living space Flashcards
who is this poem written by?
Imtiaz Dharker
what location is this poem based on?
Dharavi Slums (Mumbai)
what are the main themes of Dharkers’ poems?
geographical and cultural displacement
what themes are explored in the poem?
fragility
boldness
faith
what is the structure of the poem like?
uneven structure
is there enjambment in the poem?
yes- throughout the whole poem- the slum structures lean over and on top of eachother- spilling into eachother
whose perspective is the poem from in the first stanza?
people from the West viewing it- pessimistic and outsiders view
whose perspective is the 2nd and 3rd stanza from?
people who live in the slums view- optimistic and insiders view
what is the significance of having different views?
the different views symbolise the different people living in the slums- not just one speaker of Dharker
what is the semantic field of?
chaos
what is the significance of the 2nd stanza being the shortest?
highlights how little living space there is
what is the poem about?
expresses the idea of physical poverty in the form of a poorly constructed home
what does the poem celebrate?
the existence of their living space as a miracle
what is the idea of Dharker using simple words?
she uses simple words and offers commentary on something much larger than one broken down home- much larger ideas e.g. light and hope
how does the poem begin?
“there are just not enough straight lines. That is the problem.”
what does the line “there are not enough straight lines. That is the problem” mean?
the structure is the problem- not the people- a larger scale renovation or a rebuild would be necessary- these things are out of reach for people living in poverty
what does the line “there are not enough straight lines. That is the problem” link to as a wider idea?
could be taken as an indication that the problem of poverty is bigger than those who are impoverished- things that they can’t fix themselves
“nothing is flat or parallel…
Beams balance crookedly on supports thrust off the vertical.”
what does the line “nothing is flat or parallel..” mean?
the structure is still the problem- not the residents- these people have limited resources so they cannot make their home “steady” and “strong”- the issue of the structure is beyond the family’s reach
“nails clutch…
at open seams”
what does the line “nails clutch at open seams” mean?
the people are desperately holding onto the idea that things will improve- there is hope
what does the verb “clutch” show?
the nails are holding on tightly- desperation
the home is falling to pieces- the residents have a sense of desperation as much of their lives are fragile from their financial capabilities
what is the wider idea of the nails not falling downwards, yet towards “open seams”?
the nails are not falling downwards- into a pit of despair- they are going towards the openness- feelings of possibilities- open world- more can be accomplished- sense of amazement with how these people are living in such poor conditions
what is the longest line in the poem?
“the whole structure leans dangerously”
what is the wider idea of “the whole structure leans dangerously” being the longest line?
echoes the idea that the whole structure is leaning over- gives an idea of the unevenness of the slums
“towards…
the miraculous”
what does “towards the miraculous” mean?
the people’s lives are so close to the “miraculous”- the better lives
something brighter can happen in the days to come
what is the format of the third stanza like?
rushed format- Dharker is excited- the idea of hope
“into this rough frame…
someone has squeezed a living space”
what does the line “into this rough frame, someone has squeezed a living space” mean?
the slum areas are living spaces created out of all kinds of material
“and even dared…
to place these eggs in a wire basket”
what do the “eggs in a wire basket” symbolise?
the eggs need to be treated kindly and delicately- children need to be taken care of
what does the “eggs in a wire basket” also mean?
the children huddle together like “eggs in a wire basket”- one wrong move and they could die
“fragile curves of white…
hung out over the dark edge of a slanted universe”
“gathering the light into themselves…
as if they were the bright, thin walls of faith”
what is significant about the words “dark” and “slanted”?
the children desperately try to find the light and hope in the darkness of the world
what is important about the light and the eggs?
light helps eggs to hatch- the light helps the children to remain hopeful and happy
what is important about the eggs in the final stanza?
the eggs are full of yolk (life)- full of substance
who are the “bright, thin walls of faith”?
the children are the ones who hold onto the faith and carry it
what is significant about the words “bright” and “thin”>
they juxtapose eachother- children are bright “positive” yet they are also “thin”- fragile and also a sign of their poverty
what do the “bright, thin walls” also represent?
the living conditions- they are very cheap, thin walls yet they are bright with the positivity of the residents
what is significant about the residents hope?
their entire lives are unstable, like their houses, yet the possibilities for a better future always exist so long as the “bright” and “thin” walls exist- it is a statement towards poverty as a whole
