Cruisin& at tirt) tousand (eet a"o/e te end'ess &reen 1.te is'and seems 'i0e dice tossed on a casino!s "ai#e$ some come up 'uc0)$ oters not. Puerto Rico ta0es te pot$ 2.te Da''as o( te 8est Indies$ 2.si'/er 'inin&s on te c'ouds as %e descend are a'',mar0ed$ 1.San uan &'itters 'i0e a ma/eric0!s &o'd rin&. A'' across te Cari""ean %e!d co''ected termina's , 1.airports are 'i0e ca''in& cards$ cu'tura' (in&erprints9 te and %ritten si&ns at Port,au,Prince$ Piarco!s s'ea#) tourist art$ te 'etar&ic contempt o( te "a&&a&e "o)s at !Vere !Vere ird! in St. St. ons .... And no% (or ;.p'us San uan. ut te pi'ot!s "'and you're "'and you're safe safe in my hands dra%' crac0'es as %e 'and$ !5S re&u'ations demand a'' passen&ers not disem"ar0in& disem"ar0in& at San uan sta) on te p'ane$ I repeat$ repeat$ sta) on te p'ane.! 3.Su"t'e 3.Su"t'e 5nc'e Sam$ a(raid too man) <.desperate "'ac0s mi&t re, ens'a/e =.tis I =.tis I s'and s'and o( te (ree$ mi&t >ump te "ar"ed e'ectric (ence around +.!America!s "ac0 )ard! and c'aim tat /aunted sanctuar) ..... 3. !&i/e me )our poor .....! Trou& tou&ened$ tou&ened$ tinted &'ass -.te contrasts tanta'ise9 5S patro' cars &'ide across te simmerin& tarmac$ containered "a&&a&e truc0s un'oad %it 4.(ierce e((icienc). So soon %e!re c'im"in&$ 'o% a"o/e te pu'sin& cit) streets9 &a'/ani#ed santies o/erseen ") condominiums po'ised Cadi''acs simm)in& %it puscarts and as %e c'im"$ San,uan!s 1.(oo's,&'itter 1.(oo's,&'itter ca''s to mind te sattered innards o( a TV set tat!s (a''en o(( te "ac0 o( a 'orr)$ 'orr)$ a'' painted painted /a'/es and circuits circuits 1.te road 'i0e t%isted %ires$ te "ri&t cars$ micro,cips. 11.It!s sarp and >a&&ed and dan&erous$ and "e'on&ed to some,one e'se.
LITERAL MEA7I7@ Te persona is tra/e''in& in a p'ane$ 'oo0in& do%n at San uan$ Puerto Rico$ as te p'ane descends. ?e is sa)in& tat tis is'and is te %ea'tiest in te Cari""ean "ecause it as %on te >ac0pot$ it as come up 'uc0). ?e ten points out tat e$ and oters$ ad tra/e''ed to man) Cari""ean is'ands and recei/ed a int o( te ('a/our o( eac is'and trou& it!s ca''in& card$ , its airport , a'' o( %ic (ai' %en compared to p'us San uan. As te) 'and$ te) are instructed to sta) on te p'ane i( teir destination is not San uan. Te persona ta0es o((ence and states tat America America does not %ant "'ac0s in San uan$ imp')in& tat te) mi&t "e a disrupti/e (orce. ?e notes te e((icienc) %it %ic tin&s ('o%$ ena"'in& ena"'in& tem to ta0e to te s0ies once more. Durin& te ascent$ te persona notes te contrast "et%een te in('uences o( te Cari""ean and America. America. ?e 'i0ens San,uan to a "ro0en TV$ it Ioo0s &ood on te outside$ "ut "ro0en on te inside.
ro%n$ S. !8est Indies$ 5.S.A! in A 8or'd o( Prose. Edited ") Mar0 Mc8att and ?a#e' Simmonds McDona'd. Pearson Education Ltd$ 2;. LITERARY DEVICES 1. SIMILE •
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Line 2: Puerto Rico is compared to dice tat is tossed on a casino!s "ai#e casino!s "ai#e$$ it can eiter come up %it %innin& num"ers$ or 'osin& num"ers. Puerto Rico comes up %it %innin& num"ers in te &ame o( cance$ as re('ected in its %ea't) e*terior$ %ic is supported ") America.
