TELEPHONE CONVERSATION BY WOLE SOYINKA

RACISM AND THE COMPLEXITY OF IDENTITY:

“Telephone Conversation” is a poem that makes fun of racism. The speaker, a
Black person, talks to a white landlady who is ready to rent a house—until she
finds out the speaker is Black. Then she wants to know whether the speaker’s skin
is “dark” or “light.” The landlady sees race in a very simple way, but the speaker
shows that race and identity are actually complex. The poem says it’s wrong and
foolish to judge people just by their skin color because it takes away their
humanity.
At first, the landlady seems happy to rent the place to the speaker. She even
promises that she doesn’t live in the building. Since she can’t tell the speaker’s race
just by hearing his voice on the phone, it shows two things:
A) The speaker’s identity is about more than just their race, and
b) Skin color doesn’t matter when it comes to being a good tenant.
But when the speaker honestly says that he is “African,” the landlady suddenly
changes the topic and starts asking about skin color. The speaker uses the word
“confession” in a funny or sarcastic way, because “confession” usually means
admitting to a crime. By saying it like this, the speaker is showing how unfair it is
that being African is treated like something bad. The speaker clearly knows that
Black people often have a harder time finding places to live because of racism.
After the speaker says he African, the landlady asks, “Is your skin light or dark?”
The question is so strange that the speaker wonders if he heard it wrong. The
landlady believes a wrong idea—that Black people with lighter skin (which looks
more like white skin) are better than those with darker skin. What matters most to
her is how dark the speaker looks. She doesn’t ask about the speaker’s job or
behavior. She doesn’t treat the speaker like a real person or a possible tenant.
Instead, she only cares about skin color. The poem shows that racism is unfair,
oversimplifies people, and takes away their humanity.
So, the speaker doesn’t answer the landlady’s question directly. Instead, he give
smart and funny replies to show how silly and rude her question is. For example,
the speaker says his skin color is “West African sepia,” which is a reddish-brown
shade seen in old black-and-white photos. It’s a joke, meaning in such photos, their
skin just looks gray. But the landlady doesn’t understand the joke, showing that she
isn’t very smart.
The speaker also points out that a person’s body isn’t just one color. The speaker
jokes that hid face is “brunette” (brown), but his palms and the soles of his feet are
“peroxide blonde” (very light). This is a funny way to say that the body has many
shades. The speaker is using humor to show that race and skin color can’t be put
into simple boxes like “dark” or “light,” or “Button A” or “Button B.”
So, the speaker isn’t just calling out the landlady for being racist. He is also
making fun of how she thinks about race—as if it’s something simple. The speaker
shows that human identity is complicated and can’t be judged just by skin color.
But even though the speaker is clever and confident, the poem doesn’t have a
happy ending. The landlady is about to hang up the phone. This shows that, in a
racist society, white people still have more power. She can just end the
conversation, while the speaker has no real way to fight back.

Attempt to analyse the state of mind of the poet narrator in “Telephone

Conversation,” paying attention to the shifting moods the conversation provokes.
ANS: In the poem “Telephone Conversation” by Wole Soyinka, the speaker is a
Black African man who is trying to rent an apartment. The poem describes a
telephone call between the speaker and a white landlady. Through this short
conversation, we see many shifts in the speaker’s mood. His state of mind changes
from polite and hopeful to confused, sarcastic, angry, and finally disappointed and
powerless. The poem is a powerful commentary on everyday racism.
At the start of the poem, the speaker is calm and respectful. He wants to be honest,
so he tells the landlady that he is African. He believes in open communication and
thinks that if he is honest from the beginning, there won’t be any problem. He
seems hopeful and expects the landlady to respond in a civil manner.
The mood shifts when the landlady asks, “Are you light or very dark?” The
speaker is shocked. He cannot believe that someone would ask such a rude and
racist question so directly. He pauses and tries to understand what she really
means. He feels uncomfortable but doesn’t get angry immediately. Instead, he tries
to handle the situation with some patience.
