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Poet: Adrienne Rich (Adrienne Rich Art)
Poem: Prospective Immigrants Please Note
Poem of the Day:
May 25 2006
Comment 20 of 20, added on September 27th, 2009 at 8:39 PM.
This poem is likely not about immigration but about assimilation following that immigration. That is the door every immigrant stands in front of. If we note that many immigrants have changed their names or had their names changed for them by schools, immigration officers (especially in the late nineteenth century) we recognize that despite heading towards assimilation, we may remember who we were or really are. It's a trade off with difficult consequences. You can hold tight to your ethnicity as well, but that has it's own dangers. This is not a positive happy poem but one that raises a scenario of a difficult dilemma with no completely satisfactory choice.
Christina
Comment 19 of 20, added on November 25th, 2008 at 7:50 AM.
The main theme of the poem “Prospective Immigrants Please Note”, written by Adrienne Rich, is the capability that we have to change our lives. It speaks to those who are going to make life-decisions such as immigrating to another country.
In my opinion, from a literal point of view, the poem presents the image of a door which might be stepped through. However, beyond what the poet has written, I find a deeper meaning: The door, to me, symbolizes chance and opportunity. Going through the door, for me, means starting something new, which necessarily implies leaving our old habits and our comfort. Doing this could be hard, that is the reason why sometimes, we do not take the opportunities, and we just live our life maintaining our behaviour and letting the chances go.
Anyhow, if we are not brave enough to leave our country and all our friends behind, it does not mean that it is not possible to live worthily and reach our goals. We just have to be aware of what surrounds us understanding and learning about what we do not know yet. As the poem suggests through the lines below,
But much will blind you,
Much will evade you,
At what cost who knows?
To me, these lines explain how we should try to do not be facing the life fearlessly because we could regret the decisions we did not make.
Unfortunately, as the poem conveys, “The door itself makes no promises. It is only a door”; we have to try our best to find out our own way even if, sometimes it signifies leaving something sure for something uncertain. Remember, when you have to make such a hard decision it is always a trade-off!
Micaela from Italy
Comment 18 of 20, added on November 25th, 2008 at 7:50 AM.
The main theme of the poem “Prospective Immigrants Please Note”, written by Adrienne Rich, is the capability that we have to change our lives. It speaks to those who are going to make life-decisions such as immigrating to another country.
In my opinion, from a literal point of view, the poem presents the image of a door which might be stepped through. However, beyond what the poet has written, I find a deeper meaning: The door, to me, symbolizes chance and opportunity. Going through the door, for me, means starting something new, which necessarily implies leaving our old habits and our comfort. Doing this could be hard, that is the reason why sometimes, we do not take the opportunities, and we just live our life maintaining our behaviour and letting the chances go.
Anyhow, if we are not brave enough to leave our country and all our friends behind, it does not mean that it is not possible to live worthily and reach our goals. We just have to be aware of what surrounds us understanding and learning about what we do not know yet. As the poem suggests through the lines below,
But much will blind you,
Much will evade you,
At what cost who knows?
To me, these lines explain how we should try to do not be facing the life fearlessly because we could regret the decisions we did not make.
Unfortunately, as the poem conveys, “The door itself makes no promises. It is only a door”; we have to try our best to find out our own way even if, sometimes it signifies leaving something sure for something uncertain. Remember, when you have to make such a hard decision it is always a trade-off!
Micaela from Italy
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Comments
This poem is likely not about immigration but about assimilation following that immigration. That is the door every immigrant stands in front of. If we note that many immigrants have changed their names or had their names changed for them by schools, immigration officers (especially in the late nineteenth century) we recognize that despite heading towards assimilation, we may remember who we were or really are. It's a trade off with difficult consequences. You can hold tight to your ethnicity as well, but that has it's own dangers. This is not a positive happy poem but one that raises a scenario of a difficult dilemma with no completely satisfactory choice.
Christina