"Foreign" by Carol Ann Duffy: Analysis Of Main Themes
In her poem Foreign, Carol Ann Duffy explores the theme of alienation and depicts to the reader the adversities an immigrant has to battle while trying to settle into a new environment as well as the isolation they are put through as they struggle to become a part of an unfamiliar society. So let's research more detail this poem in ""Foreign" Carol Ann Duffy Analysis" paper.
The poet portrays the agony of a ‘foreigner’ as he/she has a longing to go home and evokes a sense of nostalgia within the reader. The idea of being a ‘foreigner’ in an unknown country is displayed through the use of imagery, as the poet creates images that further enhance the feelings of alienation. Duffy has also used an array of words and phrases that bring forward the reminiscing done and isolation felt by immigrants. There is constant use of second person and repetition as it aims to put the reader in the place of a foreigner and incite feelings of sympathy and compassion within the reader.
Through the medium of imagery Duffy exemplifies to the reader how immigrants grapple with feelings of isolation, she does this by forming an image of a ‘strange, dark city’ in which the narrator has lived for 20 years this showcases the irony of the situation as even though he/she lived in this city for so long the narrator yet feels like an outsider, like everything around them, is still unfamiliar to them and like the city will always be unwelcoming and a ‘dark’ place for them. Another image of a derogatory term ‘sprayed in red against a brick wall. A hate name. Red like blood. ’ is created which depicts the discrimination faced by the narrator. This image portrays the frequent discrimination faced by immigrants as they are constantly abused and put down in a country they long to call home but aren’t allowed to. The use of red on a brick wall displays to the reader that the problem is not recognized or acknowledged by anyone as the red just becomes one with the brick wall and the comparison of the spray paint to blood explains the graveness of the situation and how this hate for others might lead to bloodshed.
The poet has made use of a plethora of words and phrases that give an insight into the feelings of an immigrant. She utilizes the phrase ‘Inarticulate, because this is not home’ to illustrate to the reader how immigrants often find it difficult to express themselves in a strange country and are lost in their surroundings as homesickness overwhelms them and they have a deep desire to return home. The inclusion of the phrase, ‘you hear your foreign accent’ reveals to the reader how an immigrant is made to feel that their faith and culture is redundant while it has been embed into them that where they are currently living, the ideologies of that place are the ones that need to be prioritized which instigates feelings of unfamiliarity towards not only their own culture but also that of their current home leaving them with an identity crisis as their previous home is now forgotten while their current home doesn’t accept them.
The entirety of the poem is written in the second person making repetitive use of the word ‘You’ as it tries to make the reader sympathize with the narrator putting the reader into the shoes of an immigrant. There is also usage of repetition of other words such as ‘imagine’ as the poet aims to give the reader an insight into the distraught lives of immigrants by asking the reader if they could survive the adversities immigrants have to, again instigating the reader to commiserate with the narrator as it leads the reader to ponder over if they could handle such tragic scenarios or if they should put anyone in a position to go through such torment.
In conclusion, the poet’s use of distinct words and phrases, prominent use of repetition, remarkable use of imagery and significant anecdotes manage to capture the feelings of living in a foreign country and instigate compassion within the reader as well as leaves the reader pondering. Furthermore, it delves deeper into the abuse faced by immigrants and has an impactful effect on the reader.
