Speaker or Narrator, and Point of View
The poems are narrated from a first person subjective point of view.
Form and Meter
The poems do not have a form and meter because they are written in a modernist style.
Metaphors and Similes
The term "bread" is used in the poem entitled "The Life We Live’’ as a metaphor to suggest the basic elements a person needs in order to live.
Alliteration and Assonance
We find alliteration in the line "talk like we do. Talk, I tell you!’’.
Irony
In the poem entitled "Which Language Should I Speak?’’ the narrator presents his confusion regarding the language he should speak. He notes ironically how his grandfather was mad at him because he listened to his teacher and tried to speak correctly and how the teacher was also mad because the narrator listed to his grandfather and talked in a manner which made his family happy.
Genre
Allegorical and narrative poems.
Setting
Since most of the poems are allegorical, they do not have a setting.
Tone
Tragic, critical, regretful.
Protagonist and Antagonist
In the poem entitled ‘’Which Language Should I Speak?’’ the protagonist is the narrator and the antagonists are the teacher and the grandfather.
Major Conflict
In the poem entitle "Which Language Should I Speak’’ the major conflict is between the old ways symbolized by the grandfather and the new society, symbolized by the professor.
Climax
Because this is a collection of poems, there is no climactic moment in them.
Foreshadowing
The anger the narrator faces at home in the poem "Which Language Should I Speak?’’ foreshadows the abuse he also has to go through while at school.
Understatement
When the narrator claims in the poem ‘’Which Language should I Speak?’’ that his father carries the whole household on his back is an understatement. Through this, the narrator wanted to transmit the idea that his grandfather is the most important person for his family.
Allusions
No allusions can be found in the poems.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
The term "we’’ is used in the poem "The Life we Live’’ as a general term to make reference to the poor people who lived in the country.
Personification
No personifications can be found in the poems.
Hyperbole
We find a hyperbole in the line ‘’ The household of tradition heaped on his back,’’.
Onomatopoeia
We find and onomatopoeia in the line "Howlers at me."
