Analysis of Poems on Australian Identity, Aboriginal People and Issues

This assignment provides an analysis of two poems, focusing on Australian identity and the experiences of Aboriginal people. The first poem, by an unnamed author, highlights the despair and loss of identity felt by Aboriginal people, emphasizing their historical neglect and the injustice they face. The second poem, by Kath Walker, offers a contrasting perspective, expressing hope for the future and advocating for equality. The analysis compares the themes, tones, and language used in both poems, including the use of personification, similes, metaphors, and repetition to convey their respective messages. The assignment emphasizes the importance of Aboriginal people within Australian identity and the need for recognition and equality. The poems are analyzed in terms of their tone, language, and the messages they convey about the struggles and aspirations of the Aboriginal community. The assignment concludes with a reflection on the significance of the poems in shaping perceptions of Australian identity and the ongoing challenges faced by Aboriginal people.

AUSTRALIAN IDENTITY IS
SHAPED BY DISTINCT
IMAGES
Name of the student

WE ARE GOING BY OODGEROO
NOONUCCAL

THEME OF THE POEM
 Appeal to help the aboriginal people.
 Aboriginal people are neglected by the white people.
 Considered as strangers enough though they are the real
owners of the land (Kwapisz Williams, K., 2018)

TONE OF THE POEM
 Despair and anxious.
 Loss of hope.
 Loss of identity and freedom.
 Cultural disinheritance.

LANGUAGE OF THE POEM
 Personification in the sentence “ Thunderer after him, that
loud fellow”
 Simile in “ white men hurry like ants”

THE DAWN IS AT HAND BY KATH
WALKER

THEME OF THE POEM
 Attempt at changing the way people think about the
aboriginals.
 Talks about the future of the aboriginals.
 Equality of the aboriginals with the white people (Allen, C.,
2017).

TONE OF THE POEM
 Talks about the struggles of the aboriginals due to injustice.
 “ Dark brothers first Australian race” as a description of the
aboriginals.
 Toe changes as the poet talks about bright future of the
aboriginals.
 Message is hopeful for a bright future.

LANGUAGE OF THE POEM
 Lucid language that is comprehensible.
 Use of metaphors and repititions to send the message to the
audience.
 Repitition of the line “fringe dwellers no more” that sends a
message that the aboriginals would not be outcasts anymore.

COMPARISON
 Both talk about the state of the aboriginals in the country.
 Sense of despair and hopelessness in the first poem however,
there is hopefullness in the second poem.
 Usage of metaphors and similes to enhance the quality of the
poem.

CONCLUSION
 Emphasis on the Australian identity of aboriginals.
 They are just as important as the white Australians.
 The tones and the theme describe the state of the aboriginals
in the country.

REFERENCES
 Allen, C., 2017. Dreaming in the Present Progressive: Kath
Walker Across, Beyond, and Through an Indigenous
1964. Journal of the Association for the Study of Australian
Literature, 17(1), p.16.
 Kwapisz Williams, K., 2018. “While my name is remembered, I
teach”: Oodgeroo Noonuccal and cross-cultural storytelling for
children. Literatura Ludowa, (3).