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Historical/Social background • The poems, “New Face” and “Be Nobody’s Darling.” were written in 1973. During this time era, the Cold War with Russia was as it’s climax. During this time, the role of women began to widen because of the growing feminist approach around the United States. Not only were feminist approach widening, also the Civil Rights approach were widening as well. • The poem “New face” does not relate to the social norms of the 1970s. This poem talks about love. It does not rebel against the norms, nor does it accept the social norms. However, the poem, “Be Nobody’s darling,” talks about the benefits of unconformity. It tells the reader to rebel, and to stand out. In a time when the Civil rights movement was still going strong, or when the Feminist movement was just beginning, this poem could have been a form of motivations. It may have motivated the participants to stand out. Therefore, the poem “Be Nobody’s Darling” was a form of rebellion against the society.
Alice Walker Biography • Alice Walker is an internationally celebrated author, poet and activist whose books include seven novels, four collections of short stories, four children’s books, and volumes of essays and poetry. She’s best known for The Color Purple, the 1983 novel for which she won the Pulitzer Prize—the first African American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction—and the National Book Award. The award-winning novel served as the inspiration for Steven Spielberg’s 1985 film and was adapted for the stage, opening at New York City’s Broadway Theatre in 2005, and capturing a Tony Award for best leading actress in a musical in 2006. • Walker has been an activist all of her adult life, and believes that learning to extend the range of our compassion is activity and work available to all. She is a staunch defender not only of human rights, but of the rights of all living beings. She is one of the world’s most prolific writers, yet tirelessly continues to travel the world to literally stand on the side of the poor, and the economically, spiritually and politically oppressed. She also stands, however, on the side of the revolutionaries, teachers and leaders who seek change and transformation of the world. Upon returning from Gaza in 2008, Walker said, “Going to Gaza was our opportunity to remind the people of Gaza and ourselves that we belong to the same world: the world where grief is not only acknowledged, but shared; where we see injustice and call it by its name; where we see suffering and know the one who stands and sees is also harmed, but not nearly so much as the one who stands and sees and says and does nothing.” • Walker, Alice, and Scott Campbell. "About | Alice Walker | The Official Website for the American Novelist & Poet." Alice Walker The Official Website for the American Novelist Poet. N.p., 2013. Web. 04 June 2013.
Time Stands Still By : Princess Adeyinka I am a broken clock Afraid of change, me changing, my life changing, my surroundings Afraid of time, the seconds, minutes, hours, days, or years Afraid to move But slowly moving, like a turtle Hiding in its shell Protected from things that hurt Things that pain
Continuation Afraid of the constant, rapid change Just a broken clock that sits there While others work, kids play, cars drive And memories are made Afraid of the ticking of seconds The movement of minutes The suspense of the hour The challenges of the day Afraid of the past Of the choices I made, the things I did
Continuation Afraid of now, of the path I am walking on Is it the right path? Afraid of the future and what it holds The life I will have Asking myself Will my dream come true? Afraid of dreaming Dreaming about what I want to have, And not getting it Dreaming of what I hope to be And becoming the opposite Dreaming of success And ending with failure
Continuation Afraid of failure Disappointing those I love Disappointing those who expect great things Most of all Disappointing myself Afraid of death Losing the ones I love Disappearing right in front of your eyes Like a magic trick, but this time there is no coming back No applause at the end…just silence. I am a broken clock Not wanting to be fix Not wanting to move But I must replace my battery Because life goes on while i stand as a broken clock
If I Was a Love Charm If love was a charm I'd take it off my bracelet If love was fragile I’d let go and watch it break If love really was blind I'd lead it off a cliff If love was a drug I’d make sure it was banned If love was true Why did I fall for you? If love was a song I’d never sing along
Continuation But thanks to you... If love was a song I’d play it all day long If love was a charm I’d wear it on my bracelet If love really was blind I’d lead it to my heart If love meant you I’d fall in love All over again By : FavourUnigwe
Grateful I am grateful for everything I have I am grateful for everything I don’t I’m just simply enjoying life Being happy to even be alive Having air in my lungs And a beating heart Having ambition and pride Having hope and regret Just the act of having is enough To make me feel grateful I am grateful to have family
CONTINUATION And I am grateful to have friends I am lucky to have someone that understands I am grateful for everything I see everyday Good or bad things It doesn’t matter They all fade away I am grateful that hapiness consumes my life I am grateful that I don’t have to fight for dear life I am grateful to make the most of everyday I am grateful because im blessed with talent and grace BY: DaniellaStyagova
YOUTH To be young is to be free It’s to be innocent It’s to believe To be young is to achieve It’s to be oblivious It’s to disagree You see, The thing about life is that it’s not easy. I was care less
CONTINUATION I was mischievous I was courageous I was shining bright I was full of life I learned, That as people age They become wiser. It’s hard to believe How life was back then But the thing is, I miss it.