Lines +,-: San uan!s &'itter is compared to a ma/eric0!s &o'd rin&. Te %ord ma/eric0 imp'ies non, con(ormist$ an indi/idua'ist. Tis Tis imp'ies tat San uan$ Puerto Rico is in te Cari""ean$ "ut not a part o( te Cari""ean. It "e'on&s to America. Lines 1,11: Airports Airports are compared to ca''in& cards. Tis means tat$ 'i0e a ca''in& card$ te ua'it) o( te airport &i/es )ou an idea o( te is'and!s economic status. Te airport is a'so compared to a cu'tura' (in&erprint. A (in&erprint is an indi/idua' tin&$ tere(ore te airport &i/es te tra/e'er an idea o( te is'and!s cu'tura' 'andscape. Line 34: Te road is compared to t%isted %ires. Tis means tat te roads$ (rom a"o/e$ 'oo0 "ot p'enti(u' and cur/). Tis does not carr) a positi/e connotation$ "ut imp'ies con(usion. 2. ALL5SI67
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Line ;: Da''as is an oi' ric state in America. Tere(ore$ man) o( its ina"itants are %ea't)$ and te state itse'($ is %ea't). ) statin& tat San uan is te Da''as o( te 8est Indies$ it imp'ies tat it is a %ea't) is'and in te 8est Indies.
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Lines ;,+: An a''usion is "ein& made to te %e'' 0no%n c'ice9 !e/er) c'oud as a si'/er 'inin&!. It means tat "eind e/er)tin& tat is seemin&') "ad$ tere is &ood. In te conte*t o( tis poem$ it means tat te &ood$ te si'/er 'inin&$ as a mar0$ or stamp$ tat autenticates its &ood ua'it)9 it is a''mar0ed. Tis imp'ies tat it %i'' a'%a)s a/e its si'/er 'inin& so%in&. 3. SARCASM
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Line 2: Tis statement means te e*act opposite o( %at is stated. Te persona is dis&usted tat 5nc'e Sam AmericaB %ou'd a/e suc a re&u'ation. Tis re&u'ation "ars an)one (rom steppin& a toe on Puerto Rican soi'$ i( it is not )our intended destination. You >ust a/e to remain in te air cra(t$ no matter te %aitin& period$ unti' it is time (or ta0eo((. Te persona "e'ie/es tat te Americans are "ein& "'atant') discriminator)$ and are attemptin& to camou('a&e it trou& te use o( re&u'ations. ?e does not "e'ie/e tat te) a/e acie/ed teir &oa' o( su"t'et).
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Line 2: Te statement$ !&i/e me )our poor...! is particu'ar') sarcastic "ecause it is a direct uote (rom te 7e% Co''ossus$ %ic rests on a p'aue on te statue o( 'i"ert)$ and si&ni(ies tat te disen(rancised o( te %or'd are %e'come. Te persona$ as a mem"er o( te !disen(rancised! masses$ c'ear') (ee's un%e'comed.
