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Ghalib – “It was essential”

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Repetition is an important aspect of Ghalib’s poems, working to create a rhythm and drawing attention to areas of importance. In “It was essential,” for example, the phrase “for a few more days” is repeated at the end of each couplet or stanza, serving as the refrain. The repeated phrase shows a juxtaposition of Ghalib’s grief, pining for the past, and his fear of suicide. It emphasizes Ghalib’s feelings of regret and unsatisfactory; furthermore showing the degree of desperation for his son back. Having been left alone in the world, he can only ask to preserve the conditions that existed prior to his son’s death for just a little while longer – for a few more days. He does not ask for forever, grateful for even the thinnest slice of eternity. Ghalib is not yet willing to move on from the past. When he speaks of his son’s death, he says, “You arrived yesterday –/and, now, today you say,/“I’m leaving.” (Ghalib 597 Lines 13-15). He is literally living in the past at this point, describing his son’s death as if it were happening in the present.

Ghalib’s obsession with the past pairs with his fear of the future. From the first stanza, he resolves to join his son, telling him to “now wait alone/ for a few more days” (Ghalib 597 Lines 5-6). This intention is mentioned again as he declares that “my head will soon be dust,” (Ghalib 597 Line 9), referencing the decomposition process that occurs after death. Finally at the end, Ghalib deems it his “destiny/to continue to wish for death/for a few more days” (Ghalib 598 Line 58-60). Ghalib is constantly putting death off, both for his son and himself. Although he is lonely, he can’t get himself to end his life. Instead he runs around in circles — reflecting on the past and son’s death with remorse but never moving forward. A parallel can be drawn to his cyclic repetition of “for a few more days.” He also calls his son “the full moon of my home –” (Ghalib 598 Line 33), making reference to the lunar calendar, which is also forever repeating its waxing waning cycle.

In the first stanza, he hints that his son was supposed to wait for him, but instead left the world alone. This likely has to do with a parent’s expectation to die prior to their children. Here the word “alone” is repeated twice to highlight Ghalib’s current state and feelings of being abandoned. Although the word is directly used to describe the son — having died and existing in the next realm alone — it also indirectly describes Ghalib himself. Since his son left, separating the two of them, Ghalib too is alone, but left in this world.

Ghalib’s Poetic Techniques

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Ghalib uses repetition to highlight certain unique messages that every couplet has. Almost all of the poet’s couplets use some form of repetition to emphasize particular messages. The notable examples of repeated word use include Couplet 2’s “hopes … hopes … faithfulness … faithfulness,” Couplet 3’s “committed … committed,” Couplet 6’s “humans to be human,” and Couplet 10’s “finger … fingernail” (Ghalib 594 – 596). The second couplet discusses faithfulness and the poet’s emphasis on “hopes” is rooted in how one cannot know for sure if a partner is faithful – but how one can only hope. The third couplet addresses the consequence of sin and “committed” is repeated to underscore the severity of sinful acts in the societal scope. In the sixth couplet Ghalib uses “human” to convey how people can do great things but also have their vices – implying how humans are wondrous but not perfect whatsoever. The tenth couplet has finger repeat in order to contrast how fingers with henna may be beautiful but in the end fingers can also also result in great physical or emotional pains. Ghalib intentionally repeats select words in his couplets to reinforce his main concepts and make them the source of contrast as well. For example, couplet 3 talks about consequence vs. reward and couplet 6 talks about difficulty and simplicity. The poet takes an interesting, yet effective, approach in conveying his couplets’ expanded themes.

In “Petition: My Salary”, Ghalib uses correlative word association in order to make messages resonate with readers. While doing this, Ghalib also uses strong contrast to emphasize the main points he makes. To elaborate, Ghalib elevates himself and adds reader sympathy to his position by writing “My pen’s a cloud; that rains down pearls” to show that his writing is more valuable than his debtors can appreciate (Ghalib 601 Lines 30-31). To contrast this, Ghalib uses negative connotations against the creditor saying how “I’m [Ghalib] am your slave; and I wander naked” and that his creditors do not treat him fairly (Ghaib 601 Lines 36-37). By using words with positive association, Ghalib advocates for his own poetic talents and positioning against his creditors. On the other hand, Ghalib’s words with negative connotation are used to communicate to readers how his debts make him feel as low as someone who is a slave or is naked.