CONTINUATION How life was back then But the thing is, I miss it. To be carefree To be nosy To be jolly To be free
Explanation/Comparison • I believe that life is what it is. Each and every person has the power to do whatever they want, and can choose how to live it. Love is also a key to live. The two poems New Face and Be Nobody’s Darling by Alice Walker show exactly what it is to live life love. In the poem ‘Be Nobody’s Darling’, Walker is talking about being yourself. Repetition is used a lot in this poem to make the words “Be nobody’s darling,” and “Be an outcast,” stand out. This poem describes being different, and uses many hyperboles to describe the ways it is to be individual. In the poem ‘New Face’, Walker talks about love and how it is entirely consumed of life. Symbolism and hyperboles are used to describe love. Not only do both poems have many kinds of hyperboles and symbolism, but they both show an entire bigger picture. Life. To live it to the fullest, to be yourself, to love, to be. In ‘Be Nobody’s Darling,’ it portrays life by saying for someone to be themselves rather than to be like everybody else. To not be someone else’s, to define yourself, to be independent. In ‘New Face,’ it shows life with the hidden meaning of love. Life is entirely of love. Nothing can compare or even come close to it. You have to love to live and live to love. Thus, both poems are completely different in their styles and ideas, but they both mean the same thing. Life.
Analysis of “New Face” This poem is very clear: Mrs. Walker has found that letting the inevitable happen (in this case, falling in love) and then thinking about it is a much simpler approach to life. She feels falling in love comes from within and only one person sees that face of love you show them. The lack of capitalization is probably symbolic but what it is to show was lost on us. This poem also lacks rhyme. It also seems to lack structure. She compares feelings to the fast movement of water. This is a simile: a comparison of two things using like or as.
Analysis of “be nobody’s darling” Don't let anyone control you. Choose to be alone. Take the things that don't make sense about you and make them work for you. Those who laughed you to scorn will be the same ones who will fail. Be proud to be alone or hang out with other impulsive idiots. Rejoice where others have mourned. Remember to be your own person. Don't please anyone. This way your life will be worthwhile. Non-conformists will rule. To get across its somber message, there is no rhyming scheme. The first and second line are repeated several times throughout the poem for emphasis. The other uses the English language to her advantage. Instead of people going mad, People sussumbed to madness. With words such as succumb, ample, askance, impetuous, and merry, Mrs. Walker was able to make her message even clearer and stronger. The poem seems to randomly grouped- the amount of syllables per line fluctuates, there is no steady rhythm. This was probably to show her refusal to conform. In an interview, Walker said this poem was about people who were persecuted for standing out, but instead of trying to fit in they rebelled further. Every part of this poem emits that message.
Bibliography 1- Walker, Alice, and Scott Campbell. "About | Alice Walker | The Official Website for the American Novelist & Poet." Alice Walker The Official Website for the American Novelist Poet. N.p., 2013. Web. 04 June 2013. 2- Wolfe, Tom, and Jeffrey Hays. "1970s." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 06 May 2013. Web. 06 June 2013. 3- Christain, Barbara. "A Study of "In Love And Trouble"" The Contrary Woman of Alice Walker 12.2 (1981): 31-69. Print. 4- Curry, Cara. "Cara Curry*." : New Face by Alice Walker. Cara Curry, 23 Mar. 2011. Web. 06 June 2013. 5- "New Face: Alice Walker." Web log post. Foletry. N.p., 02 Jan. 2012. Web. 03 June 2013 6- White, Evelyn C. Alice Walker: A Life. New York, NY [u.a.]: Norton: W. W. Norton &, 2004. 246-47. Print.