28th Annual Student Research Conference
An Analysis of Agha Shahid Ali's "Cracked Portraits" and "Snowmen" in The Half-Inch Himalayas
Jared K. Dickerman
Dr. Hena Ahmad, Faculty Mentor
"Cracked Portraits" explores the speaker's attitude towards his ancestors, starting with his Grandfather's Grandfather, and working down to himself. Within it the speaker studies each portrait and finds what he liked and disliked about each of the men, often disappointed in them, until he comes to himself and realizes his portrait is empty, already rotting with no one around to leave their opinion. The other poem, "Snowmen," shows the speaker as he deals with the guilt of being different from his ancestors. He describes his ancestor as a "man carved from glaciers." This "cold" generation follows the speaker wherever he goes, until he finally chooses to ride it into the spring and free himself from it.
Keywords: Agha Shahid Ali, English, Poetry, Analysis
Topic(s):English
Asian Studies
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 202-1
Location: VH 1010
Time: 11:00