Nadine grodimer's The train from Rhodesia
Nadine Gordimer's nobel prize speech
To sum up the speech, Nadine Gordimer is saying that humans as a species are natturally inquisitive and are constantly advancing. We always want the answer to all the questions. That we have evolved to communicate to find these answers quicker. Yet we may not be able to find these answers. This is where fantasy and myth can gives us the answers to compincate for the lack of the truth. They combine what is known and what we want to know. That writing and life go hand in hand with eachother.
Metaphorical language in The train from Rhodesia
Throughout the short story the train itself is a metaphor. Not easily-envisioned one yet a metaphor all the same. It is mentioned to be a beast. For example “the steaming complaint of the resting beast”. The use of the word beast represents the train as uncontrollable and aggressive. Also the sound of the trains whistle is an eerie sound, like the howl of a wolf. The train isnt just an out of control beast, it is like a chained beast. It was “blind and pulled helplessly” such as an oxen pulls a farmers plough.
However for all its anamalistic qualities the train is given the human qualities. An example would be when the train calls out “I'm coming” is saying that the train is able to speak, therefor giving it human qualities. The train cries out “and again there was no answer” this represents humans and how they have been calling out throughout the centuries to o avail. We called out in prayer in song and in many other ways, yet no reply from anything, other than humans, came back. The train then mocks mans forever desire for an omnipotent creator, or at least an answer.
To sum up the speech, Nadine Gordimer is saying that humans as a species are natturally inquisitive and are constantly advancing. We always want the answer to all the questions. That we have evolved to communicate to find these answers quicker. Yet we may not be able to find these answers. This is where fantasy and myth can gives us the answers to compincate for the lack of the truth. They combine what is known and what we want to know. That writing and life go hand in hand with eachother.
Metaphorical language in The train from Rhodesia
Throughout the short story the train itself is a metaphor. Not easily-envisioned one yet a metaphor all the same. It is mentioned to be a beast. For example “the steaming complaint of the resting beast”. The use of the word beast represents the train as uncontrollable and aggressive. Also the sound of the trains whistle is an eerie sound, like the howl of a wolf. The train isnt just an out of control beast, it is like a chained beast. It was “blind and pulled helplessly” such as an oxen pulls a farmers plough.
However for all its anamalistic qualities the train is given the human qualities. An example would be when the train calls out “I'm coming” is saying that the train is able to speak, therefor giving it human qualities. The train cries out “and again there was no answer” this represents humans and how they have been calling out throughout the centuries to o avail. We called out in prayer in song and in many other ways, yet no reply from anything, other than humans, came back. The train then mocks mans forever desire for an omnipotent creator, or at least an answer.