How does Zephaniahs writing vividly express views on injustic in Chant of a Homesick Nigga free essay sample

Benjamin Zephaniah expresses his views on justice toward the black community, in his poem, â€Å"Chant of a Homesick Nigga†. Zephaniah is a profound political poet and activist whom has released several poems based around the injustice surrounding the black community, including this poem. This poem is a very dark, and we get a sense of anger and rage throughout. The poem is based upon the unjust and mistreatment of the black community, and about how they community are crying out for fairness and absolute justice, and how the black community, in this case, are being put to jail for crimes they did not commit, â€Å"I have not hidden any loot†. Zephaniah uses many techniques in order to vividly express his views on the matter. One of the main techniques Zephaniah uses is his use of a free flowing structure instead of a more regular structure. This technique is subtle but very effective but it allows Zephaniah his freedom of expression, and helps him develop his thoughts more clearly. We will write a custom essay sample on How does Zephaniahs writing vividly express views on injustic in Chant of a Homesick Nigga or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page There is rhyme throughout, such as â€Å"talk† and walk†, and â€Å"downhearted† and â€Å"started†, which are included in the second stanza, yet the poem is still free flowing. This poem is irregular, but this lets Zephaniah describe his thoughts vividly, which is the main aim of this poem, so this technique is very effective. Another technique that Zephaniah used which is very powerful and very strong is the use of racist terms. Zephaniah uses terms such as â€Å"nigga†, †scum†, †coon† and â€Å"wog†, which are words that are very insulting and socially unacceptable terms in which the black community are put under. These words bring anger, and emotion into the poem, showing that they are categorized insulted by means of skin colour and race. This brings emotion by showing us how they are socially treated differently, when in fact they are exactly the same, and it shows us Zephaniah’s anger by referring to his own race in these racist terms, showing that they are treated so differently that they bring to think they are different, so this technique is very effective. Also the line, â€Å" But I won’t call you master†, is a reference to slavery, and although they call the black community racist terms, they will not get the  community to call them m aster, which shows defiance that they will not go back to the horrendous slavery times, when the community were seen as different people entirely. This reference to slavery is meant to show the people that those times are over, the people are more intelligent, but this is referring that the police force are treating the blacks differently, although they are not important, as though they are slaves. This brings a sense of regret and disappointment at the way they are subconsciously treating human beings unfairly, and Zephaniah makes this clear, he expresses his opinion very clearly by using this technique. Zephaniah uses emotive terms and sentences throughout the piece, providing a tone of helplessness and fury. â€Å"But I am weak†, shows us that the black community when held in prison are maltreated, and they are left illegally in an unfit stare, leaving them weak with no energy, which is unusual, stating the fact that this is only subjected toward the black community. â€Å"No decent fold to hear me cry†, again is another statement the shows us how the black community are being maltreated illegally and that no decent people will fight for their justice. â€Å" I need a meal or barrister to help me out, I know my rights, Now tape dis talk† is a statement that they are not been given their human rights and that they are not allowed a lawyer or barrister to fight for their justice. Also, â€Å"tape dis talk† is telling us that they are interrogating the blacks illegally by not recording the interview, meaning the interviewers can say whatever they want, and they may never be brought to justice. This adds a tone of guilt, and a sense of darkness, the darkness o how much injustice is still booming though racism. The last technique Zephaniah uses is the constant use of pronouns and the use of repetition. â€Å"I want my Mom, I want my twin†, shows us the community, or in this case the black man, is weak, so weak he is shouting childish cries which makes us develop sympathy for him. The repetition shows us that he really needs someone, that he is literally begging for someone to help him out. This develops emotion and a tone of sympathy. The use of pronouns is effective as it congregates the black community in one word. The use of â€Å"I† in the poem can refer to this singular man, but also it can refer to the black community as a whole. â€Å"I know my rights†, can refer also to the racism  that the black community face, and they know their human rights. Also â€Å" I know the truth I live in† can refer to the same subject matter; that they know, even though people may deny it, that racism is still alive and they are subjected to it constantly. This technique fences off the black community as a whole and shows that the rest of the world are subjecting the black community, as a whole, to unfair unjust. This adds a tone of separation and difference. From the discussion above, we can conclude that Zephaniah did in fact vividly express his views on justice in this poem, â€Å"Chant of a Homesick Nigga†. He uses many techniques, such as; emotive statements, repetition, pronouns as a use of collection, free-flowing structure, and the use of racist terms. The techniques Zephaniah uses provide a tone of separation, anger and desperation for justice. This shows us his opinion on justice, that even though racism is socially unaccepted, it is still alive and very prominent, that actually there is racism underlined in our police force, which is what we trust. This proves to us that even though we trust that the forces are working for us, and they are here to protect us, they are indeed corrupt and racist. Zephaniah is trying to portray the unjust that the black communities are evolved in, and he wants to show the public that they are still subjected to racism. Through all these techniques we can successfully see how Zephaniah vivid ly expresses his opinion.