Thematic Study of the poem 'You Laughed and Laughed and Laughed' by Gabriel Okara
Name - Himanshi Parmar
Semester - 4 (Four)
Roll Number - 8
Email. Id. - himanshiparmar3004@gmail.com
Enrollment number - 4069206420210025
Paper number - 206
Paper name - The African Literature
Subject Code - 22413
What is Theme?
According to the Oxford Dictionary, Theme is the subject of a talk, a piece of writing or a work of art.
Another definition given by Merriam Webster dictionary, Theme is a subject or topic of discourse or of artistic representation. Or a specific and distinctive quality, characteristic, or concern.
Theme refers to the central idea or underlying message that runs throughout a work of art, literature, film, or any other form of creative expression. It is the fundamental concept or motif that the author or creator is trying to convey through their work.
In literature, for example, the theme is the universal idea or concept that the author wants to communicate to the reader through their story. It is often expressed indirectly through the characters, setting, plot, and other literary elements. Some common themes in literature include love, betrayal, redemption, loss, and the human condition.
The theme of a work is not the same as the plot or storyline. While the plot is the sequence of events that make up the narrative, the theme is the underlying meaning or message behind those events. Themes can be implicit or explicit, meaning they may be stated outright or inferred through the work. Some themes may be universal, while others may be specific to a particular culture or time period. They can also evolve and change over time as societal norms and values shift.
About the poem 'You Laughed and Laughed and Laughed' by Gabriel Okara
"You Laughed and Laughed and Laughed" is a powerful poem by Gabriel Okara, a Nigerian writer and poet. The poem is a scathing satire on the Western perspective of superiority over Africans. Through the use of striking imagery and poetic devices, Okara paints a picture of the emptiness and absurdity of Western culture, which values material possessions and status over true human relationships.
One of the prominent themes in the poem is racism. Okara highlights the racial prejudices held by the Western people towards Africans. The speaker in the poem portrays Westerners as arrogant and shallow, who derive their sense of superiority from their material wealth and possessions. The poem reveals how racism is used to justify this superiority and how it can lead to a dehumanization of those who are considered inferior.
the poem also explores themes such as cultural conflict, modernism, colonialism, and nationalism. Okara suggests that the Western culture has been imposed on African societies through colonialism, leading to a clash of cultural values. The poem portrays the modern Western culture as shallow and devoid of real human connections, while the traditional African culture is characterized by a sense of community and interconnectedness.
The poem is divided into nine stanzas, each with its own unique message. Through the use of vivid imagery and poetic devices such as repetition and symbolism, Okara conveys the emptiness and absurdity of Western culture. The poem's message is clear - true human connection cannot be found in material possessions and status, but in genuine relationships with others.
Thus,, "You Laughed and Laughed and Laughed" is a powerful poem that critiques the Western perspective of superiority over Africans. The poem explores themes such as racism, cultural conflict, modernism, colonialism, and nationalism, and portrays the emptiness and absurdity of Western culture. Through Okara's masterful use of poetic devices, the poem urges us to value true human connection over material possessions and status.
About Gabriel Okara
Gabriel Okara was a Nigerian writer and poet who played a significant role in shaping the African literary scene. Born in 1921 in Bumodi, Nigeria, Okara started his career as a civil servant before dedicating himself to writing full time. He is considered one of the founding fathers of modern African literature and is celebrated for his works that reflect the experiences of Africans during colonialism and post-colonialism.
Okara's writing style was characterized by a unique blend of traditional African storytelling and modernist techniques. His use of imagery, symbolism, and themes that reflected the cultural and historical experiences of African people made his work stand out. His debut novel, "The Voice," which was published in 1964, is considered a classic of African literature. In addition to his novels, Okara also wrote several collections of poetry, including "The Fisherman's Invocation" and "Piano and Drums."
He was also an advocate for education and the preservation of African culture. He was a strong believer in the power of literature to bring about social change and used his work to challenge the dominant narratives of Western literature. He was also a strong voice for the promotion of African languages and culture, which he believed were vital to the preservation of African identity.
His impact on African literature cannot be overstated. He was a trailblazer who inspired generations of African writers to tell their stories and challenge the dominant narratives of Western literature. His contributions to African literature earned him numerous accolades, including the Nigerian National Merit Award and the Fonlon-Nichols Award for "excellence in literary creativity combined with significant contributions to human rights." Gabriel Okara passed away on March 25, 2019, but his legacy lives on through his writing and the countless writers he inspired.
Themes in the poem
1) Racism -
According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, Racism is a belief that race is a fundamental determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.
As per the information given in Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, The word "racism" comes from the root word "race" combined with the suffix "-ism," which means a belief or doctrine.
