Summary Line by line analysis of An African Thunderstorm by David Rubadiri
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Course
English Home Language
Institution
12th Grade
A full line by line analysis, including tone and themes, of the poem An African Thunderstorm by David Rubadiri for Grade 12 NSC examinations in English Home Language.
Poet: African, post-modern, grew up during the era of colonialism in Africa
Poem captures (on a literal level) the arrival of a fierce storm.
Diction in 1st 2 stanzas show the anticipation of the storm. Diction stanza 3 the people are actually
excited. He uses diction to create an ominous atmosphere, something dangerous and destructive.
Poet describes forces of nature which conspire to bring this storm.
Figurative: speaking about politics and colonisation. Just like how the storm destroys everything in
its path, similarly the colonisers destroyed the land, they were destructive. Initially they brought
medicine and goods so it was exciting. Same with the storm - people were first excited. But then the
people realised the storm was actually something very destructive – the colonisers wanted all the
riches.
Stanza 1: lack of punctuation – creates enjambment – shows the pace of the poem (the storm)
Line 1: the arrival of the western people (western influence) – figurative
Literally – the origination of the storm
Line 2: personification “hurrying” – the wind is moving at great speed. Shows its power. Also the
western powers were rushing to colonise first
Line 3,4,5: turning sharp, here and there– unpredictable and moving in all directions. simile – plague
of locusts vs swarm of locusts. More sinister, infects a lot of people, negative connotation –
destructive. Locusts – synonymous with Africa. When these locusts descend on the African villages,
people are excited because it symbolises food and nourishment.
Line 6,7: harsh diction, forceful and destructive “whirling” “tossing” tail – gives the storm an animal
like characteristic – very fierce and destructive
Line 8: a madman will run around and cause destruction with no real objective- emphasises the
unpredictable nature of the storm and the destructive nature of nature.
Stanza 2:
Line 9: pregnant- life-giving, birth, positive. Clouds – when the cloud bursts, it brings the much-
needed clouds
Line 10: stately – metaphor – regal and royal – alluding to the superpowers who come in with their
arrogance. Sense of nobility, soldiers riding on horseback
Line 11: the storm is gathering. Perch – links to wings in line 12. Perch refers to birds perching on the
hills as if waiting fir its prey, waiting to attack. The storm is waiting to attack the village. Likewise, the
colonisers are waiting to attach Africa with their influence
Line 12: sinister, dark – negative connotations. Wings – birds of prey
Line 13,14: whistle – onomatopoeia and alliteration. By to while – the trees offer no resistance. They
didn’t have a choice, the just submit. Personification- the trees bend, they submit to the powers of
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