Theory question 109
African PoetryLiterature 2, Section C: African Poetry
How does the poet convey the tragedy of prison life in “Letters to Martha 17”?
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Model answer
Dennis Brutus, a political prisoner on Robben Island.
Some prisoners lose their minds: 'some go mad'.
Isolation and boredom; loss of contact with family.
Despair; shows inhumanity of apartheid prisons.
Devices: plain, factual tone; repetition; imagery of madness and loneliness.
Explanation
Show the sufferings described and how language conveys them.