In our Literature class we split into groups and had to work either on the poem “These are the Times We Live in”, by Imtiaz Dharker or on “The Border Builder”, by Carol Rumens and make a questionnaire of six questions on it. I worked with Agustin and Pancho on “These are the Times We Live in”, by Imtiaz Dharker.
- Considering that Imtiaz Dharker is a Pakistan-born British writer, how far does the poem deal with cultural conflicts and prejudice?
- How far is the poem autobiographical?
- Words such as “passport” and “flying” make up the semantic field. What does that semantic field suggest about the setting of the poem?
- What is the effect the voice creates by repeating “the times we live in”?
- “You shrink to the size of the book in his hand”, how does this quote help the reader have an idea of how the persona feels?
- «You could be offended», why does the voice say this?