Friday, July 4, 2014

In the poem "An Abandoned bundle" by Mbuyiseni Oswald Mtshali, what does the writer do to convey the meaning to the reader?

In the poem "The Abandoned Bundle", Mtshali uses specific
word choice to convey meaning to the reader. Imagery is used to paint a visual picture
for the reader, the first-person narration allows for a reader to see a real story told
by a real person, and the tone conveys emotions felt by the
author.


The poem is filed with language meant to bring out
feelings of compassion and disgust. While the disgust seems to overwhelm the majority of
the poem, it ends on a much more compassionate note.


The
descriptions of the choking smoke which blankets the homes, the bloodied and scavenging
dogs, and the mutilated corpse bring about images of a forlorn and abandoned place. This
imagery is both overwhelming and exacting in descriptive
nature.


In the end, the poem changes dramatically. A
mother, dead, is described as innocent and pure. While this seems unimportant, it allows
a reader to see the truth behind the meaning: there is hope in even the darkest places
and moments.


While some may disagree (given poetry is
subjective and open to personal interpretation) the poem, even if filled with the morbid
and disgusting, still holds the promise of purity being obtained- even after the lose of
a child to packs of dogs.

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