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Modern Aspects of Poetry. Letters from Home by Elmaz Abinader 1954An analysis of how symbolism and imagism as modern aspects of poetry have been used to illustrate history, and social change over time in ‘Letters from Home’ from Elmaz Abinader to her father Jean Abinader.
The main idea of the poem, is to show struggles of immigrants in history in Lebanon and, the change into modernization of society. In my opinion, this poem is positive as it highlights the issue of modernization and urbanization. It is relevant in modern times which have seen absorption of the Western culture into our society. It sheds light on the dispossession of social norms and culture with a shift from the old to the new throughout time.
According to Introduction to Modernist Poetry, symbolism is a representation of a symbol that carries a meaning and, represents an idea. Imagism on the other hand is when an author, uses an object that is not actually there to bring to mind mental images, sensation and, emotion of a particular literature.
Rachid Abi-Nader and, Jean Abinader kept diaries that have been used as symbols to represent the wider society in their struggles in Lebanon. The poems illustrate a piece of history that will be passed on to generations to come. The author, Elmaz has tried to bring to light the sufferings of the society that is, the Lebanese people through telling the story of a father and son (Abinader, p. 22).
Some of the elements of modern writing are discontinuous narrative, satire, juxtaposition, use of metaphor, and, irony. Juxtaposition is used to represent something that is unseen while irony and, satire would be used to show faults in the society. Elmaz in her book, Letters from Home, says that she doesn’t understand, her father’s language . This illustrates a shift to modernization, borrowing from other languages and, culture (22).
Elmaz has used characteristics of modern poetry in her poem when she writes, “your own children seem like nomads.” She has used this simile to describe the children to be people who move around from one place to another looking for, greener pasture in life. She portrays her family as very spiritual. She talks about her ill grandmother who notwithstanding her condition walks to church and, that the grandchildren pray (Abinader, p. 22).
Elmaz has used symbolism in the poem as she describes how Jean wiped tears when he read letters from old country. The tears from her father symbolize an emotion from difficult times they faced with his father while hiding from the Turks with no one to help him. The ironical element comes about when she says how her grandmother took her father to the closet to see linen that had turned yellow. This statement illustrates the irony of the era they lived in and, the fact that her grandmother had linen in her closet. Imagism has been used in the second paragraph as she describes the distance of the apartments where Jean cannot see his daughters at the window nor his sons in their room (Abinader, p. 22).
In conclusion, aspects in modern poetry of symbolism and, imagism have been well captured in the poem. These modern aspects of poetry have long created expressions, emphasis on imagination and emotions among the writers and readers as well.
Works Cited
Elmaz Abinader. Letters from Home: Stories of Fathers and Sons. University of Nebraska, Lincon. MI, January 1, 1985. Print.
Introduction to Modernist Poetry, Lesson 3. Edsitement . National Endowment for, the Humanities. Web. 5th Dec. 2011. edsitement.neh.gov/curriculum-unit/introduction-modernist-poetry