Instead of answering directly, the speaker responds with humour and sarcasm. He
says that the colour of his skin is “West African sepia,” and jokes about how
different parts of his body are different colours—like “brunette” face and “peroxide
blonde” soles of his feet. These lines are funny on the surface, but they also show
how ridiculous the landlady’s question is. He uses humour as a weapon to highlight
the absurdity of racism.
As the conversation continues, the speaker’s frustration grows. He tries to explain
the complexity of human identity, but the landlady seems uninterested. She is
focused only on skin colour. This makes the speaker feel insulted and angry,
though he still doesn’t yell or become aggressive. His sarcasm shows that he’s
trying to stay calm even though he is deeply hurt.
In the end, the speaker senses that the landlady is about to hang up the phone. This
shows that she has the power to end the conversation. She doesn’t care about his
personality, intelligence, or manner—only his skin colour. The speaker realizes that
even though he tried to be polite and clever, he cannot change her racist mindset.
Throughout the poem, the speaker’s emotions shift from hope to disappointment.
He begins the conversation in a calm and respectful manner, but ends up feeling
helpless. Soyinka skillfully shows how racism affects the mental state of a person.
The poem is not just about a phone call—it’s about how society sees people based
on colour, and how that makes the speaker feel confused, frustrated, and finally
defeated. His changing moods reflect the pain of being judged for something as
simple as skin colour.
Critically appreciate the dialogue that ensues between the poet-narrator and the
landlady in Telephone Conversation, with special attention to the use of wit,
irony, and humour.
ANS: Wole Soyinka’s “Telephone Conversation” is a brilliant satirical poem that
uses a simple phone call to expose the ugly reality of racial prejudice. The poem
presents a dialogue between a Black African man (the speaker) and a white British
landlady. Their conversation, though short, reveals deep-rooted racism in society.
Soyinka skillfully uses wit, irony, and humour to make this sensitive subject both
powerful and thought-provoking.
Wit in the Dialogue
The speaker’s use of wit is clever and intellectual. When the landlady asks an
absurd question—“Are you light or very dark?”—he doesn’t react with anger.
Instead, he responds with sharp wit. He describes his skin as “West African sepia”
and jokingly adds that the palms of his hands and soles of his feet are lighter. This
witty reply highlights the ridiculous nature of her question and turns the situation
into a moment of intelligent resistance.
Example of wit:
➢ “‘West African sepia’—and as for my bottom, that’s blonde.”
This humorous exaggeration shows how the speaker mocks the landlady’s
obsession with skin colour.
Irony in the Dialogue
Irony plays a major role in the poem. The entire situation is ironic: the landlady is
concerned not about the speaker’s behavior, education, or rent-paying ability, but
only about how dark his skin is. The speaker is polite and educated, while the
landlady, who is supposed to be “civilised,” behaves in a narrow-minded and racist
way.
Another layer of irony is that even though they never meet in person, the speaker
still faces rejection simply because of his skin colour. This shows that racism exists
even in casual interactions like a phone call.
Use of Humour
The humour in the poem is not just for fun—it’s used as a tool of protest. The
speaker uses dry, sarcastic humour to deal with a humiliating situation. His
response is not aggressive, but full of intelligence and subtle jokes. He doesn’t
shout or argue. Instead, he lets the landlady’s ignorance expose itself through her
own words.
By being humorous, the speaker keeps his dignity. The readers laugh at the
absurdity of the situation but also feel the pain behind the joke.
Tone and Mood
The tone of the speaker shifts throughout the poem. At first, he is calm and polite.
Then, as the conversation continues, he becomes more ironic and sarcastic. The
speaker controls the mood of the dialogue. Even though he is the victim of racism,
he remains composed and uses his words smartly to show the moral failure of the
landlady.
