Martin Niemoller and Niyi Osundare - Term Paper Example

?Section A. Martin Niemoller’s First They Came, and Niyi Osundare’s Not my Business, are both poems which clearly point out the dangers of ignoring injustice, even when it is not directed to you personally. The two poems are almost identical in background atmosphere and theme. Both poems are written against a background of authoritarian governments, where people live in fear. The military, or the state security apparatus, is obviously in control of the situation, and has absolute power. There is no personal freedom or rule of law. Anyone can be arrested suddenly, and for no valid reason, at any time of the day or night. There can be no recourse to the law, or appeal for justice. The ‘knock on the door’ can happen at any time to anyone. In both the poems, all citizens are the helpless victims of state sponsored terrorism. The government is absolutely ruthless and does not tolerate any form of dissent. The background of both poems is an atmosphere of fear. Both First They Came and Not my Business share the common theme of the impossibility of isolating oneself from injustice. It can be said that the underlying message in both the poems is the brotherhood of man. Niemoller and Osundare emphasize that no man can live in isolation from his society. What affects one man will have its repercussions on all others. No one can live in a cocoon and remain untouched by the experiences of others. If injustice is left unchecked, it will inevitably engulf everyone. The poets are united in their call for every man to speak out against injustice. Both poems urge every individual to give voice to the demand for justice and protest against wrong: even if one is not personally affected. The writers call for everyone to overcome their fear and have the courage to stand up and be counted for their convictions. If we remain passive spectators to wrongdoing, we will definitely be the next victims. The themes of the poems can be said to be almost identical. Niemoller writes from his personal experience as a protestor against Nazi rule in Hitler’s Germany, and his active opposition to state control of the church. He has actually lived the lines of his poem, having been arrested and sent to the notorious concentration camps, where he has spent seven years. The line, “Then they came for me,” is based on his real life experience. It is a true account, which was written after the fall of Nazism and his release from the camps. His poem is biographical. However, although Osundare has not been subjected to such actual arrest and imprisonment, his empathy for his countrymen makes his poem as vivid and intimate as First They Came. Osundare’s poetry is so personal, that it remains as true-to-life and genuine as Niemoller’s. Both the poems reflect their own culture. Niemoller, as a Protestant clergyman in Nazi Germany, bases his list of the various kinds of people on religion: Communists, Jews, Catholics and Socialists. This is in accordance with the anti-religious sentiments which Hitler established as part of his Nazi ideology and also with Niemoller’s strong religious identity as a churchman. Niemoller focuses on religious belief in his poem and conveys the message that one should stand up for everyone’s right to practice their own faith. On the other hand, Osundare’s poem reflects the realities of Africa, where the scarcity of resources is a fact of everyday life. Hunger is a very real threat which hangs over every person. In accordance with this fact, he focuses on food. Osundare asserts that one should speak out in defense of others, even at the cost of losing one’s daily food: represented in his poem by the humble yam. It is clear that Not my Business is based in a country where poverty is widespread. The names used by Osundare, and the mention of yam as a staple food, also speak of Africa. The writers use similar forms in their poems. First They Came and Not my Business both have short stanzas and are not lengthy. However, Osundare’s indentation of the repetitive lines forms a kind of chorus, while Niemoller’s lines remain straight. Both use the technique of repetition to emphasize the silence they warn against. Niemoller’s “And I didn’t speak up,” and Osundare’s “What business of mine is it?” echo the same sentiment, and serve as the repetitive lines of the poems. Both poems do not use rhyme. In both, the early stanzas deal with the experiences of others. It is in the last stanza of the two poems that the poets use the personal point of view and get involved in the action of the narrative. Another similarity in the two poems lies in the use of euphemisms. Niemoller confines himself to the words “they came,” and Osundare talks of beatings, sacking, and absences. Neither of the writers describes in detail what follows after the victims are arrested and taken away. It is left to the readers’ imagination and adds to the tone of terror of the poems. However, there are many differences in the language used by the poets. Niemoller’s language is more formal and rather rigid. He uses very few words and all the sentences are complete. In contrast, Osundare uses a very informal, colloquial style. It is more like a spoken piece, with incomplete sentences and idiomatic speech. Niemoller’s victims are abstract religious groups, whom he does not identify as individuals, while Osundare depicts intimate personalities, and gives them names. Akkani, Danladi and Chinwe give the impression of being personally acquainted with him. First They Came is brief and to the point and there are no descriptions or images. On the other hand, Not my Business is full of smiles and metaphors. Osundare uses personification (the hand and the lawn) and paints detailed pictures of the action. Not my Business is more of a song than a poem, while First They Came cannot be said to have any music. It is very plain when compared with Not my Business. The strongest similarity between First They Came and Not my Business lies in their message. Niemoller and Osundare clearly sound a warning about ignoring the injustice done to others. In both the poems, the narrators ignore the arrests and injustices going on all around. The same attitude of ‘All this has nothing to do with me. Why should I get involved?’ is the characteristic tone which runs through both the poems until the last stanza. Niemoller and Osundare both emphasize that the consequence of such an attitude will be the unchecked spread of injustice until it swallows the entire society. There is no way for an individual to avoid being touched by the experiences of others. Rising to the defense of others is the best way to defend ourselves from injustice. United action can defeat even the most authoritarian forces. Section B. 506 Country Lane, North Baysville, CA 53286 March 25, 2011. Dear Aunt Lily, Hope this letter of mine finds you in the best of health and spirits. The past few months must have been a difficult time for you. I heard that Helen was in a lot of pain towards the end, and was almost completely bedridden, but remained as mentally alert as ever, even at the ripe old age of eighty-six! Her death has been a merciful release from pain. Her insistence on remaining at home throughout her illness must be a reaction to her bad experience with the nursing home ten years ago, when she broke her hip. It is not easy to take care of an invalid at home, especially someone as particular as Helen. Mother would often tell us about Helen’s insistence on arranging things ‘just so,’ and her rigidity on most matters. Mother insisted that Jack had been the only one who could make Helen a little tolerant, and his death had made her absolutely set in her ways. I have fond memories of our family get-togethers at Christmas all those years ago: it is such a pity that distance, and circumstances, have put a stop to those gatherings. Helen would always slip us children a couple of dollars when we said goodbye. She was one of those old-school personalities who we can now find only in the pages of books. Anyway, the entire burden of her care has been shouldered by you. We all agree that only you, with your kind heart and patience, would have been capable of nursing her for six months. It was great to hear that you are the major beneficiary of Helen’s will. No one deserves it more than you, Aunt Lily. We all know that you have been accustomed to living within a very small income. Your sense of independence, and refusal to accept any financial aid from your siblings, has always impressed me (although Mother was often exasperated by what she called your “cussedness!”). You will be perfectly content to continue with your past way of life. However, it would be a pity if Helen’s gift to you was to be wasted. And wasted it will be, if you just let it lie unused. Money is a wonderful thing to have, Aunt Helen! At long last, the luck you have always deserved has made you wealthy. Do accept it gladly and make the most of it. Believe me, we all agree that it couldn’t have happened to a better person than you, and we are so happy for you! We all hope that you will use a sizable part of the considerable sum Helen has left you to make your home comfortable. Now is the time for you to get all those major repairs done: especially the heating and the plumbing. I remember the draught in winter, and the line of us waiting to use the only bathroom which had hot water! How about indulging your wish to have a landscaped garden, complete with an ornamental pond, in the backyard? Of course, knowing how thrifty and far-sighted you have always been, I’m sure you realize the importance of putting away a little nest egg for the future. This is particularly essential in view of the spiraling cost of health care these days. I have a friend on Wall Street who would be willing to advise you in this regard. Perhaps I could arrange for Walter to meet you? He has an excellent reputation in his field and, as one of my closest friends, can be trusted to give you reliable advice on safe investments. I believe the best approach would be to distribute your money in a kind of ‘basket,’ which includes stocks and shares, fixed deposits and some liquid assets, to provide for all contingencies. There is one other thing I hope you do, now that you have the means: make your dreams of travel a reality. I have seen the stacks of magazines, travel books and pamphlets which crowd the bookshelf in your bedroom, and know that visiting Europe has always been the dream of a lifetime for you. You have often joked about being ‘an armchair traveler.’ Now is your chance to visit Paris and Rome in the flesh! I can picture you, with your passion for art, inspecting every inch of the Louvre, and standing before Michelangelo’s David in Florence. You can bring me one of those quaint little cow bells as a souvenir from Switzerland! If there’s one thing you deserve right now, Aunt Lily, it is a long holiday. Mother said that you looked very tired at the funeral and definitely needed a break. You could even throw in a Mediterranean cruise and have a lazy time at sea. Go for it, Aunt Lily! Having said all this, I am going to go a step further. Knowing your generosity of spirit and kindness, this is probably totally unnecessary. However, you have been my closest childhood confidant among my relatives, and I have always felt free to tell you anything. So, Aunt Lily, once your needs have been met, and the future made financially secure, what do you think about becoming a philanthropist? I can see you laughing at the pomposity of the word, but, believe me, I am absolutely serious! You may not yet have grasped the substantial size of the sum of money you have at your disposal. You are now in a position to do a lot of good. I know that you will inevitably make a considerable contribution to the Church fund, but there is a lot more that you can do, on a much larger scale, once you have renovated the church. How about funding research on Alzheimer’s? Mother has often told us of how painful it was to see Granny battle with the disease over the years. I’m sure all of you have been deeply affected by that experience. In a related area of concern, patients suffering from terminal illnesses often require monetary aid. There are several trusts which are concerned with pain and palliative care that would appreciate your help. I also know how passionate you are about education, always insisting that it is education which makes the difference in life. I have done some voluntary work with an NGO which deals with the up gradation of inner city schools in poor neighborhoods. Knowing your little soft corner for children (you are the ‘favorite aunt’ for a generation of children in our family!), you may like to contribute to ensuring that underprivileged children get a fair chance of a good education. I won’t trouble you with any more advice, Aunt Lily. I hope you do not think it presumptuous of me to make these suggestions. But, knowing you, I think I am doing the right thing. Take care of yourself. Do let me know if you would like me to set up a meeting with Walter for you. And always remember, Aunt Lily that we are all there for you, and will be happy to help you with anything. With warm regards. Your loving niece, Susan P.S. I hope to be saying ‘Bon Voyage’ to you soon!! Read More