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This isolation helps Kya develop her own identity without the negative influence of the townspeople. The marsh also serves as a place for self-growth. Kya sees her home as nurturing, as “the marsh became her mother” (Owens 34). The marsh replaced Kya’s family, who abandoned her at a very young age. After she steps on a rusted nail, Kya uses the marsh’s salty water and mud, her mother’s remedy, to treat herself.
According to the overview, “between 1500 and 1800, European nations traded for slaves, gold, and ivory along the west coast of Africa, but they did not go deeply into the continent.” In 1884, fourteen countries met in Berlin to discuss the division of Africa to prevent war from breaking out.. This meeting would come to be known as the Berlin Conference led by Ottoman Bismarck. Up until 1885, they stated that if a leader wanted to control a certain part of Africa, then they must prove that they have control over that area and that was it. This was the beginning of European imperialism in Africa.
Furthermore, in "Where The Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens, the power of place is also evident in the way the location serves as a metaphor for Kya's journey of self-discovery and growth. For instance, the marshlands are initially presented as a hostile and intimidating environment, much like the challenges Kya faces as a young girl trying to survive on her own (Owens 34-37). However, as Kya becomes more familiar with the marshlands, she begins to appreciate its beauty and complexity, which mirrors her own growing self-awareness and confidence. Moreover, the novel suggests that Kya's connection to the marshlands is not only personal but also cultural, as she inherits a deep respect and reverence for the natural world from her mother and other
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In the 2018 Bildungsroman novel, Where The Crawdad Sings Delia Owens delves into the complexities of relationships and how they can redefine someone's identity. This is seen through the protagonist Kya Clark who is a young girl that lives on the outskirts of society in the marshlands of North Carolina. Kya's life is characterised by her relationships with those around her; her tumultuous familial ties and her compassionate bond with nature. Ultimately Owens encourages the readers to consider the beauty and complexity of human connection as she delves into the intricacies of Kya's relationships. Kya’s intense familial relationships are a central theme in the novel, as Owens explores the crucial role family plays in one’s sense of purpose and
Kya is intimately connected to the marshes, and she finds solace and comfort in the natural world. The author describes the beauty of the marshes in vivid detail, such as in the following quote: "The marsh was so wide open, so vast, that the sky seemed to fall into it”. In conclusion , The novel "Where the Crawdads Sing" explores themes of isolation, prejudice, and the power of nature. Kya is abandoned by her family at a young age and left to fend for herself in the marshes. Her isolation causes her to feel deeply lonely and long for human connection.
In her poem, “Crossing the Swamp,” Mary Oliver uses vivid diction, symbolism, and a tonal shift to illustrate the speaker’s struggle and triumph while trekking through the swamp; by demonstrating the speaker’s endeavors and eventual victory over nature, Oliver conveys the beauty of the triumph over life’s obstacles, developing the theme of the necessity of struggle to experience success. Oliver uses descriptive diction throughout her poem to vividly display the obstacles presented by the swamp to the reader, creating a dreary, almost hopeless mood that will greatly contrast the optimistic tone towards the end of the piece. While describing the thicket of swamp, Oliver uses world like “dense,” “dark,” and “belching,” equating the swamp to “slack earthsoup.” This diction develops Oliver’s dark and depressing tone, conveying the hopelessness the speaker feels at this point in his journey due to the obstacles within the swamp. As the speaker eventually overcomes these obstacles, he begins to use words like “sprout,” and “bud,” alluding to new begins and bright futures.
