Summary
Summary The man (Seithmo Motsapi)
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The man (Seithmo Motsapi) - analysing the poem and background information.
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1In Africa rain is regarded as very
1. an almost forgotten acquaintance positive and the man seems to
2. was in town recently bring the rain and bless the town.
3. i noticed that it started raining Rainmakers are highly respected
4. just as he ambled in prophets. Rain – symbolic for
something good. Positive symbol.
5. i remember him as a simple man
6. growing up, we all wanted
7. to be doctors, lawyers & teachers
8. so the blood could ebb out of the village
The man’s character ‘ambled’ =
9. my friend had much more sober dreams He is gentle/calm/brings a sense
10. he asked the heavens to grant him of peace and humility to the
11. the imposing peace of the blue-gum in his backyard village
12. & that all the poor send him their tears
13. so he could be humble like the sun
14. so the red wax of the stars would not drip onto him
15. i remembered that man today
16. & all i think of is his unassuming radiance
17. like that of a blushing angel
18. as for his dreams
19. he tells us
20. whole forests invade his sleep at night Structure:
21. so that there’s only standing room
22. for the dreams The poem has 22 lines and 2 stanzas.
Free verse - no rhyme scheme.
Throughout the poem there is
Message: A humble life is The poem is an allegory
with an informal style. The enjambment and no punctuation &
often worth more than an
speaker emphasises certain capitalisation.
ambitious one – links with
words placing them at the
the fact that there is no end of the lines. Tone: Admiration
punctuation.
, 2
L1 = “almost forgotten” – does not stand out.
“Acquaintance” he knew him from the past.
1. an almost forgotten acquaintance
2. was in town recently L2 = “town” away from the village.
3. i noticed that it started raining
4. just as he ambled in
The man compared to the ‘blue-gum in his
5. i remember him as a simple man
backyard’
6. growing up, we all wanted
7. to be doctors, lawyers & teachers The tree asks for nothing but gives back
8. so the blood could ebb out of the village shade and shelter. The man asks for
nothing but brings peace and hope.
9. my friend had much more sober dreams
10. he asked the heavens to grant him
11. the imposing peace of the blue-gum in his backyard
12. & that all the poor send him their tears Line 13
13. so he could be humble like the sun
14. so the red wax of the stars would not drip onto him Simile and personification:
15. i remembered that man today Simile: The man is compared to the sun
16. & all i think of is his unassuming radiance which has the same humble qualities
17. like that of a blushing angel
18. as for his dreams The young people leave the sun has in the poem.
19. he tells us their rural villages
20. whole forests invade his sleep at night Personification of the sun being
To follow careers and earn
21. so that there’s only standing room humble. It emphasises that the sun is
money.
22. for the dreams
not selective but gives equally to both
poor and rich.
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