Poetry · Chapter
For the Portrait of an African Boy After the Manner of Gauguin explained
The speaker expresses a deep, primal connection to the jungles, feeling the beat of tom-toms and the shine of wild moons in their blood and soul.
What happens
The speaker expresses a deep, primal connection to the jungles, feeling the beat of tom-toms and the shine of wild moons in their blood and soul. This natural, vibrant identity stands in stark contrast to the speaker's fear of civilization, which is described as hard, strong, and cold.
Themes in this chapter
Racial Identity and Oppression
The speaker's blood and soul are tied to the jungles, symbolizing a racial heritage that clashes with the oppressive, cold nature of Western civilization.
Urban Life and Alienation
Civilization is portrayed as hard, strong, and cold, evoking the alienation and fear felt by the speaker in an urban, industrialized world.
Characters to notice
- Unknown
The speaker who feels the jungles within and fears the coldness of civilization.
Key passages
“All the tom-toms of the jungles beat in my blood, And all the wild hot moons of the jungles shine in my soul.”
The rhythms and passions of my ancestral homeland pulse through my very being.
The speaker asserts a deep, intrinsic connection to a primal, natural world.
“I am afraid of this civilization— So hard, So strong, So cold.”
I fear this modern society, which feels unyielding, powerful, and devoid of warmth.
The speaker contrasts the vibrant inner world with the harsh, alienating external society.