The poem is all about the pain and suffering of black people as colonized under white colonizers. In the poem, the poet says that whites laugh on African people's walk, dance, songs, inside that is a sarcastic laugh on their existence. White people think that their culture, songs, dance, manners, behavior are superior, and the rest are inferior, for example African people. Not only in Africa but in each country that Britishers colonized, they made them believe that they are superior and others are inferior. They thought themselves superior because they believe that they have white skin because god made them from their own skin while colonized people were black and brown because they were burned in the fire of hell. Racism is one of the most prominent theme of the poem.
The laughter directed towards the speaker is rooted in racism, as it is based on the Westerners' belief in their own racial superiority and the inferiority of Africans. For example, in the second stanza, the speaker describes how his "ante-natal walk" is seen as "inhuman" by the Westerners, indicating a belief in racial superiority. The Westerners' laughter at the speaker's walk is also an expression of their racist beliefs. Similarly, in the first stanza, the Westerners laugh at the speaker's song, which they see as a misfiring motor car. This imagery suggests that the Westerners view African culture as primitive and inferior to their own.
As the poem progresses, the speaker's laughter becomes a force of empowerment, rather than a reaction to the Westerners' mockery. The speaker's laughter thaws the frozen insides of the Westerners and allows them to understand and appreciate the speaker's culture. The speaker's laughter is described as "the fire of the eye of the sky, the fire of the earth, the fire of the air, the fire of the seas and the rivers, fishes, animals , trees."This imagery suggests that the speaker's laughter is a powerful force that is deeply connected to the natural world and to the speaker's culture. He wrote that,
My laughter is the fire
of the eye of the sky, the fire
of the earth, the fire of the air,
the fie of the seas and the
rivers fishes animals trees
So,Gabriel Okara's poem "You Laughed and Laughed and Laughed" highlights the theme of racism and the superiority complex that Westerners held towards Africans. Through the speaker's laughter, Okara shows that the power dynamics between the two cultures can be subverted and that African culture and identity can be celebrated and respected.
2) Cultural Conflict -
The poem is written by an African poet Gabriel Okara. Africa was one of the colonized countries like Asian countries. In this poem we feel the suffering of African people and humiliation of western people on African people. Both western people and African culture has big cultural conflicts. They have cultural differences along with geographical differences. African people are close to nature and live within nature, the jungle and others. But Western people are portrayed as more materialistic.
African culture - Close to nature.
Western culture - Materialistic
There are conflicts of superior and inferior among Western and African people. British people think themselves superior for their white complexion and think others inferior because they are black. And though African people are inferior, everything that belongs to African Culture / people is inferior and disgusting for them. For example here in poem we find lines like,
You laughed at my song, you laughed at my walk.
You laughed at my dance, you laughed at my inside. You laughed and laughed and laughed.
Here, the laughter of British people is satirical or we can say disgustful laughter on African Culture and people. In another case we find Gabriel Okara defending his people and his culture but somewhere he became judgemental. He expects Western to don't judge African culture but He himself judges Western culture by saying that they are materialistic and their laughter is ice-block laughter, while their laughter is more pure and not ice-block laughter. In this judgement we find the unacceptable behavior of western towards Africans. This is how we find cultural conflict in this poem by comparing Laughter of Western people and African people.
In the third stanza, the speaker pleads with the Westerners to understand his magic dance, which is performed to the rhythm of talking drums. However, the Westerners shut their eyes and continue to laugh, indicating a lack of willingness to engage with the speaker's culture. The conflict is further emphasized in the fifth stanza, where the speaker describes how he opens his "mystic inside wide like the sky," but the Westerners still choose to laugh and ignore him. These show cultural conflict indicated by the Poet.
3) Modernism -
Gabriel Okara's poem "You Laughed and Laughed and Laughed" also touches on the theme of modernism. The poem explores the clash between traditional African culture and modern Western culture. The speaker represents traditional African culture, while the Westerners represent the modern world that has invaded and disrupted it.
In this poem modernism Shawn through use of 'Motor Car'. The line we found is,
In your ears my song is motor car misfiring stopping with a choking cough; and you laughed and laughed and laughed.
This is the very first line of the poem in which the poet says that their songs are like 'motor car misfiring stopping with a choking cough', motor car here is not only symbolism of modernity but also of Luxurious lifestyle of Western people. African people are more close to nature and follow traditional lifestyles, like dancing, singing for entertainment. while Western people are More Modern and use luxuries for their Amenability.
For instance, in the first stanza, the speaker describes his song as a "motor car misfiring stopping with a choking cough." This metaphorical description of his song suggests a struggle to reconcile traditional African culture with the new modern world. Similarly, in the second stanza, the speaker describes his "ante-natal walk" as inhuman, which could be interpreted as a critique of the dehumanizing effects of modernization on traditional African life.
