Monday 9 December 2013
Tone and Themes
Themes:
Industrialization: "All spaces are gridded", this suggests that the 'cities' that are well organised and planned.
Control over nature: "Anesthesia, amnesia, hypnosis" - It could be interpreted in two ways, either the poet is angry about industrialization and that he feels that 'the planners' are controlling what the people think and do which influences nature negatively. However, if we interpret this in another way, he could be implying that if we have give some faith in technology and science, we could find a cure for the diseases which come with nature.
"Even the sea draws back and the skies surrender" - He talks about how we are over powering nature which once humans deemed impossible to do.
Past vs. present: "the blemishes of the past", "fossils of last century" - They are trying to cover up for something that they had done previously and Cheung is unhappy about this, especially since he seems like he is trying to call them out on this and resisting the movement of industrialization and change.
Deception: "plugged with gleaming gold" - implies that 'they' are trying to cover their flaws by using beauties of nature even though 'gold' still needs to be refined through technology.
Western vs. Eastern ideas: "Not a single drop to stain the blueprint of our past's tomorrow" - This suggests a more Asian culture where people have a collective state of mind and do things for the best of the society as a whole. However, this is contrasted by the western ideas of "mathematics" and science.
This also relates to how he is half asian and half western, where he feels conflicted between the two cultures.
The Poet - Boey Kim Cheng
Boey Kim Cheng, born in Singapore in 1965 where he later received his bachelor and masters degree at the National University of Singapore. He is of Chinese Descent.
Boey Kim Cheng wrote "The Planners" after moving to Sydney, Australia in 1996.
Cheng is suggesting that Singapore is losing its cultural value due to technological progress - he explores the two aspects of progress where some respect scientific progress while others respect culture growth. Additionally, Cheng somewhat indicates that Singapore is a controlling and inhuman state through "But my heart would not bleed/poetry" implies that art and modern progress of technology cannot co-exist together. Also, perhaps this highlights how technology is destroying the uniqueness of culture and nature in each different country all around the world.
The structure of the poem (if seen in the landscape view) pictures a skyline of Sydney/Singapore/any developing city that could be found nowadays.
Boey Kim Cheng wrote "The Planners" after moving to Sydney, Australia in 1996.
Cheng is suggesting that Singapore is losing its cultural value due to technological progress - he explores the two aspects of progress where some respect scientific progress while others respect culture growth. Additionally, Cheng somewhat indicates that Singapore is a controlling and inhuman state through "But my heart would not bleed/poetry" implies that art and modern progress of technology cannot co-exist together. Also, perhaps this highlights how technology is destroying the uniqueness of culture and nature in each different country all around the world.
The structure of the poem (if seen in the landscape view) pictures a skyline of Sydney/Singapore/any developing city that could be found nowadays.
Language Analysis Stanzas 1 & 3
"blueprints"
"not a single drop to stain the blueprint of our past's tomorrow" - Shows that however much the people are forced to bleed, the past will not be forgotten, however, suggests that plans are put in for a new age "blueprints" and suggests that the plan will go on, no matter how much they have to do, a very ordered and built plan. It also implies that the plan has been in the works for a long time, for a plan to leave the past behind, as a clear division of the past and the vision of the planners for the future, that the past will be destroyed for the future to take place
"back"
"sea draws back and the sky surrenders" - Pushing nature back, humanity is powerful enough to overcome the most primal and destructive forces of nature, suggests that humans are in war with nature for dominance, humans have expanded not only in the land but also the 'seas' and 'sky' as well. However "draws back" suggest that the seas may return to destroy humanity, humanity is fragile to the elements - links to global warming, as humans are being seen to be destroying nature, as the power of nature grows more fierce and powerful.
"build"
Lots of plosive sounds e.g. "plan" "build" - Shows the anger of the poet against the planners, shows the violent and destructive power of the movement verbs for destruction, due to their loud sound, makes it sound similar to the instruments of the planner for example drills, however, some chaos still seeps in, as "build" implies control and chaos, due to the cacophony of sounds that would accompany it, but also could imply the violent process of physically drilling into the ground and propping up foundations for control, and implies a dual nature, with chaos forming order
"grace"
Mathematical imagery i.e. "buildings are in alignment with the roads" "desired points linked by bridges" "grace of mathematics" - shows how perfect and powerful the 'planners' are, and their power is constructed out of order and mathematics, against the chaos of nature, shows them playing god. "grace" implies that is the source of their power, the mathematics that link everything, ordered and structured equations, similar to an omnipresent view with the power to change the land. Grace is also usually opposed to mathematics, as math is usually seen to be structured, while grace can be seen as free, however both can be seen as a form of perfection
No mention of humans but only 'They' indicating and mocking that humans are ignorant for accepting it. And also removing himself from them to show how he is resenting the fact that the people are following blindly.