Ghalib and his relationship with God

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Ghalib is a very emotionally centered poet. He will express his love but then, contradict his feelings with those of the “divine”. He seems to know what it is he wants, and feels, but yet he knows that his feelings are almost unacceptable by this divine or godly individual. His feelings and poetry can be compared to Emily Dickinson’s in this sense.Ghalib refers to god in his poetry in a similar was that Emily Dickinson does.He and Dickinson go back and forth between the notion that god is there, and he isn’t at the same time.

Ghalib is in a limbo between what he thinks he knows and his wants. Specifically in, “I’ve made my home next door to you,” version I, it is labelled the secular version. When comparing the secular and the sacred, we can see the difference with him speaking to that of a divine person and him speaking to a woman. He uses different pronouns in each. “She says to me: “Since you don’t have the power of words, how can you tell what’s in someone else’s heart—without a word being said”” and then in the sacred version “He said to me: “Since you don’t have the power of words, how can you tell what’s in someone else’s heart—without a word being said”” Both are the same, but so different at the same time. In the secular version it is as if he is being asked the question, not so much looking for an answer. In the sacred version however, the question and context surrounding it seems to be a question that needs pondering. It’s a question that we can interpret being asked by this divine figure. We can gather evidence just by the second version being titled “sacred.” The word sacred itself mean worthy of religious worship. Therefore we can make that connection between he and the divine figure in the poem.

Similarly to Dickinson, she goes back and forth between the idea of god in her society, such that in poems 712 and 465. In poem 712, “Because I could not stop for death—He kindly stopped for me.” She refers to death as a person, who we could easily mistake for god, in the hour of death that is taking her in a carriage to her eternity. In 465, “I heard a Fly buzz—when I died—” She makes death a theme, one that we would think to be frightened by. What is ironic is that she plays it off in a humorous way. Her society at the time has influenced her religiously but she can’t make a true argument about god.

Slow Journey To Freedom

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After many beatings and after much anguish Fredrick Douglass finally escapes the horrors of slavery September 1838. This journey to freedom did not come easy. There were times where he was physically and mentally broken especially during the year in which he lived with Mr. Covey also known as the “negro-breaker.” During this time never before has he lived with such a cruel person, who used excess of work and any slight excuse to whip a slave to really break a person down. But this experience came with an important life lesson which was learned when he dared to fight back against Mr. Covey. This not only lite up the burning embers of freedom but also his own manhood was re-awaken. Another event that also took a great impact on Fredrick Douglass was during the holiday times in which slaveholders would not force slaves to do work and allowed a sense of freedom for six days. For those days slaves were able to live in society and do whatever they want with their time. This made “masters” seem great and benevolent, but Fredrick Douglass saw the truth. He knew that is slaveholders were to deprive this time it would be unsafe. During this time slaveholders would also try and makes slaves believe that there isn’t much difference between freedom and slavery. They will try to make them fell sick of it but making them binge drink as a way to make them miss use their six days of their suppose “freedom.”

A question Fredrick Douglass constantly is dealing with is how the whites are able to constantly oppress so many slaves. He saw the unjust treatment, and all the tricks slaveholders would use to keep slaves in check. From depriving them of any knowledge whether to be from their past, or intellectual to more crueler ways as constant beatings/whippings and or mentally abusing them. Fredrick saw the world with a transparent eye; he saw an unjust life filled with people who took advantage of their color to hold another person prisoner in their own life. As the narrative continues the tone of the story seems to become more anxious one. Fredrick Douglass sees more and more to what’s unjust he craves his freedom and he wants to take some of his fellow friends with him, but that journey was cut short when one of his companion’s told of their plan. Later Fredrick knew that there was no white person to be trusted and knew he had to see them all as enemies. As for his fellow slaves he knew it was still dangerous to speak of his plan to run away and decided to do the trip solo.

 

Conclusion of Frederick Douglass

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The conclusion of “Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass” focuses on the hardships of Douglass’ life as he enters adulthood, and his eventual escape from slavery as he heads north. The final two chapters and the appendix show a huge difference when compared to the first few chapters of the story. In Chapter X, we see Douglass go from a passive observer of violence to experiencing the violence first hand. Mr. Covey’s actions of whipping and kicking Douglass are one of the first instances where Douglass is the subject of violence directly to himself. This is a change from the beginning of the story where in the first chapter, Douglass witnessed his aunt being subjected to the violence at the hands of a slave owner. This incident opens Douglass’ eyes even more to the hardships that the slaves had to endure. This situation leads to the start of a plan to escape slavery and head to the north. Ultimately, the original plan doesn’t work out but eventually Douglass is able to reach the freedom that he desires.

