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Invisible Border
ALOOTOOK IPELLIE
Walking Both
Sides of an
Invisible Border
By: Alootook Ipellie
Analysis
When I first read this poem my original thoughts about it was it was about breaking free from the system and
holding onto what you have left, his fancy dancing. But after looking into Alootook and some of his artwork
and listening to recitations of this poem, I realized its actually about how the Inuit peoples are being forced
into a governmental society. Its about how they are constantly walking along a border separating the two
opposing cultures trying to hold on to what they have even when its difficult.
Is like having been sentenced to a torture chamber without having committed a crime - This line is referring
to how living as an Inuit can be a living hell sometimes and how they are constantly trying to fight the system
for their rights.
So I am left to fend for myself walking in two different worlds trying my best to make sense of two opposing
cultures which are unable to integrate lest they swallow one another whole - When he wrote this line to me
its saying how difficult it is to try to keep both cultures happy while they are fighting each other.
Classmates Opinions
This poem has nice flow and it tells a
very long story in a little amount of
words. It is kind of hard to follow but it
has a nice rhythm to it. It makes me
think of how many different people can
be jam packed into one body.
~Gracie Smith
Literary Devices
And for the rest of my life is like having been sentenced to a torture chamber (Lines 12-14) - In this line
Alootook used Simile because they are not actually sentenced to a torture chamber, it is just so difficult
for them it feels as though they have been.
Destiny acted itself out (Line 44)- Since destiny is an inanimate object, this line has Personification in it
for it could not actually act itself out.
Walking in two different worlds (Line 48) - This is an example of a Metaphor because he is not actually
walking in two different worlds although it may feel like it, he is still in the same world just different
cultures.
Lest they swallow one another whole (Line 52) - Another example of Personification because the two
worlds could not physically swallow one another whole.
All throughout the poem the use of repetition was used especially when referring to his left and right foot.
Work Cited
"Alootook Ipellie." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2016. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alootook_Ipellie
"Walking Both Sides of an Invisible Border." Poetry In Voice. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2016.
http://www.poetryinvoice.com/poems/walking-both-sides-invisible-border
"Alootook Ipellie - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia." Alchetron.com. N.p., 2014. Web. 26 Sept. 2016. http://alchetron.com/Alootook-Ipellie-1038493-W
"Alootook Ipellie." Poetry In Voice. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2016. http://www.poetryinvoice.com/poets/alootook-ipellie
@AdAstraComics. "Arctic Dreams and Nightmares: Into the Art of Alootook Ipellie." |. N.p., 2015. Web. 26 Sept. 2016.
https://adastracomix.com/2014/04/04/arctic-dreams-and-nightmares-the-incredible-political-cartoons-of-alootook-ipellie/
"Foot Prints Pictures." Cliparts. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2016. http://cliparts.co/foot-prints-pictures