"not a single drop to stain the blueprint of our past's tomorrow" - Shows that however much the people are forced to bleed, the past will not be forgotten, however, suggests that plans are put in for a new age "blueprints" and suggests that the plan will go on, no matter how much they have to do, a very ordered and built plan. It also implies that the plan has been in the works for a long time, for a plan to leave the past behind, as a clear division of the past and the vision of the planners for the future, that the past will be destroyed for the future to take place
"back"
"sea draws back and the sky surrenders" - Pushing nature back, humanity is powerful enough to overcome the most primal and destructive forces of nature, suggests that humans are in war with nature for dominance, humans have expanded not only in the land but also the 'seas' and 'sky' as well. However "draws back" suggest that the seas may return to destroy humanity, humanity is fragile to the elements - links to global warming, as humans are being seen to be destroying nature, as the power of nature grows more fierce and powerful.
"build"
Lots of plosive sounds e.g. "plan" "build" - Shows the anger of the poet against the planners, shows the violent and destructive power of the movement verbs for destruction, due to their loud sound, makes it sound similar to the instruments of the planner for example drills, however, some chaos still seeps in, as "build" implies control and chaos, due to the cacophony of sounds that would accompany it, but also could imply the violent process of physically drilling into the ground and propping up foundations for control, and implies a dual nature, with chaos forming order
"grace"
Mathematical imagery i.e. "buildings are in alignment with the roads" "desired points linked by bridges" "grace of mathematics" - shows how perfect and powerful the 'planners' are, and their power is constructed out of order and mathematics, against the chaos of nature, shows them playing god. "grace" implies that is the source of their power, the mathematics that link everything, ordered and structured equations, similar to an omnipresent view with the power to change the land. Grace is also usually opposed to mathematics, as math is usually seen to be structured, while grace can be seen as free, however both can be seen as a form of perfection
No mention of humans but only 'They' indicating and mocking that humans are ignorant for accepting it. And also removing himself from them to show how he is resenting the fact that the people are following blindly.
Structural Analysis
-Repetition of 'They' : sense of accusation towards society, blaming them for the acceptance of Westernisation/industrialisation. By not including himself through the word 'I', he separated himself from the development of these cities/countries/ place and people.
-Caesura at the beginning of the poem: The stops shows how "they" are filled with future possibilities as they introduce the idea of conformity. The fullstops are quite forced as well which accentuates the idea of controlling.
-Enjambment through out the poem: especially after the caesura which shows that the places are trying to break free or the 'System' is falling apart OR Asian countries are trying to quickly catch up with western countries.
-The fact that there are no real patterns and rules of structure of the poem contradicts the content of the poem. Introducing the 'system' as there are no actual system before industrialization. Introduce at first the 'system' but then falling apart, but then trying to put them back together.
Language Analysis Stanza 2
Medical Imagery- 'Anaesthesia, Amnesia'
Medical/ Psychological Imagery- 'Hypnosis''All gaps are being plugged with gleaming gold'- 'gaps'- the flaws
'They erase the flaws, the blemishes of the past' - Plastic Surgery- makes you feel better about your self but at the same time you haven't got rid of them and you're only hiding them- losing full potential- 'stepping in to someones shoes'
'So history is new again' - building your own identity, a second draft
'knock off useless blocks with dental dexterity'- getting rid of all the irrelevant things, metaphor- a dentist pulling out your (bad) teeth.
'the country wears perfect row of shining teeth'- personification- 'perfect' and 'wear'- the outside is pretty but within is the complete opposite- wearing the perfect row to hide the flaws. Mention of only one country- individuality- standing out.
'hypnosis'- brainwashing, implanting an idea in your mind- changing the way you think
'amnesia'- forgets about the past- starting anew- getting rid of the old and moving forward, caused by trauma to the head-
'anaesthesia'- links to the pervious statement of plastic surgery, hiding the pain- hiding the flaws, anaesthesia is given to you a by anaesthetist.
Poem
They plan. They build. All spaces are gridded,
filled with permutations of possibilities.
The buildings are in alignment with the roads
which meet at desired points
linked by bridges all hang
in the grace of mathematics.
They build and will not stop.
Even the sea draws back
and the skies surrender.
They erase the flaws,
the blemishes of the past,
knock off useless blocks with dental dexterity.
All gaps are plugged with gleaming gold.
The country wears perfect rows of shining teeth.
Anaesthesia,amnesia, hypnosis.
They have the means.
They have it all so it will not hurt,
so history is new again. The piling will not stop.
The drilling goes right through the fossils of last century.
But my heart would not bleed
poetry. Not a single drop
to stain the blueprint
of our past’s tomorrow.
filled with permutations of possibilities.
The buildings are in alignment with the roads
which meet at desired points
linked by bridges all hang
in the grace of mathematics.
They build and will not stop.
Even the sea draws back
and the skies surrender.
They erase the flaws,
the blemishes of the past,
knock off useless blocks with dental dexterity.
All gaps are plugged with gleaming gold.
The country wears perfect rows of shining teeth.
Anaesthesia,amnesia, hypnosis.
They have the means.
They have it all so it will not hurt,
so history is new again. The piling will not stop.
The drilling goes right through the fossils of last century.
But my heart would not bleed
poetry. Not a single drop
to stain the blueprint
of our past’s tomorrow.
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