Conclusion
The dialogue in Telephone Conversation is a powerful example of how language
can fight prejudice. Through clever use of wit, irony, and humour, Wole Soyinka
creates a meaningful and biting critique of racism. The poet doesn’t give a
lecture—he simply presents a conversation, but that conversation reveals a lot. The
speaker’s clever handling of the landlady’s rude questions shows his strength,
intelligence, and ability to use words as a weapon against discrimination.
This poem teaches us how humour can expose truth and how irony can highlight
injustice, all within the space of a single phone call.
THE WAY SPAIN WAS BY PABLO NERUDA
Analysis
Pablo Neruda’s poem “The Way Spain Was” gives a clear and emotional picture of
Spain — its land, people, and history. The poem feels like a story told in rhythm,
showing how deeply the poet cares about the country.
It starts by describing Spain as a “taut, dry drum-head,” which makes us think of a
tight, dry land full of tension. The sound of this drum is like a dull thud, suggesting
the hard life and daily struggles of the people.
Neruda uses strong images to describe Spain’s land, from flat plains to high eagle
nests. These show both the harshness of the land and its natural beauty. He talks
about a silence broken by storms, hinting at Spain’s troubled past or political
struggles.
He shares deep love for Spain’s tough land, simple food, and its people. When he
talks about a “lost flower” in old villages, it feels like he misses a past that has
faded. The meadows glowing under moonlight seem dreamlike but are now in
danger from a “false god,” possibly hinting at political or spiritual corruption.
The poem also speaks of being trapped or cut off, with Spain aware of itself but
surrounded by silence. Neruda mentions both rough and smooth wines and violent
vineyards, showing that Spain’s culture and history are both beautiful and painful.
He compares Spain to a shining stone, pure but marked by blood and metal. The
blue and victorious colors suggest hope and strength. Calling it “Proletarian Spain,
made of petals and bullets” shows the mix of softness and struggle—beauty and
conflict together.
At the end, Neruda shows Spain as full of life and meaning, yet also quiet and
mysterious. His poem captures the deep and complex feelings he has for the
country, showing both its pain and its power.
Question:
Pablo Neruda contrasts different cultural, topographical and historical features
of Spain in his poem “The Way Spain Was” or “How Spain Was.” Examine.
Pablo Neruda’s poem The Way Spain Was is a powerful tribute to Spain and its
people, written during a time of great political unrest—the Spanish Civil War.
Neruda was deeply affected by the suffering he witnessed during this period, and
his poem reflects both his love for the country and his sorrow for its pain. He
doesn’t just describe the physical features of Spain, but also its culture, history, and
the strength of its people. Through vivid and emotional language, Neruda brings
out the contrast between the natural beauty of Spain and the destruction brought by
war and dictatorship.
In the beginning of the poem, Neruda describes Spain’s land in very strong, clear
images. He calls it a “dry drum-head,” suggesting that the land is harsh, tense, and
full of pressure—almost as if it is ready to burst. He talks about the “dull thud” that
comes from this drum-head, showing that life there is difficult and full of suffering.
The natural features like flatlands, eagle’s nests, and hard soil reflect a country that
is both wild and worn out. These images help us feel the weight of poverty,
struggle, and silence that hangs over the country. When he says “a silence lashed
by the storm,” he could be referring to the constant fear and danger the people live
with because of the political violence.
Neruda also highlights Spain’s culture, especially the lives of ordinary people. He
writes about villages, poor bread, and dry soil, showing how the common people
live simple but honest lives. He respects their hard work and patience. At the same
time, he hints at how their traditions and peaceful life are being lost due to war and
violence. A line like “lost flower in wrinkled villages” shows his sadness about the
loss of beauty and tradition. There’s a sense of deep nostalgia in these lines, a
longing for a time when Spain was not broken by war.
