Africa by David Diop

TONE
There are several tone used in the peon Africa. The first is PROUD. The tone used is proud
because the persona of the poem has been calling out the name of his motherland. He called it
several times to give emphasis to the word and he even claimed it using the word “my” even
though he never been there and only heard about it from the song of his grandmother. He
described it as the land of proud warriors of ancestral savannahs.
Second, the persona is GRIEVEING. He’s feeling a poignant grief because of what happened to
his motherland… he mentioned in his poem that the people in Africa had been colonized, slaved,
humiliated and tortured for a long period of time by the ruthless and merciless colonizers. Lastly,
the third tone used in the poem HOPEFUL. The persona is hopeful that someday Africa will bit
by bit emancipate from the control of other people. That someday they will triumph in acquiring
the bitter taste of liberty.

THEME
The theme of the poem is “the hope of emancipation of Africans and acquiring the bitter taste of
liberty.” The poem revealed all the injustices done to the Africans. However, because of the love
of the people to their country, that nevertheless of the humiliation and sufferings they have come
to experience, they will raise up patiently and obstinately.

SPEAKER
The speaker or the persona of the poem is the writer itself, Mr. David Diop. He is an African
poet and known for his Involvement in the negritude movement in France. In his poem Africa,
his motive is to give a message of hope resistance to the people of the continent. He also used the
first person point of view to show his support and patriotism to his beloved country.

Escribir, Erika Jaye M.

BSEDE IV-I

Africa
Africa my Africa
Africa of proud warriors in ancestral savannahs
Africa of whom my grandmother sings
On the banks of the distant river
I have never known you
But your blood flows in my veins
Your beautiful black blood that irrigates the fields
The blood of your sweat
The sweat of your work
The work of your slavery
Africa, tell me Africa
Is this your back that is unbent
This back that never breaks under the weight of humilation
This back trembling with red scars
And saying no to the whip under the midday sun
But a grave voice answers me
Impetuous child that tree, young and strong
That tree over there
Splendidly alone amidst white and faded flowers
That is your Africa springing up anew
springing up patiently, obstinately
Whose fruit bit by bit acquires
The bitter taste of liberty.