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Line 2<: Te persona imp'ies tat America is a'' ta'0 and no action. Te) rea'') do not %ant te poor "ecause te) "ar tem (rom enterin& and e*pedient') sends tem on teir %a) %en te) enter teir airport. Te statement is sarcastic "ecause it is 'oaded %it an a'ternate meanin&$ due to te contrast in statement and action. =. P57 Line 1+,1-: Te pun is p'aced on !land o( te (ree!$ it "ecomes 'Island o( te (ree!. Tis pun empasi#es o% iso'ated Puerto Rico is (rom te rest o( te Cari""ean is'ands. It "e'on&s to te 5.S.A. Tis state o( "e'on&in& to$ or "ein& o%ned ") te 5S is asserted trou& it!s insertion into te Star Span&'ed anner . IMP6RTA7T 86RDS P?RASES ;. !p'us! Tis %ord imp'ies so(t$ 'i0e a tedd) "ear. It a'so imp'ies 'u*ur). So San uan is a'' o( tese tin&s. <.!desperate "'ac0s mi&t re,ens'a/e tis I s'and o( te (ree! Tese !desperate "'ac0s! to %om te persona is re(errin& are te poor peop'e o( te Cari""ean. I( te) con/er&e on te &'istenin& San uan$ suc0in& up its resources$ ten it mi&t "ecome re,ens'a/ed ") po/ert). +.!America!s "ac0 )ard! A "ac0)ard means one o( t%o tin&s (or peop'e. It is a a/en %ere )ou re'a*$ tere(ore )ou decorate it and in/est time and mone) in it. 6r$ )ou i&nore it and spend a'' )our time indoors$ not in/estin& an) time$ ener&) or mone) in it. America /ie%ed Puerto Rico as te 'atter$ a pri#e in %ic it sa% /a'ue. Tere(ore$ %en te persona uses tis prase$ e is imp')in& tat %i'e it is /a'ued$ it is sti'' at te "ac0. S'i&t sarcasm is "ein& used ere. -.!te contrasts tanta'ise! 8en sometin&$ or someone$ is tanta'isin&$ it imp'ies tat it is intri&uin&. Te persona$ ") usin& tis prase$ is tr)in& to dra% te readers attention to to te >arrin& contrasts ") statin& tat e (inds tem intri&uin&. 4.!(ierce e((icienc)! Te %ord (ierce$ used to descri"e te 'e/e' o( e((icienc) %it %ic te peop'e %or0ed to &et te p'ane o(( te &round$ so%s te e*tent to %ic te) %ere not %anted on te is'and. 1.!(oo's,&'itter! Tis imp'ies tat te ('asiness o( San uan %as not autentic. 11.!It!s sarp and >a&&ed and dan&erous$ and "e'on&ed to some,one e'se.! Tis imp'ies tat San uan is not sa(e. Te cu'tures are not me'din&$ "ut >arrin& a&ainst eac oter. Te reason (or tis is "ecause it "e'on&s to someone e'se. C67TRAST Te contrast in tis poem is (ound in stan#a ;. Te American cars etc$ a&ainst te puscarts. Te American cu'ture /ersus te Puerto Rican cu'ture. M66D ATM6SP?ERE Te mood o( te poem is sarcastic.
T67E Te tone o( te poem is s'i&t') "itter$ %ic is (ue'ed ") te sarcastic atmospere. T?EMATIC CATE@6RIATI67 Discrimination$ oppression$ p'aces$ cu'ture. BROWN, STEWART
orn 14;1 in Soutampton$ Ste%art ro%n is a poet$ editor and critic. ?e studied art and 'iterature at a'mout Scoo' o( Art$ te 5ni/ersit) o( Susse* and te 5ni/ersit) o( 8a'es$ A"er)st%)t. ?e spent periods teacin& in scoo's and uni/ersities in amaica$ 7i&eria$ 8a'es and ar"ados. Since 14-- e as tau&t in Te Centre o( 8est A(rican Studies at te 5ni/ersit) o( irmin&am$ %ere e is no% Reader in A(rican and Cari""ean 'iteratures. ?e as tra/e''ed %ide') trou& 8est A(rica and te Cari""ean in re'ation to "ot is researc and creati/e %ritin&$ and 'ectured (or te ritis Counci' in "ot re&ions. As a poet e recei/ed a @re&or) A%ard in 14+< and as su"seuent') pu"'ised (our co''ections o( poetr). In te +s e ad se/era' oneFmanFso%s o( paintin&s in amaica and te 5G$ and e