May 2023 Paper 2: Sample Response 3 (Question 4)

Question 4: With regard to two works you have studied, explore the representation of
poverty.

Right from when we are born, our lives are heavily influenced by the class we are

born into. Those who are privileged and wealthy have many more opportunities – and less

risks, should they fail – in comparison to those in poverty, who are limited in that regard. It

is difficult to break out of the poverty cycle, and yet it is sometimes the rich who tell the

poor that it wouldn’t be, if they put in the work. Perhaps it is because of their wildly

different worlds and experiences which make some of the wealthy unable to empathize and

understand this difficulty, which is why it’s vital that perspectives of the impoverished, and

poverty in itself, are explored. Many authors have written texts exploring the effects of

poverty, two examples being Paradise of the Blind by Duong Thu Huong, and Translations by

Brian Friel. The former is a novel set in the times of Communist Vietnam, it explores that

period through the lens of its main character, Hang. Told in a non-linear fashion, the book

tells of the many struggles she faces, one of which being poverty. Translations is a three act

play set in Baile Beag, Ireland, during the beginnings of the British colonization. It depicts

the lives of its residents and how the invasion of British soldiers affects their lives, turning

them into tragedy. These two texts explore poverty and power, as well as disillusionment of

the world poverty can incite, through the usage of characterization and symbolism

respectively.

Characterization is one of the most important elements there are in storytelling. If

the character doesn’t convey the message you intend to put out in your story, then the

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message can get lost. Translations effectively uses characterization to highlight the many

perspectives of colonialism one can have. Whether it be positive, negative or indifferent,

these are all explored within the play. Although the play is set before the many tragedies of

Ireland when it was colonized are shown, it is more tragic in the form of dramatic irony. We

as the audience know that these characters are about to face incredible hardships due to

prior knowledge, however even at the end of the play, to them, their fate is left up in the

air.

While Translations primarily focuses on identity and language, it does explore

poverty and the power dynamics between those who are impoverished, and those who are

in control of it. This is show through two characters and their arcs: Manus and Captain

Lancey. Manus is considered as the main character in Translations – he’s often

overshadowed by his brother, Owen, however he picks up on the intentions of the British

soldiers and his brother early on into the play. This leads him to flee Ireland before it’s too

late. Captain Lancey meanwhile, is the one actively pushing for Ireland’s colonization, using

his power as a British soldier to enforce this.

We can connect Manus’ arc to those who are able to break out of the poverty cycle,

as he is able to find an escape before he’s unable to. However, Captain Lancey’s arc reflects

those who perpetuate the poverty cycle, especially in regards to Act 3 where Yolland goes

missing. It is implied that this is an act of rebellion, and Lancey swiftly punishes the residents

of Baile Beag for such actions. While viewers see someone escape poverty through Manus’

arc, it is only one of the characters we are introduced to, showing how small the amount of

people who are able to is. We as the viewer also gain perspective on how poverty continues

through Captain Lancey’s arc as well.

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 Paradise of the Blind explores characterization and poverty through Uncle Chinh,

who has used his power in order to engage in illegal activities, betraying Hang and further

breaking her trust in him. Chinh is characterized as selfish, and Hang’s relationship with her

Uncle is portrayed as a negative one because of this flaw. In the novel, when Hang realizes

what Uncle Chinh had brought her for, he is also shown to be cowardly. This betrayal

recontextualizes Hang’s worldview, but it stems from Chinh’s desire for power. The

Communist party in Vietnam has neglected its people, hoarding power and wealth to

themselves and leaving its people in poverty. Because Uncle Chinh doesn’t want to end up

as impoverished as most Vietnamese people were in the novel, he resorts to these methods

in order to retain his power. Thus, readers can make the connection of power and poverty;

how those who are able to escape it can be afraid of their power being lost and poverty

catching up to them.

Symbolism in texts is often used by authors to implicitly convey to the reader their

intended message. It’s a common literary device which elevates the overall message for

those who are able to pick upon it. Paradise of the Blind does this with The Cripple’s song;

whom she calls ‘The Cripple’. At this moment, to Hang, it’s nothing more than a pretty song

to listen to. However, the song is encountered again when Hang returns to Vietnam after

visiting her Uncle Chinh. Listening to it again – now more weary of the world – Han sees the

song for what it is: a song about missed opportunities and the life her neighbor could’ve

lead.

We can see how poverty ties into this song, with those themes in mind. Because of

the many opportunities the rich and powerful have, it’s understandable for those who

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aren’t to imagine a life where they were equals. The song describes a dreary autumn, which

can have parallels drawn to Vietnam’s state in the book, “Hail the autumn and its procession

of dead leaves, the rows of barren poplar stand silent on the hill.” Such a lonely image is

reflective of how Communist Vietnam is; the dead leaves are representative of the

opportunities and dreams one might’ve had that have wilted away with the awareness of

their circumstances. Autumn, in this case, could be considered as Vietnam – more

specifically the poverty in the country – as that is what has created the dead leaves. We as

the reader can see how symbolism, through the Cripple’s song, explores poverty through

disillusionment.

Meanwhile, Translations uses the life and death of the Baby to show the viewers the

hopelessness of Baile Beag’s predicament. In the first act, we see John come back from the

newborn’s naming ceremony. This is before the soldiers are introduced in the play, and it’s

concurrent with the general satisfaction of how Baile Beag is. While characters such as

Maire wish for more, there are little to no conflicts introduced in regards to the town as a

whole during this time. However, during the third act of the play, the baby passes away. This

is also when Baile Beag’s situation in regards to colonialism takes a turn for the worse, as

Yolland is reported as missing and Captain Lancey threatens the town. This is a catalyst

which alters the worldview of the residents in Baile Beag. They’re worried over the fate of

their town, and characters such as Own and Hugo begin to realize the gravity of their

situation.

This altered worldview, especially in regards to Hugo as he monologues the

detriment of their town, can tie into the shared disillusionment of the world and the

situation in Baile Beag is in. Most of the British soldiers don’t care for the town’s residents,

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they care more about invading and colonizing Ireland. When the characters realize this, the

play has a heavy sense of hopelessness to it. What the Baby then represents, in regards to

this, is the beginning of cynicism. Babies are often interlinked with innocence and naivety –

when the Baby dies in the play, those begin to die too. The loss of innocence can be caused

by poverty, as you are introduced to the hardships the world has to offer at a larger

magnitude than those who are not impoverished. Therefore, viewers can make a

connection to how the Baby in Translations is representative of disillusionment and poverty.

Reading these narratives, people – whether they are viewers or readers – can gain

perspective on the lives of others. We are able to humanize these problems, and see faces

instead of distancing ourselves from it. Knowledge is power, and knowledge is spread

through these texts. We learn more about history, the effects of colonialism, and gain a

better picture of a life of poverty. Through the way that Paradise of the Blind and

Translations uses symbolism and characterization, we see relationships between poverty

and power, as well as how poverty invites an increasingly cynical worldview. It is especially

important when we don’t share those experiences, that we read texts which explore these

themes. These experiences are meant to be heard, and learning more about them can make

us more understanding towards them. It may be blissful to be ignorant, but averting our

eyes to the struggle of others is a failure in empathy.

Word count: 1494

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