deliverer Flashcards
summary
The Deliverer explores themes of gender discrimination, abandonment, and cultural disparities, using stark imagery and a detached tone to address the harrowing reality of female infanticide and the commodification of life.
themes
- Gender Discrimination and Patriarchy
Central to the poem, the rejection of female infants highlights systemic inequality and cultural preference for male children.
The poem critiques societal norms that devalue women, both in India and globally.
- Cultural Disparity and Globalization
The divide between the “first world” (represented by adoption in the West) and the “third world” (represented by Indian villages).
The poem juxtaposes privilege and poverty, showing the effects of cultural and economic inequality.
Human Detachment and Moral Responsibility
The speaker maintains an impersonal tone, reflecting the numbing effect of repeated exposure to such tragedies.
Questions arise about moral accountability and complicity in these issues.
- Motherhood and Identity
Examines the complexities of motherhood, focusing on abandonment and adoption, and how societal expectations shape maternal experiences.
context
Tishani Doshi is an Indian poet and writer, and her work often critiques societal norms and the struggles faced by marginalized communities.
The Deliverer draws attention to female infanticide and abandonment in India, where patriarchal structures often pressure families to prefer male children.
It also reflects the globalized nature of adoption, where Western families often adopt children from poorer countries, raising ethical questions about privilege and morality.
Suggests emotional detachment, reflecting societal conditioning to prioritize survival over maternal bonds.
“Forgetting” contrasts the assumed universal nature of motherhood, exposing the pressures of patriarchy and poverty.
“The women go about their work, forgetting children they gave birth to.”
The word “trudge” conveys exhaustion and the lack of agency for these women.
Highlights the cyclical nature of their oppression, where their bodies are used to perpetuate a patriarchal system.
“Trudge home to lie down for their men again.”
The narrative shifts, introducing the speaker’s perspective and the story of adoption.
“Collect” dehumanizes the process, likening the act to obtaining an object rather than a child.
“The sister here is telling my mother how she came to collect you.”
Contrasts with the earlier emotional detachment of the biological mothers.
Reflects the adoptive parents’ grief and guilt, suggesting a complex interplay of privilege and empathy.
“They can’t stop crying.”
Implies an instinctual maternal connection that transcends cultural barriers.
Highlights the tragic irony: the mother hears the cry but is powerless to act due to societal constraints.
“The baby’s cry had reached its mother’s ears.”
The term “rescued” evokes saviorism and reflects the disparity between the first and third worlds.
Juxtaposes the speaker’s impersonal tone with the adoptive parents’ emotional investment.
“Traveled to collect the child from us, the one we had rescued.”
A resigned, fatalistic tone suggests the normalization of female infanticide in these communities.
Raises questions about moral complacency and societal accountability.
“This is the nature of things.”
Suggests permanence and the inescapable weight of societal expectations imposed on women.
The imagery of sewing implies tradition and custom, reinforcing the rigid structures of patriarchy.
“Sewn into their clothes.”
Symbolizes hope, resilience, or possibly escape.
Contrasts with earlier themes of detachment, offering a brief moment of individuality and autonomy.
“The girl rising up in the middle of the night.”
A devastating rhetorical question that underscores the perceived futility of a girl’s life in this context.
Challenges the reader to confront the harsh realities of systemic gender discrimination.
“What is the point of bringing it into the world?”
