Comparing Nothings Changed and Half-Caste Essay -- Tatamkhulu Afrika

Comparing Nothing's Changed and Half-Caste Half-Caste and Nothing's Changed are two poems that, despite having different subjects, are full of similarities. Both Half-Caste and Nothing's Changed express anger. Although, the object of their anger is different. The anger in Half-Caste is directed at language, or more specifically the use of one phrase while the anger in Nothing's Changed is towards a culture. In Half-Caste Caribbean dialect is used. Nothing's Changed is written in standard English. However, both writers chose to use free verse meaning that neither poem follows specific rules or patterns. In Half-Caste the poem is written from the writer's viewpoint. Which means the reader is able to see the writer's personal feelings about the term half-caste. The opening line, "Excuse me" shows that the poem is written from the writer's point of view as excuse me is a phrase used by someone when they want to start a conversation. I feel that if the poem was written from another person's viewpoint it would lose some of it's effect. The emotion in the poem would come across less strongly and seem less real, as it wouldn't be certain whether the writer actually feels the anger expressed in the poem or just thinks that people might feel that way. Half-Caste is written as a conversation and therefore is in first person. You can see that the poem is a conversation in lines such as line 33 where it says, "Ah listening to yu..." and line 47, "...yu must come back tomorrow." Both of these lines show that the poet is talking to another person. I think this is good as it is original. I also think it makes the poem more personal to you as you read it and so, perhaps, makes you think more about what Agard is saying... ...runch" demonstrate the hostility of the environment and the cans means there is litter, often places affected by litter are run down areas, areas that are not taken care of or unlived in. In the second stanza, he uses repetition of the word and to emphasize that every part of his body has been affected. Contrast comes through in his description of the inn and the surrounding area. Line 20, "...... the grass and weeds." points out the difference between the posh new inn and it's location. Afrika uses contrast later on in the poem too. In fact, stanza five, entirely contrasts stanza four, and is there to demonstrate the huge differences between the lives of whites and blacks. Agard uses simple and direct language in Half-Caste. This allows him to get his point across to the reader more easily than if he were to use lots of unnecessary words and phrases.