Study Hub for CXC English A & B

Photo by  Giorgio Trovato  on  Unsplash OVERVIEW  Written in 1961, the poem focuses on conveying the mirror's importance in a woman's life. Mirrors are used to check our appearances so we can determine if they are in acceptable condition. Mirrors are of particular importance to women who are often pressured by society to meet demanding beauty standards. Usually, whatever mirrors reveal determines if we approve what we see or are left petrified. In this poem, the woman is left petrified. In the first stanza, through personification, the mirror makes it clear that it has no preconceptions, meaning it does not form any opinions about the people it reflects. Instead, whatever it sees it reflects faithfully without any bias or prejudice. The reflection it offers is merely the truth and not a deliberate attempt to be cruel. It offers itself as an objective object. The mirror presents itself as the 'eye of a little god'. Most times it faces a pink wall that has speckles (sp...

Photo by  natsuki  on  Unsplash SUMMARY A white woman is standing at the bus stop when she is approached by a black man. At  first she is not fearful of him because she has been cultured not to be easily frightened, and she is self-assured enough to believe that she can cry for help and be rescued by the suburban dwellers should she be attacked. However, her curiosity is sparked by the fact that he approaches her as if he has every right to do so, an action she finds surprising because in America, where she is from, black men do not usually approach white women.  The man asks her for  a light for his cigarette, but she informs him she has no matches. He indicates that she can give him a light from her cigarette. She is uncomfortable allowing him to light his cigarette using hers but he maintains a steady and challenging gaze that makes her uncomfortable enough to relent. She reluctantly offers her cigarette so he can take a light from it.  Instead of c...