Racial discrimination in the poem Telephonic conversation

1. Racial discrimination in the poem
Telephonic conversation
Name : Mori Utsavi B.
Roll no : 33
Paper no : 14 ( The African Literature)
Sem : 4
Year : 2018 -2019
Email id : utsavibarajput18@gmail.com
Enrollment no :
Submitted to : Department of English Maharaja
Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar Uviversity.

2. About The poet
Wole Soyinka is a Nigerian playwright, poet,
author, teacher and political activist who
received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986.
 Wole Soyinka was born on July 13, 1934, in
Abeokuta, near Ibadan in western Nigeria.
Denounce the slogan of Negritude as a tool of
autocracy.

3. Telephone Conversation

4. About the Poem Telephonic
conversation
Wole Soyinka’s “Telephonic Conversation” is an
eloquent exchange of dialogue between a dark West
African man and his British landlady that inexorably
verges on the question of apartheid.
The poet makes use of the most articulate means to air
his views, through that of a telephone conversation,
where there is instant and natural give-and- take. It
exhibits a one-to- one correspondence between the
two. The interaction between a colored and a white
individual at once assumes universal overtones.

5. Soyinka’s personal Experience
It seems to tried of his life conditioned by
racist prejudices.
Judging by the raw emotion that this poem
subtly convey....
....Those of anger, rang, shame, humanity and
an acute sense of disgust at the apathy and
inhumanity of humans who want judge a book
by its cover but would turn down a man for
the colour of his skin.

6. First Person Narrative point of view
The poem is about the way people - fail to
communicate clearly about the matter of race.
 Poetic Satire against the widely spread racism
in the modern Western Society.

7. Ridiculous Question

8. .....Continues
 When the voice finally came, it was ‘lip-stick coated’, well made-up
and diplomatic to suit an affected atmosphere. The inevitable
question finally comes cross:” ARE YOU DARK? OR VERY
LIGHT?”The poet views it as button B or Button A. The question
places two alternatives before him: dark or light; The truth or lies.
The first option would obviously shut off all doors to him.
 The term Button B also is the button in the public telephone box to
get the money back. Button A is the one to connect the call. The
poet first ponders on Button B to get out of his predicament. He
then realizes that escapism is not the solution, and decides to face
the situation. The words: “Stench /Of rancid breath of public hide-
and- speak” signify the claustrophobic nature of the questions
rather than the atmosphere.

9. Telephone booth
• Telephone is symbol of
connecting people, it is
tool of communication.
But here in poem it shows
distance between two
people and nation also.
Lady represents first
world country and black
man represent third
world country (nation).
Here we found Frantz
Fanon’s concept of “Black
skin and white Mask”.

10. Two Characters
The Narrator
 The Speaker
 Witty
 Intelligent
 Use of high diction and
quick wit
The Land lady
 Shallowly stubborn racist
 Lack of intellect
 Verbal irony, positive terms
 Seems to be undereducated
 Instead of discussing price,
location ,amenities, and other
information significant to the
apartment, she is interested to
discuss more about speaker’s
skin colour

11. Nationality as a Persona
 Seeking to rent a home – in England
 Identity as a black African
 Landlady completely change her attitude

12. Colour
 It seems that his crime…..is his skin colour.
 His remorse is solution less.
 The modern Western thinkers, it seems
almost comical that anyone should be so
submissive when he has no wrongdoing.

13. Contemporary Time
• In Today’s world, racism might be a dying concern;
but that does not mean that discrimination against
other minorities has been completely eradicated.
• Despite the progressing times, people continue to
harbor prejudices and illogical suspicions about
things they do not understand:
• May it be other ideals, religions or traditions and
customs

14. Conclusion
• In closing, he asks then empty telephone line,
“wouldn’t you rather/see for yourself?”
• Speaker’s ignorance
• Readers know that the speaker offers to show
his backside to the racist landlady.
• It sound as through he is asking whether the
landlady would like to meet him in personal to
judge his skin colour for herself.

15. Thank you…..