The Westerners' laughter in the poem can be seen as a manifestation of their modernist perspective, as they dismiss the speaker's culture as inferior and outdated. This is seen in the fourth stanza, where the Westerners mock the speaker's magic dance, which is rooted in traditional African culture. The speaker's mystic inside is a representation of his cultural heritage, which he opens wide to try and make the Westerners understand his culture.
The resolution of the conflict between the speaker and the Westerners is also related to the theme of modernism. The speaker's laughter, which thaws the frozen insides of the Westerners, represents the power of traditional African culture to overcome the coldness and indifference of the modern world. This suggests that despite the clash between traditional African culture and modernism, there is still hope for the two to coexist and complement each other. At last the speaker's attempt to make the Westerners understand his culture, and the resolution of the conflict through laughter, suggest that traditional African culture has the potential to overcome the dehumanising effects of modernism.
4) Colonialism -
According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, Colonialism is a domination of a people or area by a foreign state or nation : the practice of extending and maintaining a nation's political and economic control over another people or area.
The poem is written by African poet Gabriel Okara representing his nation's culture and his people's suffering as a colonized country. The poem suggests how Colonizers make colonized people inferior for having black complexion. Also they thought themselves superior because they believe that they have white skin because god made them from their own skin while colonized people were black and brown because they were burned in the fire of hell. By making colonized people believe this, they Sepulchralize colonized people.
Also here in the poem 'Laughing' by Western people is like mental torture. They laugh at African culture, their people's dance, song, walk, inside etc that make them feel inferior. Okara says that,
'your laughter was ice-block laughter'.
In the lines "In your eyes my ante-natal walk was inhuman, passing your 'omnivorous understanding'," Okara shows how the Western colonizers considered their own cultural practices and beliefs as superior, while deeming those of the African people as inhuman and primitive. This reflects the idea of the "white man's burden", where the colonizers believed they had a responsibility to civilize the "uncivilized" African people.
The lines "Then I danced my magic dance to the rhythm of talking drums pleading, but you shut your eyes and laughed and laughed and laughed" indicate how the colonizers refused to acknowledge and appreciate the African culture and traditions, instead finding them humorous and inferior. The African people were forced to abandon their cultural practices and assimilate into the Western way of life.
Overall, the poem highlights the damaging effects of colonialism on the African people, particularly their cultural identity and sense of self-worth.It shows that somehow African people mentally tortured by this laughing of White people.
5) Nationalism -
According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, Nationalism is a sense of national consciousness exalting one nation above all others and placing primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as opposed to those of other nations or supranational groups.
Western culture is industrial. Being close to nature represents African nationality in this poem. The poem lines like,
fire of the eye of the sky, the fire of the earth, the fire of the air, the fie of the seas and the rivers fishes animals trees and it thawed your inside
In these lines we find use of many natural sources like the sea, eyes of the sky, the Sun, fire, air, rivers, fishes, animals, trees etc. These all natural sources represent how African people are very close to nature and nature is representative of African culture. Also we find references to ancient people and the nature of Africa in the poem. Here is the line indicating it,
Smeek wonder held your shadow aand you whispered; "Why so?" And I answered: "Because my fathers and I are owned by the living warmth of the earth through our naked feet."
Also in the poem we find reference to 'Magic Dance', which reflects the superstitious nature of African People.
In this sense, the poem can be seen as a call for African nationalism, where the African people must reclaim their cultural identity and heritage from the forces of Western colonization. The poem suggests that only by embracing their own culture and traditions can the African people truly achieve a sense of self-worth and dignity.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Gabriel Okara's poem "You Laughed and Laughed and Laughed" presents a thematic study that sheds light on various issues such as cultural conflict, modernism, colonialism, nationalism, and racism. The poet's use of satire and irony effectively highlights the dominant Western attitudes towards African culture and people. Through the use of metaphors and other literary devices, Okara portrays the frustration and alienation experienced by Africans as a result of the cultural conflict caused by colonialism.
Work cited
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Gabriel Okara". Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Mar. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gabriel-Okara.
“Colonialism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com dictionary/colonialism.
Gabriel , Okara. “You Laughed and Laughed and Laughed by Gabriel Okara.” Pick Me Up Poetry, Pick Me Up Poetry, 2 Apr. 2022, https://pickmeuppoetry.org/you-laughed-and-laughed-and-laughed-by-gabriel-okara/.
“Modernism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/ dictionary/modernism.
“Racism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/racism.
"Race." Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, edited by Edward N. Zalta, Stanford University, 2021, https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/race/.
“Theme.” Literary Terms, 2023, https://literaryterms.net/theme/.
“Theme.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/theme.
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