Mish Notes
The Child who was shot dead by soldiers at Nyanga
This poem is written by a South African Poet. It is a protest poem.
Title The child represents all the individuals who lost their lives. It is not on one specific person.
Elicits a sympathetic response.
It describes a child who is helpless against armed A perception of cruelty
soldiers and vulnerable. and senselessness.
Allusion – When you refer to one thing by making reference to something else.
Line 1: ‘Child’ is an example of Allusion.
Emphasizes the age/ innocence.
“The Child” – Anaphora, Repetition of word or phrase at the beginning of several lines.
In the heart of people, Child is alive. He still lives on memory. Metaphorically alive
because
he has become the symbol of resistance, freedom and hope.
Line 2: “fists” – Symbol of Resistance and Protest in the fight for equality.
Mood – Rebellious, anger, militant (militancy).
“The Child” – Anaphora, Repetition of the first word of sentence. It highlights the fact that
memory of child’s death and nation struggle for freedom are on-going.
Line 3 – 4: “Africa” – People are being addressed.
“Screams the smell” – Synaesthesia, one sense is described in terms of another.
People are shouting for freedom and justice from every single part of this continent.
“screams” – Frustration and Anger towards apartheid system.
“heather” – a plant with small flowers.
Line 5: “locations” – Every single part where people are being oppressed. They want the shouts of
Freedom to be heard by everyone. The fight for freedom is important.
The areas of South Africa in which people are oppressed.
Parents of the youth have fought, but it is now time for the youth to begin a even more
brutal
Resistance.
Line 6: Symbol of resistance and protest. It shows anger and how freedom is more important than
even the closest member.
Line 7: “March” – To Protest
“March of the generations” – The protest against the pass laws but also shows generation
gap.
The child parents may have accepted the circumstances, but the youth will be the ones who
will really fight for change. It tells us that the previous generation used a very peaceful
approach to protest but now the Youth has resorted to violent methods.
Line 8 – 9: Screaming for freedom and justice for the loss of loved ones.
“blood”- Symbol for death. Bloodshed occurred at the hands of apartheid system.
“Justice and blood” – Youth will have a desire to correct the wrongs of the past, even
it means violence.
Line 10: The apartheid system is out on the streets, and they are happy with what they are doing.
The people of Africa want the apartheid system to feel the same pain they did.
1
The Child who was shot dead by soldiers at Nyanga
This poem is written by a South African Poet. It is a protest poem.
Title The child represents all the individuals who lost their lives. It is not on one specific person.
Elicits a sympathetic response.
It describes a child who is helpless against armed A perception of cruelty
soldiers and vulnerable. and senselessness.
Allusion – When you refer to one thing by making reference to something else.
Line 1: ‘Child’ is an example of Allusion.
Emphasizes the age/ innocence.
“The Child” – Anaphora, Repetition of word or phrase at the beginning of several lines.
In the heart of people, Child is alive. He still lives on memory. Metaphorically alive
because
he has become the symbol of resistance, freedom and hope.
Line 2: “fists” – Symbol of Resistance and Protest in the fight for equality.
Mood – Rebellious, anger, militant (militancy).
“The Child” – Anaphora, Repetition of the first word of sentence. It highlights the fact that
memory of child’s death and nation struggle for freedom are on-going.
Line 3 – 4: “Africa” – People are being addressed.
“Screams the smell” – Synaesthesia, one sense is described in terms of another.
People are shouting for freedom and justice from every single part of this continent.
“screams” – Frustration and Anger towards apartheid system.
“heather” – a plant with small flowers.
Line 5: “locations” – Every single part where people are being oppressed. They want the shouts of
Freedom to be heard by everyone. The fight for freedom is important.
The areas of South Africa in which people are oppressed.
Parents of the youth have fought, but it is now time for the youth to begin a even more
brutal
Resistance.
Line 6: Symbol of resistance and protest. It shows anger and how freedom is more important than
even the closest member.
Line 7: “March” – To Protest
“March of the generations” – The protest against the pass laws but also shows generation
gap.
The child parents may have accepted the circumstances, but the youth will be the ones who
will really fight for change. It tells us that the previous generation used a very peaceful
approach to protest but now the Youth has resorted to violent methods.
Line 8 – 9: Screaming for freedom and justice for the loss of loved ones.
“blood”- Symbol for death. Bloodshed occurred at the hands of apartheid system.
“Justice and blood” – Youth will have a desire to correct the wrongs of the past, even
it means violence.
Line 10: The apartheid system is out on the streets, and they are happy with what they are doing.
The people of Africa want the apartheid system to feel the same pain they did.
1