continues to ma0e /isua' ima&es. ?e as edited or co,edited se/era' anto'o&ies o( A(rican and Cari""ean %ritin& and critica' studies o( te 8est Indian poets Dere0 8a'cott$ Gamau rat%aite and Martin Carter. In tis poem$ te poet records is impressions o( te Is'ands (rom a /ie%$ tirt) tousand (eet a"o/e. ?e sees some o( te is'ands as more prominent tan oters. Some are more cu'tura'') and economica'') de/e'oped as can "e seen in is impression o( Puerto Rico$ %it Hsi'/er 'inin&s in te c'ouds and te &'itter o( San uan. ut to im$ eac countr) as its o%n distincti/e (eatures and caracteristics$ %ic are i&'i&ted at its termina'. A&ainst tese is'ands$ te poet sees te in('uence o( te 5nited States on Puerto Rico: e sees Puerto Rico as a representation o( te 5nited States , HAmericaJs "ac0)ard. Strin&ent 'a%s are en(orced at its termina' to pre/ent passen&ers (rom enterin& %itout 'e&a' documentation. Te (ear o( (orei&ners %o snea0 into te is'and and tarnis te ima&e o( te 'and is %e'' noted ") te poet. ?e notes te in('uence o( American cu'ture and 'i(est)'e in Puerto Rico. Te &'itter o( te cities pu'satin& %it 'i(e is %e'' captured in te Hpo'ised Cadi''acJs and HMicro cips. Tis poem is %ritten in Free Verse and spea0s to te presence o( te 5nited States in te 8est Indies as seen in San uan$ Puerto Rico. Te poem is %ritten (rom a (irst,person point o( /ie% and te''s o( te tra/e'ersKe*perience o( di((erent countries in te 8est Indies trou& teir airports stan#a t%oB. 7ature is a ma>or teme in te poem. 6ter temes inc'ude po/ert) and imperia'ism. Literar) de/ices inc'ude simi'es 'ine 2B$ metapors 'ine 4B and a''usion 'ine 1-B. Line 2: K"ai#eKis te so(t /e'/et 'i0e &reen materia' used on poo' and card ta"'es Line 3: KpotK sort (or >ac0pot$ ree(rs to te most outstandin& amount to "e %on in a casion &ame Line 4-6: KDa''as...ma/eric0Ks &o'd rin&K re(ers to te "as0et"a'' team in te 5SA %ic %ou'd a/e "een and
possi"') sti'' is one o( te most /a'ua"'e and i& earnin& "as0et"a'' teams. Campionsip rin&s recei/ed ") te %innin& team are made o( te i&est ua'it) &o'd and %ort tousands o( do''ars. Line 8: KCa''in& cardK 'itera'') identi(ies te "earer and istraditiona'') presented (or introduction %en ma0in& a socia' /isit. Line 10: KPiarcoKis TrinidadKs nationa' airport Line 14: KDra%'Kte 'en&tenin& and s'o%in& do%n o( speec Line 17: K5nc'e SamK is a nationa' personi(ication a((ectionate') used to re(er to te 5nited States Line 18: KRe,ens'a/e...is'and o( te (reeKis an a''usion to te Spanis conuest and co'oni#ation o( te is'and. Line 20-21:KAmericaKs "ac0)ard...&i/e me )our poorK. AmericaKs "ac0)ard is a direct re(erence to countries 'i0e Puerto Rico$ @uam and te Pi''ipines %o %ere under 5S ru'e in some %a). K@i/e me )our tired and poorK is an a''usion to Emma La#arusK(amous poem a"out te Statue o( Li"ert). It a'so s)m"o'i#es a time in te decades a(ter 5S occupation 1-4-B %ere Puerto Ricans %ere a''o%ed to see0 re(u&e in 7e% Yor0 Cit) a(ter "ein& it ") a series o( natura' disasters and te @reat Depression. Line 22: Introduces a series o( contrasts /isi"'e in Puerto Rico as a resu't o( te 5S presence. It is s)m"o'ic o( te
partia' nature o( te "ene(its (rom Puerto RicoKs a((i'iation %it te 5S. Line 29: K(oo's &'itterK...E*presses te autorKs c)nica' tone to%ards te re'ationsip "et%een te 5S and Puerto Rico. It is an a''usion to te sa)in& KA'' tat &'itters is not &o'd.K
