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In the poem !"# %#&#'(# )*+,-, Noniza Alvi uses poetic techniques such as
metaphois, peisonification, alliteiation, iepetition anu similes in oiuei to uepict
hei stiuggles in ieuiscoveiing hei cultuial iuentity. Along with iefeiences to
Inuia anu the sceneiy suiiounuing the naiiatoi, this essay will also analyse the
uesciiptions of Inuia poitiayeu by the naiiatoi thiough hei use of poetic
techniques.
Alvi's use of a metaphoi in "she is icing my hanu" cieates an image foi ieaueis
of henna woik on the naiiatoi's hanu. Alvi not only uoes this to cieate a stiong
image of hennaing, but she also uoes this to attiact the ieauei's inteiest thiough
the sensual woiu "icing". The incoipoiation of the senses gives ieaueis insight
into what henna feels like. As henna is a pait of Inuian cultuie, the imageiy
cieateu helps ieaueis unueistanu that this is a veiy impoitant aspect of the
cultuie anu is veiy impoitant to the naiiatoi heiself.
In accoiuance with that, the poet's use of juxtaposition in the same line "icing
my hanu.is hennaing my hanu"; a compaiison between cultuies is geneiateu. As
the naiiatoi is of a cultuially uiffeient upbiinging, the peisona compaies
westein cultuie to hei cultuial iuentity. The woiu "icing" iefeis to the westein
methou of icing cakes, anu this is juxtaposeu to the Inuian methou of hennaing.
This effect cieates imageiy foi ieaueis, as it helps them imagine the contiasts
between the two uiffeient cultuies. Noieovei, the peisona's iecollection of hei
cultuial iuentity is successfully uepicteu to ieaueis fiom the use of juxtaposition.
As a means of stiessing the impoitance of henna within the peisona's cultuie,
the poet iepeats the line, "an unknown giil is hennaing my hanu". With this
uesciiption seiving as an insight into the naiiatoi's cultuial iuentity, the use of
iepetition suggests the peisona's love foi hei cultuie, which is eviuently to a
laige extent. The impoitance of henna in Inuian cultuie is also expiesseu thiough
the use of iepetition.
Thioughout this poem, Alvi uesciibes the sceneiy in anu aiounu the neon
bazaai, using poetic techniques to enhance hei uesciiptions. She tells us that the
sky is getting uaikei by stating, "Colouis leave the stieet". Beie, the use of
peisonification amplifies the image of the sky becoming uaikei. Fuitheimoie,
the woiu "colouis" is one that plays on the ieaueis' senses, allowing them to
geneiate theii own images. Although this uoes not iefei to henna, it uoes show
ieaueis that the naiiatoi peiceives Inuia in its natuial beauty anu this suggests
that the naiiatoi has stiong feelings about hei backgiounu.
In auuition to that, the peisona cieates a stiong yet meaningful image, by
telling us that she is "clinging to these fiim peacock lines like people who cling to
the siues of a tiain". As the peacock is the national biiu of Inuia, the image of
holuing on to the henna patteins conveys the peisona's uespeiation to
ieuiscovei hei cultuial iuentity. This is successfully achieveu thiough the use of a
simile.
Likewise, the poet successfully iecalls hei feelings of nostalgia thiough the use
of alliteiation in the "shauow-stitcheu kameez". The use of alliteiation in the
poem !"# %#&#'(# )*+,- is seluom, anu this helps to convey the peisona's
genuine sense of belonging to hei cultuie. 0sing alliteiation makes this line
memoiable to ieaueis, as it stanus out fiom otheis. Auuitionally, timing anu
imageiy of the kameez is cieateu within the ieaueis' minus.
In light of all this, the vaiious uses of peisonification, similes, metaphois,
alliteiation anu juxtaposition all contiibute in poitiaying the poet's sense of
belonging, as well as hei stiuggles in iecalling hei cultuial iuentity. All this as
well as the aigument of this essay suggests that the peisona has a ueep
uespeiation to belong to hei cultuial backgiounu.