Backwards Presentation
Transcript: "Backwards" by Warsan Shire Structure - Free form - Two reflecting stanzas whose importance has different interpretations Structure Title Importance The second stanza being a reflection of the first might be used as a tool to strengthen the effect of the title. It's literally "Backwards" backwards! Interpretation #1 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Central Desire for Speaker One of the main takeaways from the poem is that the speaker wants to turn back time. The reflecting stanzas express this point. Interpretation #2 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Speaker Speaker - The speaker is probably a teenage girl ("my breasts disappear"). She has a younger sibling. - The speaker was forced into a motherly role at a young age. The phrases that she uses like "just say the word" show the devotion and responsibility that she feels for her sibling. It is similar to a bond that a mother feels with her child. Motivation Motivation - The speaker wants to create a better reality for both her and her sibling. She sees the grief that plagues her childhood and wishes for a redo. - This is really reflective of the "first daughter" experience that is near universal. A lot of the parenting is often left to older siblings, who are forced to be both the parent and child. The speaker is learning to navigate through her childhood whilst also feeling the need to shelter her sibling from their reality. Desire Desire - In this dreamlike sequence, it's clear that the speaker desires a better childhood. In it, the speaker is reunited with her father, her stepfather isn't an alcoholic, and her mother doesn't lose her baby to violence. She wants to heal her family. - The rhetorical question "Maybe we're okay kid?" points to the positive effect that she sees as result of her family's restoration. It'll be a better reality for both her and her sibling. Themes Themes The main themes in this poem are family, love, and abuse. These themes greatly impact the motivation and desire of the speaker, holding tons of influence over the poem. Family Family This poem explores the nuance of family. While the speaker's sibling is what keeps her grounded and focused, other members of her family harm her. She is both angry and attached to them, unsure of whether or not her anger is justified. This is evidenced by her father's abandonment. Even though he made the active choice to leave her, she still loves him and wishes for his return. People are willing to make more exceptions for their family members behaviors because of the nature of their connection. Love Love Despite her circumstances, the speaker doesn't lose herself. She is able to push through the trauma because of the love that she feels for her sibling. Their connection is center to the poem. Love is the driving factor. It pushes the story forward instead of allowing the speaker to spiral in the despair that surrounds her. Abuse Abuse The speaker is surrounded by abuse. The mention of her mother's accident that resulted in a miscarriage is a clear allusion to the violence that she experiences at home. It is possible that the miscarriage was caused by the stepfather, who was revealed to be an alcoholic. There is also an allusion to sexual violence, something that the speaker might have experienced in her childhood. Abuse serves as the main problem for the speaker, something that she wishes to stop. Warsan Shire Warsan Shire - Warsan Shire was born is Kenya to Somali parents. At the age of one, her family moved to London. Later in life, Shire was named the young poet Laureate for London! - A lot of Shire's poems center around heavy topics. Her two most famous poems, "Home" and "Backwards," are representative of this. Home "Home" - Home is the story of refugees fleeing their homes. It offers a different perspective that urges people to think about the reasons that refugees flee, rather than just seeing them as a nuisance. - Shire's motivation for this poem lies in her family history. Both of her parents are Somali and a lot of her family are located there. The Somali Civil War, which has been raging on for decades, had a direct effect of her family. She states that there are plenty of terrible things that have happened to her friends and family as a result of the war. Connection to "Backwards" Connection to "Backwards" In "Backwards," a lot of the suffering that the speaker goes through is at the hands of her parental figures. If her poems are a reflection of Shire's own life, it is possible that the speaker's neglect is an indirect result of the trauma that her parents experienced. Parents often unload their trauma onto their kids, perpetuating the cycle of abuse. If the parents went through something similar to what is described in "Home," it's no wonder that their child is trying so desperately to rewrite their wrongs. Beloved Beloved The relationship between the speaker and her mother runs parallel to the relationship between Denver and Sethe. In both stories, the mothers are deeply traumatized. Their past makes them very
Prezi Present
Prezi Video
Prezi Design
