Telephone Conversation Wole Soyinka Wole Soyinka A Nigerian

Telephone Conversation Wole Soyinka /

Wole Soyinka • A Nigerian Writer ( born 1934) • Wrote Poems, plays, dramas and essays. • Influenced by J. M. Synge and focussed on mythologies of his own people. • Awarded Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986.

Source: http: //multicultclassics. blogspot. in/2010/11/8168 -racism-is-alive-andwell. html

Summary • • • Poem begins on a positive note • Speaker reveals his identity and tells the landlady that he is an African American • • The confession follows self controlled silence at the other end The title suggests conversation between two people. Man searching for a house and landlady offering the house at a considerable price. The Landlady forgets about all formalities and asks him to explain how dark he is.

Summary Cont … • The man is dumbfounded when she repeats the question and emphasizes …LIGHT OR VERY DARK. • He presses buttons A and B wondering at the pubic booth. • The lady insists on finding how dark the colour of his skin is. • Controlling his anger, he tells her that the colour of his face is brunette, that of his palms and soles is peroxide blond and that of his bottom is raven black. • The sarcasm reaches its peak when the man asks the lady to personally verify his colour.

Introduction to the Poem Soyinka’s telephone conversation portrays a conversation between a white landlady and a prospective black tenant who is an African American which throws an unsympathetic light on the racism and discrimination which grips society. The poem abounds in Irony and sarcasm Source: http: //www. examiner. com/article/racism-and-the-political-right-alesson-for-immigrants

Language and Tone used in the Poem: • The poet uses different techniques like word choice, repetition, direct speech etc to expose how the African American were discriminated. • The choice of words by Soyinka are remarkable and arresting • The tone is satirical and at times comical. .

Comments: • “Soyinka’s Style is urbane and sardonic in such masterly poems as ‘ Telephone Conversation’ which decide racial prejudices”- John. F. Povey

Questions 1. 2. 3. 4. What is the “self-confession” that the speaker makes? 5. 6. Do you find the tenant's response justifiable? Why does the speaker ask the landlady to see his palm and sole? What does the poem tell us about the landlady and the speaker? How does the speaker express his resentment at the landlady’s question? Comment on Wole Soyinka’s use of satire to express the anger of the. Blacks.

Thank You