Religion plays a huge role in this story, and Douglass addresses it in the appendix. One question that should be asked is why does Douglass feel the need to bring up the topic of religion? Religion was a huge part of the story in the beginning, but in the final few chapters Douglass didn’t speak about it as much and it didn’t play an important role in the conclusion of this story. In the appendix, Douglass explains his reasoning for speaking about religion. He talks about he was talking about “slaveholding religion” and that he was not making references to Christianity. However, after saying this, Douglass makes comparisons between slaveholders and the Christian religion. For example, Douglass says “We have men-stealers for ministers, women-whippers for missionaries, and cradle- plunderers for church members.” Douglass makes these references to religion to show that the slavery culture in the south is similar to the idea of a religion. One other comparison that Douglass makes is, “The slave auctioneer’s bell and the church-going bell chime in with each other.” Douglass makes the notion to show two specific parts of slavery and religion and how they can be in conjunction with each other. Douglass brings up the topic of religion to show how they are similar. Religion and slavery are very different, especially regarding violence. However, Douglass makes comparisons between religion and slavery to show that the slavery culture in the south is like a religion to the slave owners.

The Voice of a Not So Silent Slave

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“The Narrative of the Life” by Frederick Douglas is a great story told my Frederick Douglas himself about the life he endured as an African American slave during the eighteen hundreds. The story is told in a first person point of view, giving readers a unique insight to the thoughts and feelings of slaves, which is rare considering that many African Americans were not literate during this time. The point of this narration is to show readers something other than the common tales of the victors but rather the cold hard truth of the victims.

From the very beginning of the story, Douglas discusses his weak understanding of his family’s past that contributes to the insecurities he carries concerning his identity. He explains, “I never saw my mother, to know her as such, more than four or five times in my life; and each of those times was very short in duration, and at night” (Douglas 237). As for Douglas’s father, he is mentioned as nothing more than a whispered rumor that claims he was a slaveholder. Despite the hardships Douglas encounters, his tone of voice is always one that is calm and hopeful but also rational. He writes in this manner because he is able to comprehend the outrageousness of the slave system but chooses to fight it with intellectual elegance rather than with futile anger. Having done so, “The Narrative of the Life” has become a great work of literature that is studied to this day even with the years of slavery behind us.

Throughout “The Narrative of the Life,” there is not a single page that does not mention some sort of horrifyingly barbaric punishment laid upon slaves by their masters. Even Douglas’s earliest memory is watching his bounded aunt getting whipped to pieces and hearing her blood curdling screams as each lash strikes her back. I believe that it is this very memory along with his own beatings that aspired him to be more than just a slave, a piece of property that could be handled in any which way a master desires. Once Henry and John (slaves of Mr. Freeland) taught Douglas how to read, he knew that literacy was his escape. Instead of participating in degrading activities such as drinking and boxing during the Sabbath day, Douglas took the time to teach other slaves how to read. On page 273 of the book, Douglas says, “I taught them, because it was the delight of my soul to be doing something that looked like bettering the condition of my race” (273). I believe that it was through literacy and his ability to teach others that enabled Douglas to overcome his ambiguous origin and status as a slave. Literature had shown him he was destined to be much, much more.

Narrative of Frederick Douglass Life

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Frederick Douglass presents us with details of the way life was as a slave, the way society worked in that time era and his train of thought. By reading his story we could create an understanding what it was to be a slave and feel what he felt. We never think or remember the ways we are expose to certain situations because they are not dramatic or have no impact in out life. In the first chapter Frederick Douglass describe a dramatic scene that was welcoming him to a horrible life where his aunt was whipped when she disobey her master, “I was quite child, but I well remember it. I never shall forget it whilst I remember anything…. It was the blood- stained gate, the entrance to the hell slavery”. When he noticed that this was the way life was going be, I was question him. Did he just find out he was a slave? How come he not knows much about it? I figure that no one is really going to tell a kid the awful things and unjust they suffer. As he explains further on he was never expose to anything at this magnitude because he was placed in a come or less peaceful location where the elderlies and kid were.

Later on I found my self-angry at the way of thinking slaveholders had. They were not satisfied that they controlled the freedom of people but they needed to control their way of thinking. Slaves no longer or probably never had the right to speak freely after Colonel Lloyd notice that one of his slave was talking bad about his master to s stranger, “In pursuing this course, consider myself as uttering what was absolutely false”. Slaves were force to make their master seem kind and the best master a slave can have but here he says that he felt that he had no voice. We also see how he had to hide his knowledge after he learns to read and gain more information in his situation because he cannot trust anyone. “I fear they might be treacherous” after the accident of the slave who spoke the truth by he already understood that people were not trustworthy if they were not yet untried.

