Poem Quotes Flashcards
Adjectives that describe the narrator’s grandmother
Proud Traditional Assertive Uncompromising Strong minded Opinionated Conservative ‘Stuck in her ways’
Quotes regarding the narrators grandmother
‘My grandmother knows one culture, the right one’
‘I smile at the midwestern women as if my grandmother had just said something lovely about them’
‘If you Americans knew anything about civilisation and cleanliness, you’d make wider wash bins anyway’
Describe the grandmother
She portrays the grandmother as “set in her ways”, which relates to the close mindedness shown by her not changing her ways, which then relates to culture clash as both sides are strongly opinionated about their culture
Adjectives to describe the Midwestern women
Dominating Judgemental Conservative Mono Cultural Ignorant Grounded
Quotes used to describe the mid western women
‘Tell her she can’t do that’
‘An affront to American porcelain, a contaminating of American standards by something foreign and unheigenic’
‘For them my Grandmother might as well have been squatting’
Describe the character of the Midwestern of women
She portrays this woman this way so we are able to understand the grandmother‘s perspective more clearly. She does this by making the mid western women appear as the enemy, but also as people that are caught up in their ways. Both sets of women are very traditional and close minded, caught up in their religion/beliefs
Adjectives that describe the narrator
Neutral Bi-cultural Peace-able Understanding Assertive Peacemaker Education
Quotes relating to the Narrator
‘Standing between the door and the mirror, I can see multiple angles’
‘I smile at the Midwestern women as if my grandmother had just said something lovely about them and shrug at my grandmother as if they had apologised to me’
‘No one is fooled, but I hold the door open for everyone’
Explain the importance of the theme of Culture Clash in the text and how it relates to me/society
It shows how often are personal opinions and ideologies and religious practices can “clash” with others and that often we feel as though only our thoughts and opinions are right/valid
Explain the importance of the theme of Dangers of close minded thinking in the text and how it relates to me/society
I feel as though when we can look at examples of segregation in society, like the racial segregation in the 18th to 19th century, events like such could be linked to close to mine thinking. Invalidating other cultures and practices by having a close of minds it can lead to division and segregation in society
Summarise Poem
The poem ‘My Grandmother Washes Her Feet in the Sink at the Bathroom of Sears,’ written by Mohja Kahf, a Syrian-American poet, tells the story of an elderly Muslim immigrant living in America and the conflicts she faces due to her differed culture and beliefs. Due to the mandatory prayer time for Muslims, the elderly lady must perform a ritual washing for prayer (‘wudu’), in the bathroom of a general store alongside her granddaughter. As she completes her practice, she is interrupted and discriminated against by a group of midwestern women- who portray her as a disgrace to their American culture. Due to lack of cultural understanding from both parties, a ‘cultural conflict’ occurs, offering the readers an insight on the overarching issues immigrants face, illustrating how the conflict between the elderly woman and mid-western women can be used to further understand human nature and self-perceived hierarchies in society.
Poems purpose
I feel as though the poem wanted to bring attention to the fact that the shared lack of intercultural knowledge and exposure was what provoked the conflict in the text
Why is the narrator important
She positions herself as the ‘joint’ between the conceptions of two different cultures, different races and different beliefs trying to formulate new space that belongs to both cultures and to create a sense of peaceful contradictions amongst them
Key idea in the poem, in how it reflects on human nature
Highlighting that due conflict being such a common part of life, humans share and rely heavily on the ablilty to resolve to resolve conflict.
The poem reminds the readers of the importance effective conflict resolution holds, it reduces division and segregation in society- allowing humans to work in unity- creating a beneficial environment where different opinions, traditions and cultures are accepted and respectful
A key idea in the poem that allows us to understand human nature, regarding cultural exposure
As it allows us to reflect on human nature; highlight how a lack of exposure to different cultures, beliefs and traditions can tends to lead to a lack of understanding and respect.
