Blessing Flashcards

1
Q

Context

A
  • written by Imtiaz Dharker
  • set in the urban slums in India
  • many people in developing countries lack liable access to clean water - a basic human right. The poem highlights both poverty and the beauty found in small joys
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2
Q

Themes

A
  1. Poverty and inequality
    - the children live in a slum and get excited about a simple burst pipe
  2. Preciousness of water
    - water is life-giving and rare - a true ‘blessing’
  3. Joy and hope in suffering
    - despite hardship, there is a sudden sense of community an celebration
  4. Religion and spirituality
    - water is compared to a blessing from a God - holy, miraculous event
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3
Q

Structure and form

A
  • free verse: reflects the natural, chaotic movement of water and life in the slums
  • irregular stanzas: build tension towards the climactic bursting of the pipe
  • short first line: ‘skin cracks like a pod’ - sudden stark image - immediately suggests pain, drought and dryness
  • enjambment: allows fluidity - mirror the movement of water
  • onomatopoeia and sound devices: ‘drip’, ‘splash’, ‘crashes’ - help the reader hear the moment
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4
Q

Language and imagery

A
  • simile: ‘the skin cracks like a pod’ - evokes cracked skin from dehydration and heat
  • religious imagery: ‘blessing’, ‘kindly God’ - elevates water to a divine status
  • sensory language: ‘polished to perfection’ - visual, auditory, and tactile effects bring the scene to life
  • juxtaposition: harsh reality of poverty vs joyful outburst when water comes
  • metaphor: ‘silver crashes to the ground’ - water as treasure, wealth
  • lists: ‘with pots, brass, copper, aluminium’ - emphasises the desperation and diversity of people needing water
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5
Q

Tone and mood

A
  • beginning: desperate, dry and painful
  • middle: sudden eruption - dramatic, exciting
  • end: joyful, hopeful - but with an underlying awareness that the blessing is brief
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6
Q

Messages

A
  • water should be a basic right, but in some places its rare and treasured
  • injustice and poverty are tackled subtly - the joy is real, but its based on desperation
  • the poem criticises global inequality and challenges privileged readers to reflect
  • hopes is present - joy, community, and celebration shine through - even in difficulty
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