Stephen Spender touched my heart and forced me to reflect on what the haves do for the have-nots in the name of charity. The very name itself has a pun on 'elementary' questioning what is the elementary, basic requirement of a person, others not in their shoes may not be able to even perceive.
The dowdiness of the run down school room is amply displayed through the use of 'sour cream walls' and the windows painted with fog depicting the oppressive lives and future cloaking the very neighbourhood, clearly portrayed through, 'street sealed in with a lead sky'. The sibilance serves its purpose of creating a sinister tone.
The pointless donations of classroom paraphernalia in terms of Shakespeare's picture and a map of the world, encouraging the poor children to a dream world through means of crime as they would be easily misled, in trying to achieve it.
The children themselves merit empathy as they have inherited poverty and disease. The powers that be are focused on feeding their minds and providing a formal education, when their starving bodies need to be nourished. They need to be in open, pollution free environments, in the laps of nature so they become robust children, who are healthy in body and mind.
The diction evokes sympathy for the poor children whose fate seems to be doomed right from the outset. Its not completely true we know, but the poet's perspective does make us wonder if everyone should be measured by the same yardstick. The similes and metaphors pack meaning into this short poem of 4 octet verses.
The poem written by Stephen spender describes the social inequalities which are prevailing in society. In the poem, he describes the condition of the students of an elementary school which is situated in a slum area. The poet wants to draw the attention of everyone towards these kids so that their life can be improved and they may get trained to become good citizens rather than criminals.
ReplyDeleteIn this poem the poet wants to bring in light a huge difference that a proper education can bring in an human being and so in the world.He believes that education is not only from books or by schools but the basic knowledge of living a life with dignity and moral values.He brings the problems faced by the slum students and how they are not actually able to get proper education.
By reading this poem we can actually get an image and I come to the conclusion that along with food, shelter,clothes education must be everyones fundamental right ,even if they dont get that bookish knowledge, those maths equation, the chemical reactions but they must be well aware about how one can actually lead their life in this competitive world.
The poem 'An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum' deals with the themes of childhood, education and poverty. It uses the classroom in the slum to target the social inequalities that prevail in the society. It points out the ineffective and useless system of education that is provided to the poor children. The poet also talks about the lack of opportunities from which they are deflected.
ReplyDeleteFoundation of a child's future is built up by the child's childhood years, in this case they do not receive quality education in their elementary school.
The poem does not follow any particular rhyme scheme. It's a free verse. That makes it even more interesting to read.
Thank you!
The poet has used a large set of figures of speech in this poem that force the reader to pay attention to the words written, and most importantly, read between the lines.
ReplyDeleteThis poem tells it's readers how the children living in slums, do not wish for the city life and it's luxuries. What they wish for are the basic requirements of life first.
To them, the donations and the charity by the haves are meaningless as they make the world look like a dream, rather than a reality which can be achieved.
The very first line of the poem indicates how far from reality the lives of the people of slums actually are. The haves thrive and live happily with the luxuries of life, without being grateful for it while the have nots live in poverty and squalor, dreaming of being provided with the most basic necessities to survival.
Ishanvy Hemrajani
ReplyDeleteThe theme of poverty is principal to the poem "An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum." Spender creates a crisp image of children in poverty through his descriptions of dire situations and mal-nourished students, revealing a sad, hidden segment of society that was prevalent throughout the world. He is not commenting directly on any particular nation in his poem; instead, he exposes the widespread neglect of children of all nationalities, races, and ethnicities. It is poverty that has caused the students in "An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum" to be "weighed-down," "paper-seeming," diseased, and "twisted." Spender believes this poverty is created through the oppressive power of capitalism.
Stephen Spender has used a wide variety of poetic devices and figures of speech to highlight the issue the poor people face. He tells us how these people have very limited resources and their life is downgraded . He has used devices like similes , metaphors , puns to describe their lifestyle and the dark-humour in the poem has its own way to tell the reader about their hardships . He even tells us about the class equalities and that the upper class can help the lower class to atleast get the "elementary" form of necessities . Even these children deserve to have good food , good water , good form of education , play out in the sun , run around in the green park , enjoy their freedom , live a good life , etc . This can only be brought about when the class inequality is abolished and people help each other . This poem is enough to make the reader emotional about the situation of the poor and down trodden people !
ReplyDeleteStephen Spender has presented a true picture of the life of the school children living in the slum of Tyrolese Valley of Austrian Alpine Province. The children are in a very miserable condition due to their poverty and illiteracy. They are depressed. Their pale faces express sadness. They look lean, skinny and bonny. They are like rootless weeds which can’t resist anything for their existence. They are physically very weak and under nourished. Spender voices his concern for these children who live all their life in slums and have no opportunity to enjoy the real blessings of life. He makes a frantic appeal to the educated and affluent sections of the society to better the lot of the slum children through education. It will remove social injustice and class inequality.
ReplyDeleteThe poem An Elementary School Classroom in a slum is a poem that highlights the plight of children in slums. The author wants the children to first be fed and then later educated as basic human resources have a higher importance than education for them. The poet skillfully uses imagery to imprint a scenery in the minds of the readers. The poet also addresses the malnutrition of the children and the inherited disease in one child. Overall the poem does an excellent job of raising awareness for the children.
ReplyDeleteIn this poem the poet very well shows the theme of social injustice and class inequalities. Two examples are given of two very different worlds. One is the world of rich educated and civilised and the other is a world of cramped holes and torn clothes. The poet tells us the condition of the poor children how sick and depressed they are and how their skin had turned pale due to poverty and starvation. He also in a way appeals to the educated sections to help the slum ridden people in anyway possible so as to lessen the gap between the rich and poor.
ReplyDeleteThis poem highlights the problem faced by the poor children in slums and how it seem that life's good experiences are so limited to them. The fact that Stephen Spender has given a solution to this problem in his poem is very extraordinary as barely any poet does besides highlighting the problem into beautiful words. The poet says that the government should take notice of the problems being faced by these kids. He urges them to change the life of these kids and make the world map a reality for them. There is a need to break the restrictions which are put on them due to poverty and lack of resources. This will then result in their progress and they will be able to paint a bright future for themselves.
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