Comparing Nothing's Changed and Half-Caste

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...

... middle of paper ...

...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.