Arkansas Flashcards
4 Big ideas
- Arkansas is defined by the crimes of the past : death, bloodshed, allusion to lynching, a place of decay (as seen from the imagery of nature and chromatic imagery…)
- A place where the natural order of the world has been disturbed.
- Arkansas is a place that remains in the past, inability to change social norms and conventions. -> Reference to the old South before the American Civil war.
- Arkansas is presented as a menacing creature. Similar to a powerful or dangerous entity.
Deeper implication in general
Angelou highlights the violation of human rights that were imposed upon African Americans living in Arkansas during that period of time by white people.
“Deep brooding”
The crimes of the past still haunt the residents of Arkansas.
“Brooding”
The abstract noun has menacing and dark connotations which creates a sense of foreboding
“Old crimes like moss pend / from poplar trees”
The simile is an allusion to the lynching that occurred in Arkansas during the early 20th century, where segregation was still set in place.
Plosive alliteration: “Pend” and “Poplar”
Conveys a harsh, aggressive nature of the daily, unexpected threats of Arkansas upon African Americans
“Old”
Angelou conveys to the reader that she finds herself in a dilemma between Arkansas’ old and modern crimes
Lexical field of nature : “Sullen earth”, “Poplar trees”, “Moss”
Personification seen in “SULLEN EARTH”: mirrors the resentment the speaker feels towards the crimes committed in Arkansas.
Further highlighting the negative effects racism brought upon the natural world.
Angelou seeks support to detach Arkansas’ past from nature and restore the beauty that has been destroyed due to….
the bloodshed that has occurred.
“Much too / red for comfort”
The metaphor raises awareness of the consequences racial violence has upon the natural world.
“Much too”
The double intensifiers heighten the chromatic imagery of the abstract noun, “red”, perhaps symbolising that the earth is bleeding - discomforting reality of Arkansas’ historical struggles, engrained in the soil.
“Comfort”
May reference the unease Angelou feels.
The unease Angelou feels is further emphasised in the metaphor (and personification)…
“Sunrise seems to hesitate” where the natural phenomenon is suffering from the ordeal caused by racist attitudes.
“Sunrise seems to hesitate”
(sibilance and diphthong convey…)
Lack of strength nature has against violence inflicted upon African Americans.
-> Arkansas is a place of decay and decomposition
“Lose its / incandescent aim”
Further emphasises that Arkansas is a place of decay
