These notes come from myself, who passed matric of 2023 with an overall average of 87% in each subject i took.
A detailed summary of the poem "Strangers Forever" for the IEB English exam
Poetry - Strangers Forever
Tuesday, 26 July 2022 13:50
Message: Stranger: outsider Green = Travel Diction
- Internal
No matter how hard we try, we never truly open ourselves to others, nor ever truly relate to others. - External
Part of ourselves remains forever hidden Remaining strangers to ourselves and people around us.
Title:
Poet’s Intention:
‘Strangers’ –connotates outsider/ unknown/ foreigner (both internal & external stranger –don’t know yourself nor
The title summarises the intention – no matter how hard we try, there is always a part of is that we are unable to your surroundings/ relationships with others)‘Forever’ –at all times/ for life/ unlimited
communicate with others.
This suggests a possible “secret” or something too personal to allow others to intrude upon. Indicates the central message: no matter how hard we try we never truly open ourselves to others(nor ourselves)
and therefore remain ‘strangers
The poem speaks of self-understanding and the need to be in touch with others. It points out that we constantly
strive to understand ourselves but are never wholly successful. ’There is a sense of sadness and loss in this idea of miscommunication, of never being fully able to connect with
others (or even ourselves). As if we (individuals, communities, societies) are condemned to a life of separation,
It also suggests that life is a journey we share with others. But we meet by chance and out destination remains illusion and delusion.
unknown. The poet’s comment is that we must all undertake this journey but without full knowledge of where we’re
going.
Passenger: ‘passenger’ refers to a traveller (some kind of journey)
Structure:
Opens the metaphor that all humans ‘each of us’ are on a train/ type of transport AND on a journey to somewhere/
- Although the poem is not divided into stanza, there is a clear division, marked by punctuation and linked someone ‘passenger’ and ‘compartment’ indicate this metaphor
ideas.
One huge compartment: ‘seated in one huge compartment’ refers to a divided section of something larger (cube/
- Written in free verse which allows the poem to flow easily.
chamber/ cell)
- It also helps to create the idea that the audience is listening to the poet present his ideas (a monologue or
sorts) Going we do not know where:
Mood/ Tone: There are people travelling somewhere but the destination is not known.
Sadness/ loss in the miscommunication with others and ourselves: As if we are condemned to a life of separation, This refers to life’s journey: we are all part of it and must travel through it.
illusion and delusion.
Can refer to love’s journey: we are all on a journey/ voyage/ expedition to find connection/ community/ love.
The concluding line, with its overtones of isolation and apartness, ends the poem on a note of finality. In some way, - Life as a shared, yet individual journey
be it however small, we are all “Strangers Forever” - The journey is communal but the individual destination is unknown
Grammatical structure:
Notice the formality of the line and unusual word order of “going we do not know where” – stresses the fact that
the destination will never be reached.
Tone/Mood:
There is a sadness about what the poet has to say, a feeling of hopelessness, as we travel the journey of life, in the
company of others, to a destination unknown and unreachable.
Thrown:
Has overtones of an almost violent, thoughtless action
Chance:
Idea of chance: something that happens unpredictably without discernible human intention or observable
cause(luck)It suggests a random coming together of people. It negates choice or any sense of predestination. It
suggests that we come together by “chance”, with little personal choice or option
Travel without arriving:
Use of semicolon ;interrupts the flow of poem and introduces a rhetorical question
A somewhat bleak outlook on life is reinforced here but also a painfully honest comment about life:
- At the end of life’s journey, it is seldom that any individual is truly fulfilled.
- There always remains something unachieved, and a sense of not having fully arrived at life’s destination.
Whispers of your mind:
Suggests we keep secrets, even from ourselves. These are the “whispers” the poet alludes to –things we choose not
to hear: it is better to live deluded (mislead/ trick/ deceive)than to have to face the harsh truth of life.
Rhetorical question:
The question has further implications: can anyone “read” those “secrets”? The answer is “no one”
This indicates a theme of apartness and lack of trust and communication. And reinforces the title, that we are
“strangers” to others and ourselves “hidden even from you?”
Open a window: returns to the travel metaphor used in the beginning of the poem. Metaphor of “chambers of your
heart ”It suggests an attempt at opening oneself up/ letting someone in. It relates to opening a window in order to
Metaphor of “chambers of your heart”
It suggests an attempt at opening oneself up/ letting someone in. It relates to opening a window in order to allow
what is hidden or blocked from a person’s view to emerge
Repetition of “striving”:
To devote serious effort or energy/ to endeavour/ to try/ to attempt.
The poet argues that you may feel progress is being made; that you believe you are being honest in unburdening
yourself and “say what you feel”. But this is an illusion
"One part one small part":
No matter how hard we try, there will always be a small part of ourselves that remains hidden.
“One small part/ that remains your own” is the understanding that there is something you cannot or will not, share
with anyone else.
Repetition of “one part”:
Reinforces the assured tone of the universal truth – “not one small part” no matter how small the secret, it remains
yours alone.
1st person pronoun “I”:
Introduces a personal note to the poem.
There is a suggestion of certainty and assurance from the poet about humankind’s need to retain something highly
personal: something that remains hidden and secret.
English Page 1
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