The life changing scenario for Douglass in my opinion was when master Auld prohibited his wife to instruct him any further because he could become a threat to everyone. He figures that knowledge was something every master fear. As he said the mistake was already done by teaching him the A, B, C from there he thought himself and trick kids on teaching him and trick them in a way he can practice. Here we can see his intelligence. Even though he founded knowledge a curse it was the best thing he could of done.

An American Slave

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In this narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass, the readers are exposed to the vast experiences that Douglass encountered when he was a slave. Douglass believed that by writing this narrative, many readers would understand the pain and suffering not only himself, but the entire community of slaves endured during that time period. And for an African American person such as Douglass, it was a surprise to a majority of the community as they questioned themselves: “Where was he able to obtain this knowledge to read and write?”

Douglass’s concerns were to address the lifestyles that the slaves had to endure. As slaves are working for their masters or slaveholders, the degree of freedom and rights is what the slaves long desired for in their daily lives. With the scarce resources, the yearly amount of clothing  and monthly allowance of food they received put them in an appalling living conditions. If a slave defies the master, this could put their lives in jeopardy. As the slaves had no rights whatsoever, if they do not obey the rules then they will be punished with excessive abuse. These hardships and sufferings from the text hope to bright light into the reader’s eyes on the abhor lifestyle the slaves endured and even the smallest detail should not be overlooked.

Despite these conditions, they are able to seek a way to express these dreadful feelings through singing a song. “. . .reverberate with their wild songs, revealing at once the highest joy and the deepest sadness.” (Douglass 241). Although the slaves work until they exhausted all their energies, they can still bring this sort of entertainment upon them. This showed that African Americans are not to be belittled and they should be treated equally despite the color of their skin; they should have that privilege of freedom at birth. This reading provided us with the insight of the lives of the slaves and allowed us to understand the tragic history of their lives. As it is imperative to understand that African Americans came a lengthy exhausting journey til this day, it showed that they never gave up on the freedom they so longed for.

There is also one most important point that must be addressed, which is the education for the slaves. The whites are highly oppressive on the idea for slaves to learn how to read and write. The question, “Are slaveholders fearful of educated slaves?”, came across my mind as I was reading this text. If the slaves begin to learn how to read and write, they would be enriched with knowledge and the possibility of blacks fighting for equal rights and freedom could occur. Since the slaveholders want to maintain this order where they are always superior to the blacks, they reject the idea of allowing slaves to even go near a book because they definitely do not want such a situation to occur where their power could be taken away.

Emily Dickinson-1129

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As I began to read this poem, it was a short poem but so much was put into it. It was worded and phrase so simply but so very unexpecting.

When I read the first stanza ” Tell all the Truth but tell it slant”-, I read this as a bad thing. It seemed as if the devil was telling you something, the truth, but he put in his own wicked lies to deceive you. As I continued on, I wondered what does the dash represent, does it represent a continuous statement or does it break off in a different idea? At that moment I continued and it seemed like it broke off into a motivation phrase. It said ” Success in Circuit lies”, to me that meant a lot in my life. It turned my mood into a very emotional mood, It made me think a lot about, why am I working so hard? Why am I in school? Why are there failures? This was a motivational stanza of course, it meant when you work hard and go through all the tough failures, get back up because in the end is where you will find success.

It goes on to praising success and how it doesn’t matter about age, whether how old you are. I didn’t understand what was “superb”, so I looked it up and it said it is “excellent”. Where it said “The Truth’s superb surprise”, I saw that Truth was capitalized as if it was a Noun or a person or something very important.

She then continues saying “As Lighting to the Children eased with explanation kind” I, myself pictured it as a calming childing coming out of the dark night, scared and finally calming down. It meant, though a child is very comforted by the light and not scared anymore, the comfort is the enemy of truth. She says “The Truth must dazzle gradually Or every man be blinded”. She means it as don’t be blinded by what people say but instead search for the real Truth yourself, if you don’t everyone might as well be naive.

Reading for Monday 3/7

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Here’s the article you should print and read for Monday: http://www.publicbooks.org/fiction/for-world-literature (its also linked on Blackboard). Highlight and be prepared to talk about 3 specific points in the essay that you think are important (you might agree or disagree, or not be sure).

If you don’t have it with you Monday, you won’t be able to receive credit for participating in our debate.

Please also bring your anthologies, as we’ll conclude our discussion on Dickinson.