Originally: Themes; Identity

Originally: Themes; Identity

“Originally: Themes”

Cultural Identity and Belonging

  • The poem grapples with the notion of cultural identity, seen through the persona’s struggle to assimilate into a new culture.
  • The question of belonging surfaces numerous times, particularly with the persona’s moving from one place to another and her expressions of feeling out of place.
  • Duffy probes the tension between assimilation and the fear of losing one’s cultural roots.

Loss and Change

  • A palpable sense of loss is felt throughout the poem as the persona reflects upon her lost sense of home and the change in her accent.
  • The theme of change is presented as an inevitable part of migration and growth. It can be perceived as both a cause for sorrow and a path to new learning experiences.

Childhood and Growing Up

  • The theme of childhood is intricately woven into the narrative. The poem revisits the persona’s childhood memories, reflecting upon the naivety and rawness of a child’s emotions when dealing with major life changes.
  • The persona’s journey into adulthood and her accompanying changes in perspective can be correlated with Duffy’s theme of growing up.

Displacement

  • Duffy captures the feeling of displacement experienced by immigrants, leaving their familiar surroundings and struggling to fit into a new environment.
  • The conflict between memory and reality, old home and new home, is expressed to portray the psychological effect of displacement.

“Originally: Identity”

Personal Identity

  • The persona’s personal identity is explored through her changing accent and evolving feelings towards her original and acquired culture.
  • The shifts in her identity form the heart of the poem, revealing the emotional turmoil and transformation she undergoes.

Cultural Identity

  • Cultural identity is manifested through the persona’s memories of her homeland and her navigation of the new cultural landscape she has moved into.
  • The poem scrutinises how cultural identity can be both a source of pride and a cause of alienation.

Identity and Migration

  • The link between identity and migration is probed, illustrating how moving from one place to another brings forth insecurities and self-questioning.
  • The poem exhibits how this shift affects a person’s sense of self and their view of the world.

Identity as a Fluid Concept

  • The poem recognises identity as a mutable, evolving concept that moulds itself according to life experiences and circumstances.
  • It’s made evident that identity is not set in stone but reshapes itself adapting to new environments and situations.