One of the strongest parts of the poem is how Neruda talks about Spain’s history
and politics. He criticizes the rise of fascism and dictatorship during the Spanish
Civil War. When he refers to a “false god,” it is most likely a reference to Franco or
the leaders who caused so much destruction. He talks about Spain being “a solar
stone streaked with blood and metal,” which gives the picture of a country shining
with beauty but wounded by violence and industrial cruelty. The blood represents
suffering and loss, and the metal may refer to weapons or machines of war.
Neruda doesn’t only focus on the negative. He also celebrates the courage and
strength of the Spanish people. He describes Spain as “proletarian,” meaning it
belongs to the working class. He writes that Spain is “made of petals and bullets,”
showing a powerful contrast between gentleness and violence. This line shows the
poet’s support for the people who fight not just with weapons but also with love,
poetry, and hope. Neruda believed in the power of ordinary people to rise and
resist, and this idea runs throughout the poem.
His style is full of rich poetic devices. He uses metaphors like “dry drum-head”
and “solar stone” to paint strong images in the reader’s mind. He also personifies
Spain, as if the land itself has emotions and a voice. By combining beautiful and
painful images, Neruda creates a powerful emotional effect. His tone is a mix of
sadness, respect, and hope. He mourns the loss of the peaceful Spain he loved, but
he also honors the people’s strength and spirit.
In conclusion, The Way Spain Was is not just a poem about a country. It is a deep
and emotional reflection on a land that has suffered, resisted, and survived.
Through descriptions of its land, people, and politics, Neruda shows us the real
Spain—not just in terms of its geography, but in its soul. He gives us a Spain that is
beautiful, broken, brave, and unforgettable. This poem is a tribute to the spirit of a
nation, and a call to remember the cost of silence and the importance of resistance.
“Pablo Neruda uses contrasting imagery to chart out the political and social
crisis of Spain. Explore.”
Pablo Neruda’s poem The Way Spain Was powerfully reflects the social and
political crisis that Spain was going through during the time of the Spanish Civil
War. Neruda uses contrasting imagery throughout the poem to express both his
deep love for Spain and his sadness over its suffering. He does not simply describe
Spain’s physical beauty, but also shows the painful changes it went through due to
war, dictatorship, and poverty.
In the beginning, Neruda uses nature to represent Spain. He describes the land as a
“dry drum-head,” suggesting that it is full of tension, ready to burst. He talks about
the “silence lashed by the storm,” which shows how peaceful villages have been
destroyed by the loud violence of war. This is an example of contrasting imagery—
he places silence next to storm, peace next to destruction. Such contrast helps the
reader feel the pain and fear that the people of Spain experienced during this time.
Neruda also shows the contrast between Spain’s past and present. He talks about
the land being rich in beauty and history, but now it is full of blood, bullets, and
suffering. For example, he calls Spain a “solar stone streaked with blood and
metal.” The sun-like stone suggests warmth and hope, but the blood and metal
show violence and war. These images show how the country’s beauty is now
ruined by weapons and political cruelty.
Another important contrast is between the common people and the powerful rulers.
Neruda shows great sympathy for the working class. He writes about villages, dry
bread, and poor homes with respect and tenderness. But he is critical of the leaders
who bring pain and suffering. He refers to a “false god” who controls Spain,
possibly hinting at General Franco or fascist leaders. While the people are simple
and peaceful, the rulers are violent and heartless. This contrast highlights the
injustice faced by ordinary citizens.
Despite all the pain, Neruda doesn’t lose hope. He describes Spain as “made of
petals and bullets,” which is a strong contrast between softness and violence. The
petals represent the love, beauty, and strength of the people, while the bullets show
the cruel reality of war. Through this, Neruda suggests that even though the people
are suffering, they still hold on to their dignity and power. This hopeful tone at the
end shows his faith in the people’s courage.
In conclusion, Pablo Neruda uses rich and powerful contrasting imagery to show
the deep crisis in Spain. By comparing peace and violence, past and present,
beauty and destruction, he helps us understand the emotional, social, and political
struggles of the country. His poem is not just about a war, but about the soul of a
nation that refuses to give up.
