Introduction
“Call Us What We Carry” is a captivating poetry collection by Amanda Gorman, who rose to international fame after her poignant recitation at the 2021 Presidential Inauguration. This collection delves deep into themes of identity, history, and hope, reflecting on both personal and collective experiences. Gorman’s work is celebrated for its lyrical beauty and powerful use of language, resonating with a wide audience across the globe. The poems are set against the backdrop of recent global challenges, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic, which influences much of the thematic exploration in this collection. 🌍✨
Meaning of “Call Us What We Carry”
Opening Section
The opening section of “Call Us What We Carry” sets the tone for the entire collection. Gorman begins with reflections on isolation and the shared burden of collective trauma, suggesting how these experiences shape our identities. For instance, the lines “We harbor each other in the havoc / We are each other’s haul” use maritime imagery to express how people support one another through turbulent times.
Mid Section
In the middle of the collection, Gorman shifts her focus to healing and historical context. This part bridges the personal with the universal, looking at how history carries forward into our present actions and identities. The verses here often speak to the resilience found in shared stories and memories, such as “In histories we are, bound / We carry on.”
Concluding Section
The concluding section offers a message of hope and renewal. Gorman emphasizes the possibility of moving beyond the past’s burdens, suggesting a future shaped by the lessons learned from hardship. She concludes with a call to unity and the power of naming and claiming our identities, as reflected in the line “Call us what we carry, but also call us by our names.”
In-depth Analysis
- Theme of Identity —
- Gorman explores how personal and collective identities are shaped by past experiences and current challenges.
- The poem uses personal pronouns like “we” and “us” to create a sense of community and shared destiny.
- Symbol of Water —
- Water appears as a symbol of both peril and renewal, reflecting the dual nature of experiences that both challenge and change communities.
- Verses like “Wade with us through these waters” metaphorically invite the reader to navigate through complex emotional and historical landscapes together.
- Syntax and Diction —
- Syntax: Gorman frequently uses inversion and unusual sentence structures to draw attention to certain ideas or to mimic the flow of thought. For example, “With history, this heavy, this hungry” places emphasis on the qualities of history through the arrangement.
- Diction: The choice of words like “havoc,” “haul,” and “harbor” not only adds to the alliterative quality but also deepens the maritime imagery, enhancing the themes of journey and burden.
- Figurative Language —
- Extended Metaphors: The entire collection can be seen as an extended metaphor of carrying — both the weights of history and personal experiences. This metaphor stretches across different poems, weaving a coherent theme throughout the book.
- Symbolism: Objects like “the book,” “the ship,” and “the harbor” are recurrent symbols representing knowledge, journey, and safety, respectively, each adding layers to the interpretation of identity and legacy.
- Imagery —
- Gorman uses vivid imagery to evoke senses and emotions, particularly through nature. Descriptions like “storm of stories” and “sea of hands” not only create strong visual images but also connect the physical world with the emotional and historical experiences of individuals.
- Allusion —
- The text is rich with allusions to historical events, literary works, and cultural symbols. These references serve to place the personal narratives within a broader, more universal context, allowing readers to connect with the poem on multiple levels.
- Repetition —
- Repetition is a significant device in Gorman’s work, particularly the repetition of key phrases such as “Call us” which reinforces the poem’s themes of identity and recognition. It acts as a rallying cry for unity and acknowledgment of shared humanity.
Poetic Devices used in “Call Us What We Carry”
| Device Name | Example |
|---|---|
| Alliteration | “Harbor in the havoc” emphasizes the h sound to create a rhythmic impact. |
| Metaphor | “We are each other’s haul” compares mutual support to carrying a burden together. |
| Personification | “History breathes so close” gives life to history, enhancing its impact on the present. |
| Simile | “Like branches in a storm” compares individuals or communities to trees in a storm, suggesting resilience. |
| Anaphora | Repeated use of “We are” at the beginning of lines to emphasize collective strength and unity. |
| Assonance | “Step into the past” uses repetition of the short “e” sound to create a lyrical quality that enhances the musicality of the verse. |
| Consonance | “History hisses” uses the s sound repeatedly to create a hissing effect, emphasizing the sinister or pervasive nature of history. |
| Enjambment | Gorman frequently breaks lines such as “We harbor / Each other” to control rhythm and pace, and to emphasize the interconnectedness of individuals. |
| Hyperbole | Exaggerations are used for emphasis, such as in “oceans of outcry,” highlighting the vastness and intensity of public and private responses to societal issues. |
| Irony | Gorman’s use of irony, such as calling small, everyday actions heroic, underlines the contrast between public expectations and personal realities, questioning societal norms. |
Call Us What We Carry – FAQs
Q: What themes are explored in ‘Call Us What We Carry’?
A: The collection explores themes of identity, history, resilience, and hope, focusing on how these elements are intertwined with personal and collective experiences.
Q: How does Amanda Gorman use form and structure in her poetry?
A: Gorman employs a variety of poetic forms, using free verse to allow flexibility in expression and to emphasize certain words or ideas through line breaks and spacing.
Q: What is the significance of the title ‘Call Us What We Carry’?
A: The title reflects the theme that our burdens and experiences help define us. It emphasizes the idea that our identities are shaped not just by who we are but also by what we bear through our lives.
Q: How does Amanda Gorman address the concept of community in her poetry?
A: Gorman emphasizes the importance of community support and collective identity through recurrent themes of unity and mutual dependency. She portrays community as a source of strength and a means of overcoming adversity.
Call Us What We Carry Study Guide
Exercise: Identify all the poetic devices used in the verse: “We step into the past and how it persists.”
Answer Key:
- Alliteration: “past” and “persists” emphasize the p sound.
- Imagery: “step into the past” creates a visual of walking back in time, highlighting history’s lingering impact.