Personal Response to Marge Piercys A Work of Artifice :: Work of Artifice Essays

Personal Response to Marge Piercys A Work of artifice My initial response to A Work of Artifice by Marge Piercy, was one of profound sadness. In defining myself as the actual reader of this meter, my background becomes significant in my emotional response. It is this reader who comes to the textbook shaped by cultural and personal norms and prejudices. (Bressler, p. 72) I come from a family of poets and published writers and have been reading and composing poetry since the age of 4. My first poem was published in the local newspaper, in which I won first prize, at age 5. I have experienced all kinds of texts, as intimately as many another(prenominal) different forms of art. Being exposed to art and literature at such a young age has given me a spacious variety of experiences and a huge cultural repertoire. I have even been to Pablo Picassos home studio in France a number of years ago. What strikes the familiar harmonize in me through this poem, however, lies not in my cu ltural repertoire nor my literary background, but my own recent personal background. Having spent many years in an abusive relationship, I can identify with this poem on a very sensitive level. It is your nature/ to be small and cozy,/ domestic and weak (12-14). passim history, women have been subjected to prejudice and discrimination as the weaker sex, oft times becoming subservient to their husbands, bosses, etc. Men have been dominant for years, and in such, have squeezed the map of woman into the domestic realm, that which they believed to be womans work. Experiencing this first hand, although I did work two jobs to support a non-working husband and three children, I have felt a sense of weakness and being oppressed or kept down, kept small, which is the essence of this poem. The idea here represents the cultural norm (although this has changed in our culture today) of tutelage women from speaking their mind by relegating them to purely domestic chores of little importance. I found no key gaps within this poem on a personal level, although I can define some that would occur should a reader not be familiar with the concept of bonsai trees. My father has grown bonsai trees for many many years, thus the concept of pruning back and stunting the growth of such trees has been in my cultural and personal repertoire since childhood.

Overcoming Poverty Through Enlightenment Essay example -- Enlightened

ContentsIntroductionPart ace Song Lyric, Wavin Flag, KNAANPart Two Essay, What is Poverty? by Theodore DalrymplePart Three Documentary, Solar Mamas directed by J.Noujaim & M.EldaiefPart Four Critical Analysis IntroductionIn the media form of a song, Wavin Flag by Knaan, an essay, What is Poverty? by Theodore Dalrymple and the documentary, Solar Mamas, directed by J.Noujaim & M.Eldaief the unifying message that is relevant through all(prenominal) these pieces of work is that in order to overcome poverty individuals must experience enlightenment. This essay will explore this topic in great detail.Part One Song Lyric, Wavin Flag, KNAANIn the song Wavin Flag by Knaan the message that is conveyed through the lyrics is despite what hardships an individual has faced they have the magnate to overcome their struggle. The author of the song, Knaan comes from a war-torn country, Somaliana where a civil war has displaced his family from their home. Knaan wrote of a struggling group who faces oppression and exploitation. Through the lyrics genius can see the exploitation of the individuals, But look how they treat us, make us believers/we fight their battles, then they deceive us.(Knaan) Marxist theory can be applied to these lyrics, as the proletariat atomic number 18 being exploited by the bourgeoisie as a method of profit through their labour. The people are commoditized and are treated as such, they are considered expendable so the bourgeoisie do not pull off for their well-being. The use of allusion is evident in the lyrics, as it refers to the Somali civil war, where the people are used to fight a war through the promise of freedom, peace, and independence. Although the proletariat has become aware of their struggle,... ...s her home and that she has to take care of her children. She later reveals that she was embarrassed to tell him the truth, and the real reason for her return was that her husband threatened to divorce her and take her children away if she d id not return home. The film allows the audience to see through the perspective of the women and they are able to better understand the truth because of the different perspectives it use in comparison to the single perspective in a song or essay. Works CitedDalrymple, Theodore. What Is Poverty? by Theodore Dalrymple, City Journal Spring 1999.City Journal. N.p., 1999. Web. 7 Mar. 2014.KNaan. Wavin Flag. Rec. 2008. Troubadour. A&M/Octone, 2009. CD. Solar Mamas. Dir. Mona Eldaief and Jehane Noujaim. Perf. Rafea Anad. DOX, 2013. Film.