Not My Business

The poem Not my business is about a person who tries to delay detached of the recurring violence caused by the military and does not care about others suffering as long as he is not affected. It is a dramatic monologue by the Nigerian Niyi Osundare who uses the cashier to convey his opinion that injustice should push people to immix and fight against together. It is supposed to reflect the Nigerian society but can be applied to any part of the world where people refuse to rise up against injustices.In this poem, the poet has used a bank clerk to convey his opinion towards the socio-political environment. The narrators tone in this poem is selfishly unconcerned about his friends and neighbors suffering and oppression as long as his flavour is unaffected, thus reflecting the title Not my business. Ironically, disrespect his belief that if he does not involve himself in these tragedies he impart not be affected, he himself is shoot downn away at the end of the poem. The poet c onveys his feelings towards the socio-political environment through Akannis arrest. They picked Akanni up one morning. In this opening sentence, the military are deliberately depersonalized through the bleak use of the word They, because a mysterious and potent force is much more ominous and menacing than a jazzn one. Furthermore the narrators emotionless and detached tone is obvious from the very start. He converses casually as if he is talking about something inconsequential such as the brave out which draws an angry response from the audience reflecting the poets own feelings.The poet presents the narrators beliefs as disgusting and repulsive in the refrain in an attempt to dissuade people from go worry him. The narrator does not care about other people so long as they dont take the yam from my savoring mouth? The yam symbolizes the narrators life and the fact that he doesnt care about other peoples suffering as long as he can enjoy his life. Also the word savor suggests th at the narrator is selfish and greedy. The poet does this to discourage people from becoming like the narrator, it is withal a call for them to unite and work together to end injustice and oppression.Niyi Osundare expresses his views on the socio-political situation through the dismissal of Chinwe. She went to work lonesome(prenominal) to find her job foregone, no query, no warning, no probe. The fact that people are unsafe even in their jobs cements the fear of them (the military) because their menacing manoeuvre extend to more than just violence. Anyone who opposes them or speaks out pull up stakes be punished. Also, the lack of procedure in dismissing an employee further highlights the oppressive nature of the military as they take peoples rights without even trying to justify themselves.This is underlined by the repetition of the word no three times. Furthermore, the fact that Chinwes job is gone further emphasizes the militarys cold and merciless nature as she will have no way of supporting herself again emphasizing that we should unite and fight against tyranny and oppression. The poet conveys his opinions on the socio-political situation through his description of the narrators end. The narrator sat down to eat yam, a knock on the door froze my hungry hand the jeep was waiting on my bewildered lawn, waiting, waiting in its usual silence.The ending is ironic as the narrator believed that as long as he stayed detached from everything his life would not get affected. However, this is not the case which is revealed by the description of the lawn as bewildered as an echo of his own surprised feelings that the military have come for him. Furthermore, the repetition of the word waiting is used deliberately to create tension and reminds us of the vulturine and beast-like jeep in the first stanza. The poem Nothings changed which is set in post-apartheid South Africa also shows how oppression and injustices can occur.It was written by Tatamkhulu Afrika as a n observation of how, despite Nelson Mandelas party overthrowing the racist apartheid party, the situation for black South Africans has not changed. The poet uses a narrator in a dramatic monologue to convey his gloominess which later turns to anger because of the oppression and injustice blacks are subjected to while whites live a lavish, luxurious life. It is also implied ominously that if change does not occur, violence will spread throughout the country. Tatamkhulu Afrika conveys his opinion towards the socio-political environment through his use of language in the first stanza. Hard stones click, weeds and trodden on all reveal his anger at how district 6 has become a hostile wasteland. It also shows his anger at the Apartheid government as they destroyed his home and roots. Furthermore, the use of alliteration and aggressive consonants like sss help to convey his fury towards the oppression and injustice that the black race is still suffering from.The poet further reveals hi s views on the socio-political environment through his revelation of the narrators bruise and longing for his home. District 6. The short sentence helps to emphasize