MEENA ALEXANDER’S BIRTHPLACE WITH BURIED STONES
Identity and Birth
The poem begins with the poet’s birth in Allahabad and shows how her early life
shapes who she is. The hospital, military barracks, and nearby cow pasture paint a
picture of her surroundings. This place of birth is important because it connects her
identity to the culture and geography where she started life.
Memory and Absence
Memory is a big theme in the poem. The poet talks about missing “reliable ghosts,”
meaning she struggles to find clear memories or stories from the past. She uses
images like a song (aria) and the west wind carrying pieces of the Ganga river to
show how memories are faint, incomplete, and hard to hold on to.
Cultural Heritage and War
The poem also touches on history, especially around World War II. The sounds of
airplanes and soldiers in the barracks show how big historical events affected the
poet’s birthplace. The phrase “Heaven bent” hints that larger forces beyond the
poet’s control have shaped her personal story, showing how war influences
people’s lives deeply.
Domestic Realities and Rituals
The poem shows everyday life through images of women doing simple tasks, like
picking up vegetable scraps and chicken bones. These small moments reflect the
routine and care in family life. References to ancestral gold and the burning of a
mango tree trunk add a sense of cultural tradition and family rituals that connect
the past to the present.
Violence and Historical Trauma
The poem contrasts peaceful and beautiful images like starry nights with harsh
realities such as bloodshed at borders and riots in the capital city. The river Ganga
flowing into the sea symbolizes the unstoppable flow of history, including painful
and violent events that shape collective memory.
Transformation and Mysticism
In the final part of the poem, there’s a sense of change and spiritual awakening.
The image of swans dipping their throats into a mystical well and coming out
dreaming suggests hope and transformation beyond everyday life, showing how
people can grow and find meaning even after difficult experiences.
Nature and Symbolism
Natural elements like the west wind, the Ganga river, mustard flowers, and river
sand appear throughout the poem. These symbols connect personal memories and
history to the larger cycles of nature and life, showing how everything is linked.
Conclusion
“Birthplace with Buried Stones” explores identity, memory, history, and change.
Meena Alexander uses vivid images and symbols to blend personal stories with
wider social and historical experiences. The poem invites readers to think about
their own lives and the shared histories that shape who we are.
Stanza 1:
The poet describes being born in a hospital near a cow pasture and military
barracks in Allahabad. She feels disconnected from her past — the “reliable
ghosts” or memories she seeks are missing. The wind and river carry faint, unclear
memories of her birthplace.
Stanza 2:
The poet hears sounds related to World War II — planes, soldiers — reminding her
that her birthplace was shaped by war and global history. This shows how big
events affect personal lives, even far from battlefields.
Stanza 3:
Everyday domestic scenes appear — a woman in a doorway, a woman in the
kitchen picking up vegetable scraps and chicken bones. These ordinary moments
carry deep cultural meaning, including family rituals like burning a mango tree
trunk and connections to ancestral wealth.
Stanza 4:
The poem contrasts peaceful images like starry nights with violent realities such as
bloodshed at borders and riots in the capital. The river Ganga flowing into the sea
symbolizes the unstoppable, painful flow of history and collective memory.
Stanza 5:
In the final stanza, mystical images appear — swans dipping into a magical well
and coming out dreaming. This symbolizes spiritual transformation and hope,
showing that despite pain, there is a chance for healing and growth.
Overall Meaning
“Birthplace with Buried Stones” explores how our identity is shaped by where we
come from, the memories we carry, the history around us, and the culture we
inherit. The poem shows the mixture of beauty, pain, routine life, violence, and
hope in human experience. Through powerful images and symbolism, Meena
Alexander invites us to think about our roots and how personal and collective
histories shape who we are.
