Task 2
Complete the template provided below (Annex A), focusing on (1) Point of View; (2) Situation and Setting; (3) Language/Diction; and (4) Personal Response, and post your response to Task 2 on your blog. This template is based on John Lye’s ‘Critical Analysis of Poetry’
I. Point of View
The poem is written from the perspective of someone who has had a first hand encounter with the effects of “rainbow herbicides”. The poet is the speaker in this particular poem. I believe that in order to write this poem, the poet required the first hand experience of its effects. . The poet knows that "America did not foresee" the long term problems that would arise from the use of these “rainbow herbicides”. This indicates that he knew about America’s use of “agent orange” and other chemicals, and he was also on hand to experience the program’s effects as it was carried out. He is knowledgeable about the "Execrable effects" of America's campaign, suggesting that he had a very close experience with it.
II. Situation and setting
This poem is set in the time period where the negative effects caused by the use of "agent orange spray" and other “rainbow herbicides” have come to light. It describes what the U.S.A. "did not foresee" about the destructive effects and health problems caused by the chemicals. It shows how people who go to war do not bother to ensure that their weapons do not have lasting negative impact to people and the environment. This poem highlights the fact that future generations are suffering, shedding light on the fact that the effects of war do not merely affect the generation of soldiers fighting in it, but also the many subsequent generations plagued with genetic and other defects.
III. Language/diction
The poem’s title is, itself, an oxymoron. Rainbows are normally associated with joy, happiness and other good thongs. Rainbows symbolise goodness, rebirth and prologues to disturbance. I believe that this title is in reference to the “rainbow herbicides”, but it could, at the same time, be meant as an ironic reference to goodness and rebirth in the context of destruction, deformation and death.
Another word used is "potpourri", which refers sometimes to an unusual mixture of things. The colours found in the same sentence, "Green, pink, purple", are code names for other chemical agents and herbicides like “agent orange”. However, they could also symbolize new life, innocence and friendship respectively. The poet could be sending the message that by using these chemicals, the U.S. was destroying new life (genetic mutations), innocence and friendship.
The poet also states that the "deceit continues to spread". People had been kept from the truth about what "rainbow herbicides" did to the people of Vietnam. The poet states too that America “Nefariously led astray" the "Execrable effects of agent orange spray", blaming America for this horror. He uses the word 'nefariously' to portray the U.S.A. in a negative light
The poet brings up the long term effects of these chemicals stating that “generations untold WILL pay” , highlighting the horrific long term damage caused by these herbicides
IV. Personal response
The poem reminds me of the realities of war, that future generations will pay for the mistakes of the present, while those who could do something about it do not care enough about it to do proper research and testing. It also reminds me that smaller, less powerful countries like Vietnam, pay for the whims and fancies of powerful nations like the U.S. This incident shows what happens when chemical weapons are used without proper understanding of their effects and properties. This poem highlights once again how we must be very careful in what we do so as not to affect innocent parties due to our own carelessness
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