The Black Finger Angelina Grimke

517 Words2 Pages

Hidden in Black Expressed deeply from a single object, imagery is brought to life through a single portrait depicting a cypress against the sun in the horizon. The title was alluding us to the idea of a literal “black finger.” Sometimes forgetting to look at the whole picture, we shouldn’t look at it from only a single point of view. In the poem, “The Black Finger” poet, playwright and forerunner, Angelina Grimké questions why a “black finger” she saw was “black,” as well as why it is pointing upwards. Grimké’s use of vivid imagery to express her feelings towards a single object within this poem explains that we should continue to ask questions, rather than taking something in the first time and not stepping back to look at the whole picture. …show more content…

As well as to what. Could it be just as simple as to say it was just a tree pointing towards the sky to receive more sunlight? Or could Grimké just described to us of what she had thought to be a silhouette of a finger from some person pointing up to find freedom? Relating to that, Angelina Grimké wrote articles and poems expressing her concern about racism (The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica). With knowing that, the symbolism Grimké added, being the “black finger pointing upward” and the cypress can be translated as to the finger pointing for attention and letting those looking to know the owner of said finger is there in all its beauty. The cypress, known for its symbolism of mourning, could be related to the issue of racism during her time.
Although, another meaning to that from my point of view is somewhat similar to Grimké’s stand is, the finger could be alluding us to take it as an outstretched arm pointing to paradise. The vivid imagery of the cypress lead to that conclusion I had of the silhouetted finger in the distance, attempting to feel what “paradise” their god(s) has to offer after they find peace from this

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