the narrators longing and disappointment at how his home was destroyed. Also, the fact that the line is end stopped and isolated helps mirror the fact that District 6 itself was isolated from the rest of the city due to its harbouring many people of different races. The poet goes on to show his feelings towards the socio-political development through the narrators connection with the land. The repetition of the word my and his constant references to his body and organs help reveal the poets own feelings.The fact that the narrator uses the word my and keeps repeat it shows that he views the land as more than just a place to eat and sleep, he needs it to survive, it is part of his identity. In addition to this, the description of his eye as hot, white, emphasizes the intensity of his anger and gives the idea that he is a lmost going mad because of it. Furthermore, the image of his eyes turning inwards is quite grotesque and sorry which shows how terrible his anger is because it is ca using him pain and discomfort.Also, it also shows the transition from his disappointment into anger. Tatamkhulu Afrika conveys his views towards the socio-political environment through his description of the whites only inn. The people in that location are expound as squatters and the inn itself are new, up market, with incipient Port Jackson trees. The fact that the whites are described as squatters helps portray them as if they are on that point illegally and it also helps create the image that they are defouling the land with their racist actions.Also, the fact that Port Jackson trees, found on the other side of the seacoast of South Africa, are shipped all the way to this white inn emphasizes the luxury and lavishness that the whites live in contrasting the poor state of District 6 and working mens cafe. The po et reveals his feelings towards the socio-political environment through the narrators tone about the whites only inn. He says No sign says it is but we know where we belong. The first verse echoes District 6 of the second stanza no board says it is which emphasizes the fact that aught really has changed about the black peoples situation.In addition to this, the narrator is being cynical and ironic about how he knows it is a whites only inn and he will not enter. He bitterly pretends that he will follow the rules and not enter the inn which informs the reader about his resentful and angry attitude towards the situation. The poet also shows his views towards the socio-political development through his description of black alimentation areas. Down the road, bunny chows. Take it with you eat, wipe your fingers on your jeans its in the bone. The narrator is now presentation the guards implied meaning that blacks should eat from the working mans cafe and not from this luxurious inn.It further emphasizes that despite the change in the government, there is still oppression and injustice on the blacks behalf reflecting the title Nothings changed. Furthermore, wipe your fingers on your jeans, its in the bone. shows that the whites do not think the blacks are as civilized as they are which is shown as the guard tells the narrator to wipe his fingers on his jeans instead of washing or using a tissue. Tatamkhulu Afrika expresses his views on the socio-political environment in the final stanza through the description of the narrators feelings. I back away from the glass, boy again, hands singe for a stone, a bomb, to shiver down the glass. The narrator describes his hands as burning for a bomb to destroy the inn which shows how intense his anger is and how it is push him to violence. Also, the narrator describes himself as a boy again as if the situation is exactly the same as when he was a child which further emphasises that nothing has changed for the black situatio n. To conclude, Niyi Osundare conveys his opinions on the socio-political situation through his descriptions of Akannis arrest, Chinwes dismissal, the narrators arrest and his portrayal of the narrator.I believe that Niyi Osundare is completely correct in his opinion that people should unite to end injustice and oppression. I think this because if everyone thought only about themselves then they would be easy to capture and control. However, a large group of people are harder to stop and are stronger as a group than as divided entities. Also, to conclude Nothings changed, Tatamkhulu Afrika conveys his views on the socio-political environment through his description of how District 6 became a wasteland, the luxury whites live in and the contrast between white eating areas and black eating areas.The poet wrote the poem to emphasise that if change does not come soon, violence will spread throughout the country. I disagree with the poets opinion that violence should be used to bring abo ut changes. I can empathize with the writer because my own country, Algeria, went through a political election where one party win but it was not accepted so violence tore the country apart. Therefore, I know personally that violence will not solve the caper but will only escalate it and cause the death and suffering of thousands of people.