Crichton Smith's 'That Ethnic Differences Should'
THAT ETHNIC DIFFERENCES SHOULD
Similar to the idea of religion as a manifestation of exile in various stanzas within ‘The TV’, Crichton Smith’s poem ‘That Ethnic Differences Should’ highlights the poets personal feelings about religion as a whole and the extremity at which those go to in order to stay faithful to their God. Crichton Smith talks about his belief that God is the enemy, in which He promotes and encourages the most extensive variation of exile where people distance themselves from other cultures, ethnicities and religions in order to keep the peace between themselves and their idea of God. Through this suggestion, it can be interpreted that those who do suffer from this particular type of exile are then distanced from others and …show more content…
Crichton Smith uses this to show that the influence of others and the present and overbearing societal norms then overpower the strength of individuality and independence. [will probably need to brainstorm more]
OLD WOMAN
Tying in with the religious similarities in ‘That Ethnic Differences Should’, Iain Crichton Smith’s ‘Old Woman’ exhibits themes of religion while focussing on death as the very final manifestation of exile. The poem follows a woman close to death and her husband’s final fight at keeping her alive. His prayers to God only strengthen Crichton Smith’s personal views and opinions of religion itself – where not even God can stop the finality of death, that death, ultimately, is an inevitable aspect of life.
“And she, being, old, fed from a mashed plate as an old mare might droop across a fence to the dull pastures of its ignorance.
Her husband held her upright as he
Similar to the idea of religion as a manifestation of exile in various stanzas within ‘The TV’, Crichton Smith’s poem ‘That Ethnic Differences Should’ highlights the poets personal feelings about religion as a whole and the extremity at which those go to in order to stay faithful to their God. Crichton Smith talks about his belief that God is the enemy, in which He promotes and encourages the most extensive variation of exile where people distance themselves from other cultures, ethnicities and religions in order to keep the peace between themselves and their idea of God. Through this suggestion, it can be interpreted that those who do suffer from this particular type of exile are then distanced from others and …show more content…
Crichton Smith uses this to show that the influence of others and the present and overbearing societal norms then overpower the strength of individuality and independence. [will probably need to brainstorm more]
OLD WOMAN
Tying in with the religious similarities in ‘That Ethnic Differences Should’, Iain Crichton Smith’s ‘Old Woman’ exhibits themes of religion while focussing on death as the very final manifestation of exile. The poem follows a woman close to death and her husband’s final fight at keeping her alive. His prayers to God only strengthen Crichton Smith’s personal views and opinions of religion itself – where not even God can stop the finality of death, that death, ultimately, is an inevitable aspect of life.
“And she, being, old, fed from a mashed plate as an old mare might droop across a fence to the dull pastures of its ignorance.
Her husband held her upright as he