Question:
In Birthplace with Buried Stones, Meena Alexander juxtaposes different images
to express her feelings about her birthplace and her identity. Discuss.
Answer:
In Birthplace with Buried Stones, Meena Alexander uses the literary technique of
juxtaposition by placing contrasting images side by side to express complex
feelings about her birthplace and identity. This contrast helps highlight the tensions
between memory and history, personal and collective experiences, and the peaceful
and violent aspects of her origin.
First, Alexander contrasts images of everyday domestic life with scenes of
historical violence. For example, she describes simple, intimate moments like a
woman picking up vegetable shavings or chicken bones in the kitchen alongside
harsh images of bloodshed and riots at the borders. This juxtaposition shows how
her personal and family life exists alongside the turmoil and trauma of the larger
historical context.
Second, she places natural and mystical imagery—such as the flowing Ganga river,
mustard blooms, and swans dipping into a well—against sounds of war like
airplane propellers and soldiers in barracks. This contrast reflects the conflict
between the serenity of nature and the harsh realities of human history, suggesting
that her identity is shaped both by the natural world and by the political events
around her.
Moreover, the poem contrasts the absence of clear memories (“reliable ghosts”)
with faint, elusive echoes carried by the wind and river. This expresses the poet’s
struggle to connect with her roots and piece together a fragmented past.
Through these juxtapositions, Alexander conveys a layered, multifaceted sense of
identity—one that is deeply tied to place and history, but also marked by absence,
transformation, and hope. The contrasts between peaceful and violent, past and
present, personal and political reveal how complex and intertwined her feelings
about her birthplace are.
In conclusion, by placing contrasting images side by side, Meena Alexander
powerfully expresses the contradictions and depth of her connection to her
birthplace and the formation of her identity.
Myth and Mortality in “Birthplace with Buried Stones”
In the poem “Birthplace with Buried Stones,” Meena Alexander explores deep and
emotional themes like myth and mortality to understand her own identity and the
meaning of her birthplace. These two ideas—myth and death—are used together to
express how personal life, cultural memory, and historical events shape the human
experience.
The theme of mortality, which means death or the reality of life ending, appears
throughout the poem. Meena Alexander describes violent and painful images—
such as war, border conflicts, and riots in the capital. These references to
bloodshed and unrest remind us that death is always present in history and in
people’s lives. She also talks about the absence of “reliable ghosts,” meaning that
her memories of the past and of her ancestors are unclear or fading. This shows the
emotional difficulty of dealing with death, loss, and forgotten stories. Her
birthplace is not just a place of beginning but also carries the burden of violence
and suffering.
At the same time, Alexander brings in the theme of myth, which includes
traditional stories, symbols, and spiritual images that give a deeper meaning to life
and death. She uses powerful and beautiful images like the “mystic sky-water” and
swans dipping their throats and coming up “dreaming.” This creates a magical or
sacred feeling—as if there is something beyond the physical world. It suggests a
place where the soul might go, or where transformation can happen. These images
do not ignore death but offer a kind of peace, beauty, or understanding that helps
her deal with the painful realities of life.
She also refers to rituals and symbols from Indian culture, like burning a mango
tree trunk and keeping ancestral gold. These are not just simple household
activities; they represent traditions that connect the living with those who have
passed away. They remind us that even though people die, they leave behind
memories, customs, and values that continue through generations.
By putting together mortality (the real, painful truth of death and history) and myth
(the stories and rituals that help us make sense of life and loss), Meena Alexander
shows how a person’s identity is shaped. Her sense of self comes not just from her
memories or the land she was born in, but also from how she understands death
and finds meaning in old stories and rituals.
In conclusion:
Meena Alexander uses myth to bring comfort, beauty, and spiritual depth, while
mortality brings in the truth of suffering, death, and loss. Together, they create a
rich emotional world in the poem, where the poet reflects on her birthplace, the
history it holds, and the way it continues to live inside her through both painful and
poetic memories.