Form 4 English – READING LITERARY WORKS

POEM 4: LIVE AND LET DIE

(By Kindi Faraja)

1. What is poem about?

The poem is about a person who is disappointed with the existing system. The relationship between Leader and the ruled on one hard and the relationship between developed and developing countries on the other hard are exploitative in native. The person is complaining that people laugh, abuse and insult his children that they have poor health, dirty and underfed. However the speaker says has children are in such situation due to the corrupt and exploitative system.

2. What do you think the poet mean when he says “To die a little”?

   He wants the rich nations to release the poor nations so that they can develop. Therefore, to “die a little” is to be considerate for benefits of the poor countries.

3. Themes from the poem

1. Exploitation

The person says that there is unequal exchange between development and developing countries. He also says that he is poor because of exploitative system. Lastly he says the rich countries and the rich men are the causes of his poverty

      2. Impact of Neo-colonialism

The persona sees neo-colonialism as an obstacle to development. The persona states that the rich Nations are not ready for to die a little so that poor nations may develop. This means the rich nations are not considerate in terms of exchange and investment to poor countries. These countries like USA and Western Europe countries exploit African countries.

      3. Poor living conditions

Most of the people are poor. In this poem people do not get important and necessary services. There are few schools, poor health centers and poor communication systems.

Due to the children are getting kwashiorkor (Due to underfeeding). The health of these children seem to be poor due to poverty.

     4. Classes in the society

They persona is in law class. The persona’s children are also inlow(er) class. The poor or developing countries are also in low class. The poor or developing countries are also in low class. On the other hand the developed nations and rich people in high / upper class.

5. Acceptance and Disappointment

The persona is disappointed with the existing system. The leaders and rich nations are exploiting him, therefore making it impossible for him to live standard or better life.

He is disappointed but he accepts the situation as he has nothing to do, in order to change the correct system. In this regard the speaker has accepted the situation with contempt or dissatisfactions. He says “let them drink water, eat air, until the system changes. Currently the speaker has given up.

6. Humiliation

The persona is unhappy as he claims that people laugh at his children. There are people who insult or abuse his children that they are dirty, they eat lice and have ill/poor health. In addition to that they say his children live in abandoned hot.

7. Betrayal

The speaker uses the word brother to refer to those who – exploit and laugh at him. These people have climbed up and have their positions to become rich. They exploit others and live or become rich at the expense of poor. These are feloow Africans who after coming to power they pushed other people aside and enjoyed the national cake while laughing at their fellow Africans who put them in power.

     8. Conflict

There is intra conflict within the speaker. He has a conflict with political leaders, rich nations and people who laugh at his children.

4. What lesson you learn from the poem?

   The system must be changed in order to improve the living condition in poor countries also it is shown that exploitation done by both the rich people and rich nations is an obstacle to development.

5. Relate the poem to Tanzania

   The poem is relevant to Tanzania as developing countries where the majority are still poor. There is also exploitation of workers, petty trader and peasants

Tanzania also like other third world countries has been exploited through neo-colonialism relations since independence. Lastly, majority of Tanzanians have accepted or succumbed to this to this difficult life conditions caused by oppression and exploitation from both rich people and rich nations.

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