parsley

• Parsley


  Word used by a general to identify people he deems undesirable, specifically those who cannot pronounce it correctly due to their accents
• General's use of the word "parsley"


  Leads to killing of people
• Poem


  • Contrasts the cruel actions of a general with the natural world and cultural traditions
  • Depicts the harsh realities and suffering of people under his rule
  • Reflects on the general's memories of his mother and the cultural significance of certain traditions
• The poem reflects on the cultural significance of certain traditions
• Theme


  The theme of this story revolves around power, oppression, and the brutality of dictatorship.
• poem by


  Rita Dove,