Arraignment Of The Men - Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz

As we are introduced to the poem, and particularly its name, it is made very clear, as to what is going to be imparted to us in the five minutes of this beautiful piece of poetry.

This piece is written by Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz during the latter half of the 17^th century. 

Considering the context and the background of the poetess is very important in this case, as there is a brief lapse that distorts the ideas of the 21^st century from the ideas of the 17^th century.

From being a self-taught scholar and poet, she was also a Hyronymite Nun of New Spain. Considered to be a well-known Mexican writer and also a writer of the Spanish golden age, she has carried two literary emblems to her deathbed. Being a woman and realising the potential of women as human beings (with lost hope); through her work, she has made it a point for everyone to realise that women are no less than men.

In this piece a very particular trend can be noticed; that of degrading men and accusing them of the women’s societal problems (which of course make sense). Right from the name of the poem to the last stanza, words such as, ’perverse’, ’witless’, ’levity’, ’crass’, ’creatures’ etc. are either used to describe men or what they do to the women or even the reaction to the thought of woman. 

Considering the context the argument seems feasible. It can be said that the social concept of gender equality didn’t really exist. Women never got a chance to explore or show their talents unless they were asked or allowed to do so.

Men and their dominating nature was narrated in this piece as well. Almost in every stanza the will of men is discussed and the fact that everything that the man wants to happen will happen and has to happen. ‘Witless Laws’ made by men with ‘logic crass’ isn’t exactly the best thing to have in this world. How these laws restrict women from achieving anything and the minimal freedom that is parted to them is reflected after a good reading of this poem.

Women being just objects of use and the hypocrisy that men employ when it comes to women is also a prevalent motif among the piece. The last stanza rightly proves so.

In this very biased piece of verses, she has brought about a certain disruption in the thought of equality and contrasts the point of the poem as she makes the user think of distinguishing man and woman instead of equality. Considering the time period this poem was written in shows us the inhumane gender inequality that existed. With the extreme gender partition that this poem creates, enchants one into thinking of man and woman as two different entities opposed to just human beings. That seems to be the only downside to the poem’s conclusion.

The Cactus - Hasan Manzar

The Cactus is a short story by Hasan Manzar set in Hyderabad, Pakistan. In it the author speaks on the after-effects of the youth’s departure to other countries to work and eventually live. Such migration often leaves the parents feeling incredibly lonely and alienated.

                The story comprises of a man (the narrator) and his wife visiting a house that is for sale as prospective buyers. At the house, the couple is greeted by an elderly man and his wife, the owners of the house. They show the buyers around but the latter decide that it is too large, both for their needs and their budget. The elderly couple then sit down for coffee with the narrator and his wife during which the house owners begin to talk about their children. They have 3 daughters and 2 sons, all of which are abroad, in Kuwait, Dubai or America.

                The story is not all that hard to interpret, the primary theme being, as mentioned earlier, the ramifications of migration. A sense of loneliness and emptiness pervades the piece, primarily manifested through the fact that the parents seem almost abandoned by their children and thrown aside. This sense is amplified by the seemingly commonplace nature of the story; many children, especially those from upper middle class families, leave the country for a better education and job. The fact that the rooms of the children remain neat and well maintained long after they have left generates pity for the parents in the contrast in the mindsets of the elderly and the young. While one has carelessly abandoned the other, one still cherishes the other.

                If you look closely at the piece, you may notice that no character’s name has been mentioned. This is not an unintentional doing, rather it is literary device frequently employed by writers. The fact that no names are mentioned increases the chances of the reader empathizing more with the characters. In addition to this, the withholding of names can also be indicative of just how widespread the problem of migration is; it is not limited to one or two families but many.

                At the end of the story, the author associates the story with a nest. This is owing to the fact that when birds grow old enough to fly, they tend to leave the nest and their parents and set out on their own life.

                Finally the image of the cactus seen by the buyers when they first enter the house bears a lot of significance. The cactus had grown so tall that it encountered the wooden shelf above. But rather than pruning the cactus, the family cut a hole in the overhanging shelf, allowing the cactus to grow freely. The cactus can be seen as a manifestation of the undying love that the parents hold for their children; they refuse to cut it even when it becomes a burden to do so. The properties of a cactus also come into play here, allowing us to link the title to even more. While cactuses are visually appealing with their bright green colours, they are enveloped in sharp vicious thorns that sting, embedding themselves in the flesh of the victim if touched. This could be compared to the love held by the parents for their children; painful to hold on to, yet too beautiful to let go of.