Four Levels The Illiterate
1.Literal Comprehension
An illiterate person is someone who misses the bright sunshine every day, who is of no use; less than that of a vegetable. The eyes of the person are like the seeds of daisy and ears like barely because they can see and hear but not understand anything. These types of people are just increasing the population, like a dodo or mammoth. They are moving wherever the wind is taking them, bowing down in front of the snake, even if they know it will hurt them. That person only weighs like a straw in a scale because they are someone without vision or the farsightedness. Even the maize has a defense system with its sharp-edged leaves but these people are defenseless who fade away like the moonlights. They resemble the owl on the day-light and cat whose eyes shrink due to sunlight. These people have non-value to the motherland, they are the black paint to the entire human race. The god’s image either they should be thrown out of here or their hairs, nails, should be barbered put so they could at least resemble a human.
2.Interpretation
This poem might be trying to show the level of illiterate people in this society, as they are being compared to various animals and birds. Like the illiterate people do have eyes and ears but as that of daisy and barely, they aren’t serving their real purpose. Similar, to the bird dodo, who cannot fly, it might be hinting that illiterate people are just more weight for the earth to carry. Along that these people might be just following the educated ones, going where the wind goes even though they know that they are being dominated similarly, The writer is also highlighting the uselessness of illiterate people by calling them defenseless than that of maize play and someone who doesn’t seem to find true of maize play and someone who doesn’t seem to find true capacity of things. Even though the writer seems to be hitting at illiterates, there are some sarcastic undertones in some parts where he is poking at the people who followed Rana Regime, letting themself be overpowered and blind in fear. In addition to that he is also jabbing fun at the human evolution theory given by both Christians & Darwin saying that god’s image of a human is all lost and monkey seems to be still the same; no evolution at all.
3.Critical Thinking
This is a sarcastic and somehow eye-opener poem towards illiterate people is really interesting and fun to read. However, this poem is a low- blow towards illiterate people. Are the standards of illiterate people that below to be compared to vegetables along with extinct animals and birds? Is being illiterate ad uneducated the same thing? Just because a person is illiterate can they be called fossil of the world, as they are also fulfilling their own purpose which is different than that of literate people. And are humans completely resembling the monkeys which I might add are completely different species than that of humans, just because they are illiterate.
4.Assimilation
I think, someway, I can connect with their writer in this context. Though, it might seem that the writer is only trying to make fun of illiterate people but he’s only trying to realize those people what a great thing they are losing. As I look at my grandmother, she has so many experiences and ideas about stuff. Sometimes, I sit and wonder, how much good she could have done, how much mountains, she could have conquered, if she had the chance of getting a formal education. She seems already so polished, how her skills would have shined brighter with education. I guess she is another great person among many whom the world has lost to illiteracy.
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