Where There's A Wall Analysis

When I read Joy Kogawa’s poem, “Where There’s a Wall,” for the first time, my initial impression was that the title was a metaphor for breaking free, where the wall represents conformity that can be overcome in several various ways; the phrase “Where there’s a wall there’s a way through a gate or door. There’s even a ladder,” indicate the various methods a person can conquer a wall. The message of the poem illustrates that people have many options to live their lives; some may opt to be loud and intense, and some may be more meek and reserved. A person could choose deafening violence, as depicted through the words, “methods of torture,” and “zeppelins, helicopters, rockets, bombs, battering rams.” Another option is the sneaky, quiet rebellion,