Character by Taslima Nasrim
You're a girl
and you'd better not forget
that when you step over the threshold of your house
men will look askance at you.
When you keep on walking down the lane
men will follow you and whistle.
When you cross the lane and step foot onto the main road
men will revile you and call you a loose woman.
If you've got no character
you'll turn back,
and if not
you'll keep going
as you're going now.
2. My initial reaction after reading the poem was that it was centering around women and the image of a proper woman. I felt as though a man, perhaps a father, uncle, or older brother was speaking to a younger woman. He was describing the dangers the woman will face by men in the real world and the different 'paths' she can travel down. A woman can either take to heart the crude things said to her, or shrug it off and flaunt her confidence. The poem also might be relating to prostitution since it repeatedly mentions crossing lanes and "stepping onto the main road". I also thought it might be referencing prostitution when it said "loose woman".
3. When leaving your comfort zone, people will attack you and break you down. As a woman, you must be prepared to defend your character not only against other women, but also against men's preconceived notions. It is your personal decisions whether or not to confront people when they say negative things about you, or to let falsehoods bring you down.
4. The narrator is most likely a father, uncle, older brother, cousin, grandfather, or close friend speaking to a young woman about the obstacles she will ultimately face as she grows up. She is probably in high school or college and soon to be in the real world where people can be cruel. The narrator and listener must have a very close caring relationship, since the narrator obviously cares enough to be giving the listener this advice.
5. The poem's theme is to stand up for yourself, be prepared to defend yourself, and know that in life there are always people wanting to bring you down. It is up to you whether or not to cower, or to forge ahead through the fog.
CR 17-36
The words that affected me the most were "blues", "family", and "addiction". Blues obviously caught my eye since it is in the poem's title. But, it also describes the characters' moods and the overall tone of the story in addition to the genre of music played. Family plays a huge role in the story. This story is a perfect example that no matter what happens in life, family will always be there. If it weren't for the death of the one brother's daughter, he never would have communicated with the other brother. Lastly, addiction is a factor of the depressing mood and troubled family.
