Monday, September 30, 2013

Brief 2: Themes of The Daffodils

The poem, The Daffodils from A Native's Perspective, written by Sia Figiel, is about how her life has been affected by the Post-Colonialism society.  Her poetry reflects on being forced to originally learn foreign literature and concepts that she was unable to connected with due to cultural boundaries. The daffodils, in the poem, symbolize the cultural separation of Figiel's world and Wordsworth's world.

Often times, Pacific Islander poets who write back to the center are antagonistic; however, despite, Figiel's original resentment, she enters a state of wonder and being intrigued about Wordsworth's world.  The imagination she puts into to how the world must look through his eyes, allows Figiel to better understand Wordsworth's perspective and uses poetry from the "Center" to escape from her own reality.  And by doing so, Figiel is allowing herself with connect with some aspect of the "Center."

By allowing herself to gain a better understanding of the "Center," Figiel also attempts to explain her world to Wordsworth, who represents the "Center." Figiel connects the "Center" and her readers to her world through poetry. She wants to allow her readers the escape that was dear to her during school.

Once, distant and foreign, the poetry is now a tool Figiel can use to gain power. Power that Post-Colonialism society had originally taken from her. As seen through other literature, the power struggle is quite dire and often (as previously noted) antagonistic; however, by being open to Wordsworth's world and culturally connecting, Figiel's curious poetry is a means to explain her world and to have a voice that is very unique.

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