November Cotton Flower’s realism

Realism in November Cotton Flower

Many authors use reality to emphasize authenticity in their literary works. A literary device known as realism is used to accurately depict a specific subject’s actuality. Notably, realism is used to explain what happened to society to give rise to modernism in the topic matter. A striking illustration of American living is found in the naturalism and realism of the 19th century. In chapter three of the book Cane, named “November Cotton Flower,” Toomer Jean delves fascinatingly into realism. The fourteen rhyming lines in this poem depict the improbable bloom of a cotton flower in the month of November. The reader is able to note that the climate along with the landscape depicts a sign of the impending winter months. The streams are running low, and at the same time, the cotton stalks are becoming dry. At the bottom of the well, there are dead birds, and despite the devastating setting, a beautiful cotton flower manages to blossom. Indeed, the attractive beauty of the flower overpowers the tendencies of superstition that are embedded in the people of the town and look at the flower with great admiration. Realism in November Cotton Flower depicts the reality of the circumstances and life that the slave people faced as they worked in the cotton industry.

Realism in November Cotton Flower

Undoubtedly, the chapter of November Cotton Flower does give insights into the element of literary realism. Undisputedly, the narrator describes the mindset of the people using a metaphor and thus portraying realism. Slavery in the south was evident to be profoundly brutal. Magnificently, Toomer manages to adequately express the reality of the life in the south through using metaphor “of the white patriarchal society physically raping the fertile maternal Earth” (Becker 12). The community that owned slaves is represented by “A cotton, scarce as any southern snow” (Toomer 3). This crop manages to cover the land, and evidently, the crop spreads its roots in the South. This is a metaphor of slavery which was widely spread in the South. Nevertheless, the author also shows that as time passed, drought hit the earth. He writes in lines 6, 7 and 8 that “Drought fighting soil had caused the soil to take / All water from the stream; dead birds were found / In wells a hundred feet below the ground” (Toomer, 6-8). The grounds that were fertile have become drained and raped by the white roots which have battered the lands. More devastatingly, the roots have broken the spirit of the land.

In the lens of feminist

In the lens of feminist, it is stated that that the ground is a victim of rape in the land that is dominated by the whites. The crop has hunger and damages the maternal earth along with taking the lives of the plants and birds. Toomer writes in line 7 that “dead birds were found” and in line 10 he also writes “Old folks were startles” (Toomer, 16). These aspects are a metaphoric representation of the reality of the white-dominated society that devoted to dehumanize the slaves through perpetuating the slavery institution. The patriarchal society of cotton industry sows its seeds, reaped the outcomes while at the same time drained everything which came along the way. Interestingly, Toomer uses metaphor to depict the element of realism on the feminist and slavery that was done in the south and more specifically in the cotton industry. The use of metaphor in the poem has a practical function of allowing the reader to understand the poem deeply. The comparisons made in the poem make the reader familiarize with the real world. Also, the realism in the metaphor creates an image which is profoundly appealing to the reader and therefore significantly enhancing his writing through creating a picture in the mind of the reader. Arguably, the metaphor in this poem has underlined the argument of human mind revealing the truths concerning realities in the world of slavery which was highly practiced in the 19th century.

Furthermore, personification

Furthermore, personification is used by Toomer to bring out realism in “November Cotton Flower.” Toomer personifies the Earth and makes it appear as a feminine material which is a conqueror. Notably, the feminine figure comes out to be a strong and a powerful personification. The reader knows of the sexual injustices that occur between a woman and a man and certainly, these injustices are evidently applied to the land as indicated in “November Cotton Flower.” This notably makes an addition of a layer of feminine argument. Also, the personification of the patriarchal society as land and the aggressor has been made to appear as a passive brilliant female. The use of personification in this chapter signals to have a significant impact on the reader and realism of the poem. The realism of personification showcases the non-human entity in a lively and vivid manner through the human attributes (Becker, 20). Through this, Toomer manages to grab the attention of the reader along with arousing an emotional support which does make the poem to be a remarkably prominent writing. Undoubtedly, the poem boosts the sensitivity, and the emotion of the reader and the aspect of personification gestures a decorative device through adding a deeper meaning to the poem.

Another literary realism that is highly evident in the story is imagery.

Another literary realism that is highly evident in the story is imagery. Toomer shows images of deaths in the natural world, drought, scarcity and sexual, race and class oppressions. Particularly, the imagery depicts the dismal landscape in the land that the flower blossoms. The old individual becomes startled with the sign of false spring which they view to be a sign of misfortune to the townspeople. The imagery paints ideas of hope and suffering and indeed, the flowers are also a symbol of hope. The imagery of cotton blossoming mirrors the reality in a way that is symbolic and thus denoting the metaphysical. The poem harmonizes the lyrical expression which is derived from the interactive pattern of the imagery of the society. Indeed, the poem of “November Cotton Flower” has a tragic imagery of disappearing waters, dried up wells, drought, and death which do echo the miserable situation (Morris, 19). This is the symbolic representation of death as tension. Clearly, the imagery has helped Toomer to pass his intended message to the reader using a strong language that is portrayed visually and vividly. The use of the words that create images in the head of the reader helps in the interpretation of the poem. Therefore, the imagery brings out a life like quality to the setting, circumstances, and people giving it an authentic and realistic aspect.

Conclusion

Toomer uses a metaphor, personification, and imagery literary devices to give his work realism. This realism has rendered his work of “November Cotton Flower” to be a realistic representation of the life in the slavery world. The realism has significantly helped to emphasize the critical facets of sexual oppression and slavery along with class done in the institution of slavery. Outstandingly, realism in Toomer’s work brings reality as close as possible and thus taking the attention of the reader. Undoubtedly, Toomer presents to be an enigmatic writer who understands the importance of realism in works of literature.

Works Cited

Becker, George Joseph. Realism in Modern Literature. New York, Ungar, 1980.

Morris, Pam. Realism. London, Routledge, 2005.

Toomer, Jean. Cane. New York, WW Norton & Co, 2011.