Joshua Karlo F.

Dy 8/7/2017
STEM12 – SANGUINITY

THE BREATH OF SPARROWS

Jim Pascual Agustin
Manila /South Africa
1. What textual evidences can you cite in the first stanza to indicate that the poem refers to the
historic death of Nelson Mandela?
- The line “So it has arrived, the news of your departure” refers to the historic death of
Nelson Mandela. The word departure actually represents Nelson Mandela’s death because

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departure means leaving and the word was used metaphorically.

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2. The speaker dreams of his professor after the news on Mandela’s death reaches him. Describe
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the dramatic situation of the speaker’s dream sequence by citing details.
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- After the speaker heard the news about Mandela’s death he dreamt that he was in the
house of his mentor as a guest who took a desk by the window. It was pretty sad for him, the
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professor might be someone very important to the speaker that the death of Nelson Mandela
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reminded him about his professor.

3. The professor is a metaphorical figure in the poem, and it can be seen that the speaker
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compares the professor to Nelson Mandela. Explain the comparison of the speaker between
Nelson Mandela and his professor.
- Nelson Mandela was like the speaker’s professor because he learned so many things from
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Nelson Mandela like he learned so many things from his professor.

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4. Apart from the professor, the speaker mentions the image of a tree seen from the window at
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the house of the professor. How does it function as an important image in the poem?
- The tree represents the life of Nelson Mandela. The speaker went to his room to ask the
name of the tree but it wasn’t important anymore because Nelson Mandela is gone. The part of
the poem “He lay on his bed, resting with eyes closed but aware of the birds weigh down the

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 branches” points out that Nelson Mandela is the tree and the line “The birds weigh down the
branches” points out that Nelson Mandela is growing weak.

5. Why do you think is naming the tree important for the speaker?
- The naming the tree is important for the speaker because the tree represents life,
specifically the life of Nelson Mandela which was gone.

6. How does the impact of the news on Mandela’s Death affect the way the speaker values the
presence of his professor?
- It affected the speaker so much that he dreamt of his professor. The speaker values the
presence of his professor so much that after the death of Mandela he actually dreamt about his

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professor representing Nelson Mandela because I think Nelson Mandela reminds him of his

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professor.

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7. With the values of reverence the speaker gives to his professor, including as well as the
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comparison he makes between the professor and the breath of sparrows. Describe how Mandela’s
contribution is affirmed and valorized in the African Society?
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- With the values of reverence the speaker gives to his professor, Mandela’s contribution is
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affirmed and valorized in the African Society by promoting peace. When Mandela joined the
African National Congress in he directed a campaign of peaceful, nonviolent defiance against the
South African government and its racist policies.
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8. The biography of Nelson Mandela is necessary to understand the historical allusion and
references the poem presents. What other information about him might have inspired Jim Pascual
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Agustin to recognize and honor him in a poem.

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- The title itself “The breath of the sparrows” I have researched that the sparrows
symbolizes vigilance, joy, creativity and wisdom. Nelson Mandela was like a sparrow as he
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promotes peace. He dismantled South Africa’s apartheid system and he was inaugurated as South
Africa’s first black president. He was a man who wanted peace and in fact his birthday (July 18)
was declared “Mandela Day” which promotes global peace.

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