El Danda St.

, Batong Malake, Los Baños, Laguna

Basic Education Department

12-INNOVATION STEM STRAND

ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND

PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES

CRITICAL PAPER

“AFRICA”

Submitted by:

Jenaehl Mikhail S. Pornillosa

Grade 12- B (STEM)

Submitted to:

Ms. Eloisa Pitil

 El Danda St., Batong Malake, Los Baños, Laguna
Basic Education Department

12-INNOVATION STEM STRAND

The whip of the colonialist: “A Post colonial analysis to the poem entitled as 'Africa' by

David Diop”

Africa is a vast continent who were enslaved by the western colonialist that happened

between 1870 to 1900. Tremendous humiliation was experienced by the people of Africa as

well as physical abuse to an extent that causes even their own lives, even though, such thing

shouldn’t be practiced in our world for every man has a worth, and their value is priceless

among those people who loves you. This was shown in the line that can be seen in the poem:

“This back that never breaks over under the weight of Humiliation

This back trembling with red scars

And saying no to the whip under the midday sun”

From the given lines above, it also inferred that people in Africa suffer from forced

labor that gives them no benefits or income at all, this was proven in the lines with the

accompaniment of the word “whip” which is used to the people in order to threaten them

thus make them to work faster. To make things more obvious, slavery or forced labor can also

be seen in some passages in the poem which is:

“The blood of your sweat

The sweat of your work

The work of your slavery”

It just mean the African hard work for being a servant for the west.

But from the poem it self, it suggest that the author seems not totally belonged to the

country of Africa and does not seen the actual suffering of his fellows, this was proved from

the line “I have never known you” but somehow the author truly care for the oppressed
 El Danda St., Batong Malake, Los Baños, Laguna
Basic Education Department

12-INNOVATION STEM STRAND

African because he still an African indeed even though he does not seen their suffering from

eye to eye or he does not born to that place (base on my research, David Diop is an African

born in France), it is proven in the poem's line “But your blood flows in my veins”, He still

write the poem in order for other people to recognize their experiences and to show also the

new the beginning that the African people is trying to make, to prove this point, here is the

last part of the poem:

“Impetuous child that tree, young and strong

That tree over there

Splendidly alone amidst white and faded flowers

That is Africa springing up anew

Springing up patiently, obstinately”

It just meant the post colonial period on the African continent which brings them a

new hope and a new beginning to start with that is free from the colonialism brought by the

western country, Africa is continuously growing but their liberty is not something that makes

them celebrate with joy, as the two final line says that:

“Whose fruit bit by bit acquires

The bitter taste of liberty”

It is because their freedom was achieved through many great sacrifices and many lives

was lost during the colonial period which left their heart with great sorrow and grief to the

fallen love ones.

 El Danda St., Batong Malake, Los Baños, Laguna
Basic Education Department

12-INNOVATION STEM STRAND

REFERENCE

Iweriebor, The Colonization of Africa, retrieved from:

http://exhibitions.nypl.org/africanaage/essay-colonization-of-africa.html