White Paper -Sharan Kumar Lumbale

 Unit – 5

White Paper

Sharan Kumar Lumbale

Summary of the poem "White Paper"

The  poem depicts the pain of Dalits being rejected and outcast in the society,which  equally belongs to them, by the upper cast. Dalits have not done any harm to any upper cast in India. Still they are met with utmost hatred and disrespect by other members of the society. In the poem the poet is expressing his deepest desire to be treated as a human being which suggests the horrible and pathetic condition of the people belonging to lower casts.

In the beginning lines of the poem the poet says he rejects all the physical, material,religious and sensual comforts that are available to people of higher cast for many centuries.In return he asks only for basic rights which are essential for any human being for existence.In the next lines the poet is making clear that he wants his rights not as a beggar but as a rightful recipient.He says that each breath from his lungs is proclaiming violently for his rights.His voice is  setting a  violent trembling in their  texts and traditions, hell and heaven which is fearing pollution.Then in the following lines poet is saying that because of fear they are trying hard to silence them by destroying their homes and beat and break him emotionally,and even loot and burn his habitation.But whatever they do poet is asking them how can they tear down his words which is like a sun planted in the east.The poet has now started expressing himself through writing which has become eternal like the sun.He says that his rights, the rights of Dalits, are like contagious disease which will soon spread from city by city , village by village and man by man.He says his rights are sealed off,outcast, road blocked and exiled like a contagious disease but it is never going to stop spreading. Dalits are now well aware of their rights.They will not get satisfied less than their rights.The poet is then demanding for his rights and is asking the society how can they deny this state of things which are in the verge of catching fire . The poet is then saying that he is going to uproot this old system like railway tracks and will burn their lawless laws like a city bus that discriminate them in the society.In the closing lines he is challenging the high cast people of society by saying that  his rights are like rising sun which they can never deny.

Poem Analysis

Analysis of line 1 to 9 (Lines 1-9)

"I do not ask

For the sun and moon from your sky

Your farm, your land,

Your high houses or mansions

I do not ask for gods or rituals,

Castes or sects

Or even for your mother, sisters, daughters.

I ask for

My rights as a man."

By saying he does not want sun or moon from sky, the  poet actually means he does not have high ambitions in life.In the second line he discards material wealth of the world like land farm and big mansions He says he doesn't want their  houses or mansions nor he do not ask for gods or rituals,Castes or sects. He doesn't even asks for their mother, sisters, daughters.In return he only asks for his rights as a man.He is expressing his desire to be a human being and only desires for the status of a human being.

 (Lines 10-15)

"Each breath from my lungs

Sets off a violent trembling

In your texts and traditions

Your hells and heavens

Fearing pollution."

In the second stanza the poet is making clear that he wants his rights not as a beggar but as a rightful recipient.He says that each breath from his lungs is proclaiming violently for his rights.His voice is  setting a  violent trembling in their  texts and traditions, hell and heaven which is fearing pollution.

Lines 16-19

"Your arms leapt together

To bring to ruin our dwelling places.

You’ll beat me, break me,

Loot and burn my habitation"

In these lines the poet is saying that because of fear they are trying hard to silence them by  destroying their homes.They will beat him,break him emotionally,and even loot and burn his habitation.

Lines 20-28

"But my friends!

How will you tear down my words

Planted like a sun in the east?

My rights: contagious caste riots

Festering city by city, village by village,

Man by man

For that’s what my rights are-

Sealed off, outcast, road-blocked, exiled."

Now the poet is saying that whatever they do how can they tear down his words which is like a sun planted in the east.The poet has now started expressing himself through writing which has become eternal like the sun.He says that his rights, the rights of Dalits, are like contagious disease which will soon spread from city by city , village by village and man by man.He says his rights are sealed off,outcast, road blocked and exiled like a contagious disease but it is never going to stop spreading. Dalits are now well aware of their rights.They will not get satisfied less than their rights.

Lines 29-35

"I want my rights, give me my rights.

Will you deny this incendiary state of things?

I’ll uproot the scriptures like railway tracks.

Burn like a city bus your lawless laws

My friends!

My rights are rising like the sun.

Will you deny this sunrise?"

The poet is then demanding for his rights and is asking the society how can they deny this state of things which are in the verge of catching fire . Dalits are now well aware of their rights and no one can now silence them.They will never settle for any thing less than their rights.The poet is then saying that he is going to uproot this old system like railway tracks and will burn their lawless laws like a city bus that discriminate them in the society.In the closing lines he is challenging the high cast people of society by saying that  his rights are like rising sun which they can never deny.

Comprehension

I. Answer the following in two or three sentences each:

1. What does the poet ask for in the beginning of the poem?

The poet is asking for his rights as a man.He is expressing his desire to be a human being and only desires for the status of a human being.

2. What does his speech set off?

His speech is  setting a  violent trembling in the  texts , traditions, hell and heaven of the high caste people.

3. Who is he addressing in the poem?

He is addressing the high cast people in the society who are denying even the basic rights of Dalits.

4. Who is he referring to as ‘My Friends’ in the poem? 

He is referring the high cast people in the society as 'My friends' in the poem.

II. Answer the following in a paragraph each:

1. How does the poet vent out his anger in the poem?

The poet is venting out his anger by making clear that he wants his rights not as a beggar but as a rightful recipient.He says that each breath from his lungs is proclaiming violently for his rights.His voice is  setting a  violent trembling in their  texts and traditions, hell and heaven which is fearing pollution.He is saying that whatever they do, how can they tear down his words which is like a sun planted in the east.The poet has now started expressing himself through writing which has become eternal like the sun.He says that his rights, the rights of Dalits, are like contagious disease which will soon spread from city by city , village by village and man by man.He says his rights are sealed off,outcast, road blocked and exiled  like a contagious disease but it is never going to stop spreading. Dalits are now well aware of their rights.They will not get satisfied less than their rights.The poet is then pouring out his anger by saying that he is going to uproot this old system like railway tracks and will burn their lawless laws like a city bus. that discriminate them in the society.In the closing lines he is challenging the high cast people of society by saying that  his rights are like rising sun which they can never deny.

2. What does he seek? Is it peace of mind or material pleasure?

The poet is seeking for his basic rights as a human being.By saying he does not want sun or moon from sky, the  poet actually means he does not have high ambitions in life.In the second line he discards material wealth of the world like land farm and big mansions He says he doesn't want their  houses or mansions nor he do not ask for gods or rituals,Castes or sects. He doesn't even asks for their mother, sisters, daughters.In return he only asks for his rights as a man.He is expressing his desire to be a human being and only desires for the status of a human being.

3. Bring out the references of agitation in the poem.

In the second stanza of the poem the poet is making clear that he wants his rights not as a beggar but as a rightful recipient.He says that each breath from his lungs is proclaiming violently for his rights.His voice is  setting a  violent trembling in their  texts and traditions, hell and heaven which is fearing pollution.

In the next 5  lines the poet is saying that because of fear the high cast people are trying hard to silence them by  destroying their homes.They will beat him,break him emotionally,and even loot and burn his habitation.

4. What does he try to uproot?

The poet wants to uproot this old system of caste discrimination towards lower classes in the society.The  poem depicts the pain of Dalits being rejected and outcast in the society,which  equally belongs to them, by the upper cast . Dalits are not foreigner in the Hindu society. At the same time, they have not done any harm to any upper cast in India. Still they met with utmost hatred and disrespect by other members of the society. One cannot understand this reality with one’s rational mind. The poet is then pouring out his anger by saying that he is going to uproot this old system like railway tracks and will burn their lawless laws like a city bus that discriminate them in the society.

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