living space

Question 1

who is this poem written by?

Answer 1

Imtiaz Dharker

Question 2

what location is this poem based on?

Answer 2

Dharavi Slums (Mumbai)

Question 3

what are the main themes of Dharkers’ poems?

Answer 3

geographical and cultural displacement

Question 4

what themes are explored in the poem?

Answer 4

fragility
boldness
faith

Question 5

what is the structure of the poem like?

Answer 5

uneven structure

Question 6

is there enjambment in the poem?

Answer 6

yes- throughout the whole poem- the slum structures lean over and on top of eachother- spilling into eachother

Question 7

whose perspective is the poem from in the first stanza?

Answer 7

people from the West viewing it- pessimistic and outsiders view

Question 8

whose perspective is the 2nd and 3rd stanza from?

Answer 8

people who live in the slums view- optimistic and insiders view

Question 9

what is the significance of having different views?

Answer 9

the different views symbolise the different people living in the slums- not just one speaker of Dharker

Question 10

what is the semantic field of?

Answer 10

chaos

Question 11

what is the significance of the 2nd stanza being the shortest?

Answer 11

highlights how little living space there is

Question 12

what is the poem about?

Answer 12

expresses the idea of physical poverty in the form of a poorly constructed home

Question 13

what does the poem celebrate?

Answer 13

the existence of their living space as a miracle

Question 14

what is the idea of Dharker using simple words?

Answer 14

she uses simple words and offers commentary on something much larger than one broken down home- much larger ideas e.g. light and hope

Question 15

how does the poem begin?

Answer 15

“there are just not enough straight lines. That is the problem.”

Question 16

what does the line “there are not enough straight lines. That is the problem” mean?

Answer 16

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

Question 17

what does the line “there are not enough straight lines. That is the problem” link to as a wider idea?

Answer 17

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

Question 18

“nothing is flat or parallel…

Answer 18

Beams balance crookedly on supports thrust off the vertical.”

Question 19

what does the line “nothing is flat or parallel..” mean?

Answer 19

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

Question 20

“nails clutch…

Answer 20

at open seams”

Question 21

what does the line “nails clutch at open seams” mean?

Answer 21

the people are desperately holding onto the idea that things will improve- there is hope

Question 22

what does the verb “clutch” show?

Answer 22

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

Question 23

what is the wider idea of the nails not falling downwards, yet towards “open seams”?

Answer 23

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

Question 24

what is the longest line in the poem?

Answer 24

“the whole structure leans dangerously”

Question 25

what is the wider idea of "the whole structure leans dangerously" being the longest line?

Answer 25

echoes the idea that the whole structure is leaning over- gives an idea of the unevenness of the slums

Question 26

"towards...

Answer 26

the miraculous"

Question 27

what does "towards the miraculous" mean?

Answer 27

the people's lives are so close to the "miraculous"- the better lives something brighter can happen in the days to come

Question 28

what is the format of the third stanza like?

Answer 28

rushed format- Dharker is excited- the idea of hope

Question 29

"into this rough frame...

Answer 29

someone has squeezed a living space"

Question 30

what does the line "into this rough frame, someone has squeezed a living space" mean?

Answer 30

the slum areas are living spaces created out of all kinds of material

Question 31

"and even dared...

Answer 31

to place these eggs in a wire basket"

Question 32

what do the "eggs in a wire basket" symbolise?

Answer 32

the eggs need to be treated kindly and delicately- children need to be taken care of

Question 33

what does the "eggs in a wire basket" also mean?

Answer 33

the children huddle together like "eggs in a wire basket"- one wrong move and they could die

Question 34

"fragile curves of white...

Answer 34

hung out over the dark edge of a slanted universe"

Question 35

"gathering the light into themselves...

Answer 35

as if they were the bright, thin walls of faith"

Question 36

what is significant about the words "dark" and "slanted"?

Answer 36

the children desperately try to find the light and hope in the darkness of the world

Question 37

what is important about the light and the eggs?

Answer 37

light helps eggs to hatch- the light helps the children to remain hopeful and happy

Question 38

what is important about the eggs in the final stanza?

Answer 38

the eggs are full of yolk (life)- full of substance

Question 39

who are the "bright, thin walls of faith"?

Answer 39

the children are the ones who hold onto the faith and carry it

Question 40

what is significant about the words "bright" and "thin">

Answer 40

they juxtapose eachother- children are bright "positive" yet they are also "thin"- fragile and also a sign of their poverty

Question 41

what do the "bright, thin walls" also represent?

Answer 41

the living conditions- they are very cheap, thin walls yet they are bright with the positivity of the residents

Question 42

what is significant about the residents hope?

Answer 42

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