What is the central theme of piano and drums?
THE PIANO AND THE DRUMS BY GABRIEL OKARA The central theme of the poem hinges on the effect of foreign culture to Africans. This theme he elaborates using the effect of music on the poetic persona as an analogy. The poem tries to emphasize the purity of African content before the interference of civilization.
Why the poem is entitled the piano and the drums?
The title of the poem, “Piano and Drums” clearly displays the symbols that are used in the poem. In expressing views of his native culture compared to Western culture, Okara uses the “jungle drums” (2) to represent the African culture and does the same with the “wailing piano” (17) to represent Western culture.
What does the piano symbolize in piano and drums?
The poem broadly talks about the experience that Africans had with colonialization and the aftermath of colonialization on the African continent. The poem is strongly built around symbolism and metaphor. The poet uses the “piano” to symbolize the western culture, and the drums to symbolize the African culture.
What is the setting of piano and drums?
“Piano and Drums” and “The Anvil and The Hammer” share the same philosophy by revealing the poet’s stock between two opposing cultures. Though the setting of the poem showed a very rural setting with the use of “jungle” “leaves” “hunter” “panther” and many more but the best pronounced setting of the poem is Africa.
What does the piano symbolize in the poem?
The piano, central to the poem’s narrative, is symbolic of D. H. Lawrence’s childhood. The poet took piano lessons as a child but discontinued it as he became older. In the poem, Lawrence laments his decision to discontinue his piano studies, for playing the piano offered him great joy.
Where do I choose a poem?
‘I’ in Okara’s poems generally refers to the tribe. The poet implies that he is currently imprisoned in the present generation and its identity crisis. The earlier generation’s gaze would not go beyond; but his does and to him, the world is looked at from the brink.
How do I choose a summary poem?
The poem is written in 1950, the period of Nigerian independence, the poet sees his ancestors-their slavery, their groping lips, the breasts molted by heart-rending suffering. The poet’s vision goes outside and backgrounds. The memory is like a thread going through his ears.
Where do I choose Gabriel Okara?
Gabriel Okara’s “Were I to Choose” is reminiscent of Yeats’ “Adam’s Curse.” Adam toiling in the soil can be compared to the Negros working in the soil. They broke the stone themselves which was their very foundation. The red streams are symbolic of the multilingual diversity that reaches the womb Africa.
Who wrote piano and drums?
Gabriel Okara