grace Nichols said this in her introduction. She means that Creole is

used for fierce things that is why it is more obvious in "I coming

back" then "sugar cane." "I coming back" is more fierce than "sugar

cane" that is why it is more obvious in "I coming back."

Conclusion

The poem has many differences and similarities although the same

writer writes them. I think they are more differences than

similarities. I think "I coming" is more alive and vivid of the two.

"Sugar cane" is more descriptive but sad. "I coming back" is more

revengeful and violent. "I coming back" is more repetitive and has

limited number of lines per stanza and it uses more Creole. "Sugar

cane" has more personification and it uses folklore characters. The

contents of the poems are different.

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