The Male Supremacy
'The Blue Roofs of Japan' poem has a masculine voice on the left side of the book's page. Bringhurst sets the male voice as the leader, guiding the female voice on what to say. Consequently, the male voice gives direction to enhance proper dialogue. The feminine voice is on the right side of the page. The female speaker is required to repeat what the male speaker says. According to the author, society is male-dominated. For instance, men take the lead in governance and societal management. The woman is required to be submissive and follow the instructions of the man.
The role of a woman
The poem by Bringhurst is indirectly pointing out the role of a woman in society. According to the author, the woman must be submissive and stick to her place in society. The arrangement of the poem's speakers reveals a lot about the patriarchal society. For instance, the words spoken by the woman are short and repetitive of what the male voice directs. Consequently, the man is the head of the family, and the woman is supposed to obey and do as the husband says.
Reversal of Convention
The poem depicts the man as an individual who talks more than the woman. For instance, the female voice on the right side of the page is limited to repeating what the male voice says. The male voices talk more words, but the female voice only picks a few and repeats them. In an ordinary society, women's talkativeness is an attribute that cannot be disputed. Men are known to be people of few words. However, in the poem ‘The Blue Roofs of Japan,’ the woman speaker is not talkative. Therefore, the reversal of convention is among the prominent themes in the poem.
