Singh Song, Daljit Nagra

• Context


  • explores the generational and cultural divide as the son is disinterested in the traditional

  values of his father, the shopkeeper

  Parents owned a shop in Sheffield: experienced racial attacks
• Free verse, irregular form

  distracted state of mind in his new marriage, constantly

  changing rhythm of his voice, indicating his intense feelings, torn between his work, his

  daydreams and desire to be with his new wife
• Colloquial language


  typical lang of British Indians: contextual link
• Enjambment


  hectic, exhausting lifestyle balancing work and personal life
• Dramatic monologue alternating with dialogue w customers

  caught between his

  fantasies and the pressures of reality:
• ‘Just one ov’ 


  sense of insecurity and lacking: family pressure
• ‘9 o’clock to 9 o’clock’


  father’s work ethic, time references show pressure he is under

  trying to make time for everything
• ‘but ven nobody in, I do di lock’


  neglects his duties and is disinterested in working under

  his father’s control in his business
• ‘Vee share’ 


  repetition of vee shows unity and closeness of husband wife
• ‘Tiny eyes ov a gun//and di tummy of a teddy’


  Juxtaposing metaphors: wife is fierce and

  sweet - he admires this
• ‘Daddy’ ‘brightey moon’


  childlike language, perceived as a kid - dependence on family
• ‘My bride’ 


  repetition shows he is proud
• ‘In all di colours of Punjabi’ making fun at my daddy’ 


  humorous language shows them

  challenging the older gen.
• Themes and comparisons


  • Family relationships: Follower: support from older figures - look up to them, hard to live

  up/frustrated at control, break free of control and rebel vs stuck in dependency

  Sonnet 29: strong, consuming romantic love (possessive), desire for physical love

  (comfort of physical unity - moon, ‘trunk all bare’), both use dramatic monologues (informal and humorous vs formal and traditional (archaic lang)), rhyme schemes