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You laughed and laughed and laughed - Gabriel Okara - Full summary
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You laughed and laughed and laughed -Gabriel Jibaba Okara
1
, You laughed and laughed and laughed - Gabriel Jibaba Okara
R Line Analysis
Stanza 1
In this stanza, the speaker portrays the attitude of white people towards African songs.
The sound of their song is harsh and loud, the whites do not understand it, as a result it sounds to them like a
‘motor car misfiring’, making an awkward noise.
He says white people do not value African culture, instead they laugh and laugh
and laugh.
1 In your ears my song “your “: white people
“My song “: First person = my (black people)
The poet suggests that he is expressing himself through his
song, which he presents to the listener.
2 is motor car misfiring Metaphor : The song of the Africans is compared to a misfiring
car engine.(car fails to start= misfiring).White people are
comparing the sound of Black people’s songs of emotions or
pains with misfiring of car, because they used to criticize the
voice of black people as harsh and annoying
M-alliteration: emphasize the discrimination they experienced.
3 stopping with a choking cough; Personification: suggesting a disruptive and negative sound to
the whites.
“Choking cough”: (harsh voice of engine or break)
C-alliteration: emphasize the harshness the criticism that were
given from the whites.
4 and you laughed and laughed and laughed. “you “: white people
L-alliteration : emphasize the racial discrimination that black
people experience.
Hyperbole: He says white people do not value African culture,
instead they laugh and laugh and laugh. – emphasize the racial
discrimination they experienced.
Repetition: The words emphasise the racial discrimination that
black people experience. The repetition of ‘laughed and laughed
and laughed’... adds to the beauty of the poem as the words
emphasise the racial discrimination that black
people experience.
Au-assonance: emphasize the racial discrimination that black
people experience.
Stanza 2
The Africans are not as stylish and modern as the white people.
They have a clumsy walk which is considered inhuman, and they are mocked.
5 In your eyes my ante - “your “: white people ( their perspective )
The Africans are not as stylish and modern as the white people.
Metaphor: Black people have more powerful body than Whites,
and that’s why they have different style of walking – White
people make fun of that style of walking. They compare it to the
way of walking of a pregnant woman.
Natal walk = one word now divided to show brokenness.
(Clumsy)
ante-natal: before birth, relating to pregnancy. (Image of a
pregnant woman)
2
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