Presents from My Aunts in Pakistan by Moniza Alvi Flashcards
Context:
- Alvi was born in Lahore, Pakistan, but moved to the UK when she was a few months old.
- Her mother was from England, while her father was Pakistani, establishing her dual heritage that causes her exploration of her true identity within the poem.
- She references a “fractured land”, representing the Bangladesh war of 1971.
- The poem depicts feelings of insecurity and confusion about the speaker’s identity through the presents sent from Pakistan causing her to feel a lack of belonging to one particular culture.
Form:
- Free verse, representing the free expression of the speaker’s mixed emotions about her identity.
- Lines are fragmented; varied stanza and line length create a discordant tone, perhaps representing the speaker’s own fragmented and confused state of mind.
- Uneven stanza length may also symbolise the speaker’s inner conflict.
KEY QUOTE(s): Vivid colour imagery creates bright and beautiful imagery that portrays the speaker’s salwar kameez as exotic; emphasises their awe and fascination at their other culture - simile “glistening like” adds a sense of glamour, furthering their attachment to their Pakistani heritage:
- “peacock-blue”
- “glistening like an orange split open”
KEY QUOTE: Colour imagery is reinforced with the bangles, while “blood” perhaps reflects the speaker’s inner turmoil due to her confusion about her true cultural identity:
“Candy-striped glass bangles snapped, drew blood.”
KEY QUOTE: Colour imagery echoed yet again to describe the sari, while “silver” depicts a sense of wealth and value, implying the speaker’s connection to Pakistan despite being in England, exemplifying the cultural rift within them:
“Apple-green sari, silver-bordered”
KEY QUOTE: The use of “alien” depicts the speaker’s sense of confusion, isolation, and alienation, highlighting her insecurity about her true cultural identity; the juxtaposition between “alien” and “sitting-room” powerfully exemplifies this confusion:
“was alien in the sitting-room”
KEY QUOTE: The speaker alludes to British culture, intensifying her sense of inner conflict and confusion about her true identity:
“I longed for denim and corduroy”
KEY QUOTE: “Costume” suggests a temporary facade - the speaker does not feel like herself in the clothes, while the personification through “clung” depicts a sense of claustrophobia, perhaps displaying her inner turmoil and unease about her cultural identity:
“My costume clung to me”
KEY QUOTE: Imagery of heat and fire combined with hyperbolic language portray the speaker’s overwhelmed emotions and her restless inner conflict about her identity - perhaps she feels the clothes are consuming her:
“I was aflame, I couldn’t rise up out of its fire”
KEY QUOTE: The speaker admires at the allure of the beautiful colours of her parents’ camel skin lamp, furthering her connection to her Pakistani heritage, clashing with her presence in England:
“marvel at the colours like stained glass”
(simile)
KEY QUOTE: Exemplifies the beauty and glamour associated with the presents - they stand out from the rest, exemplifying the speaker’s fascination with Pakistani heritage:
“The presents were radiant in my wardrobe”
(“radiant” implies value and endless beauty)
KEY QUOTE: The speaker alludes to the 1971 Bangladesh that separated East and West Pakistan; this reinforces their inner conflict and confusion about cultural identity:
“a fractured land, throbbing through newsprint”
KEY QUOTE: The poem ends on a strong note of alienation and isolation, causing distress and turmoil within the speaker, reinforcing their insecurity about their true cultural identity:
“I was there - of no fixed nationality”
Note about Pakistan vs England in this poem:
- It is interesting to note that the speaker uses vivid, resplendent imagery related to colour when describing Pakistani heritage, exemplifying her fascination and connection to it, furthering her confusion about her identity.
- Meanwhile, English culture is mentioned far less, and even when it is alluded to, the language seems far more ordinary.
Summary:
This poem is a powerful encapsulation of the chaotic, confused emotions of a person with dual heritage, leading to inner conflict and isolation while she strives to explore her true identity. The speaker clearly feels a strong connection to and is fascinated by her Pakistani heritage, while she resides in England, powerfully exemplifying the rift within her; finally, the visually chaotic layout serves to reinforce her inner turmoil and confusion about her cultural identity.
