Outline
Prescribed question: How and why are certain groups represented in a particular way?
Title of text for analysis: Derek Walcott's "Prelude"
Part of the course to which task refers: Part IV: Literature: Critical Study
My critical response will: * Expose the oppression of the West Indie natives caused by England. * Emphasize the misrepresentation of the natives' conditions and emotions in literature as a major cause of West Indie oppression. * Explore how Walcott uses literary features such as symbolism, allusion, and diction to correctly communicate the West Indie voice found in literature * Uncover the hidden misery and loss of culture and identity suppressed by the natives

Written Task 2
Word count: 818 Many readers are surprised when they discover the nature of David Walcott's literature. David Walcott was born in St. Lucia, a small island located in the Caribbean. It is rare in the United States to find literature from a Caribbean author that describes his native Caribbean people. In his poetry, Walcott explores the sources of conflict surrounding the West Indie identity during the time of imperialism and colonialism by Great Britain. The poem "Prelude" depicts various systems the West Indie people attempt to ignore and suppress the effects westerners have on their culture and identity. There is a sharp contrast between the natives' perceptions of the Caribbean and the westerners' perceptions of the Caribbean. Infrequently are the voices of Western Indie people heard, and through poetry, Walcott attempts to give his people an accurate voice free of Western misunderstanding. Though Walcott's use of diction, allusion and symbols in his poem "Prelude," the destitution and suppression of his Caribbean people are exposed in an attempt to correctly represent their voices to the world. In the poem "Prelude," Walcott uses devices such as allusions, diction, and symbols to communicate the West Indie problems of misrepresentation and misery due to western influence. Ever since the English arrived in the Caribbean, they have been oppressing the natives. In addition, the English people misinterpreted the atmosphere of the Caribbean people. This lead to many natives questioning their identity, leading them to even more suppression. The diction in the first stanza of "Prelude" demonstrates the discontent the speaker has with his vulnerable island prone to Western impact. These words allude to a future threatening force that could inflict lots of damage onto Walcott's island, such as the West. In addition, the reference to a reluctant leopard in the last line of the poem represents this important issue concerning the looming threat of westerners that no one has addressed. When the westerners arrive, their ignorance and delusions, as seen "in tourist booklets" and "behind ardent binoculars," suppress the real struggles the West Indie people are experiencing (Walcott 3). The tourists see an image of peace and harmony in the Caribbean, as represented by their blue-colored eyes. As the poem progresses, the natives are so used to suffering that it becomes as normal as iambics and a sauntering walk through life (Walcott 3). The reference to the speaker putting on a tie represents a cover the inhabitants are placing over their struggles concerning their identity. Steamers come in and divide horizons, symbolizing the invasion and change the westerners impose on the Caribbean natives (Walcott 3). Literary devices are used in Walcott's poem "Prelude" to express the emotions of the West Indie inhabitants that are seldom heard. Seldom is the perspective of a native West Indie represented to the world, and David Walcott uses poetry as a medium to correctly represent their voice. A lot of poetry from the Caribbean is "postcard poetry" that pleases tourists with positive thoughts but does not reflect the misery faced by the natives (Dwyer 326). Walcott recognized this issue and assumed responsibility for correctly representing his people in literature. Walcott is one of the first people attempting to represent his people through literature(Dwyer 321). The definition of "prelude" is an introduction that leads to something important. Walcott is starting to expose the true voice of his people to the world. He realizes that he cannot ignore this issue anymore, as his "boyhood has gone over" (Walcott 3). In addition, there is an outlasting power that art has over political and economic power. Political and economic power are so scarce and unstable to the Caribbean natives with the presence of the Westerners. Art has the potential to reach a wider audience and be preserved for longer (King 364). Not only does Walcott give a voice to his Caribbean people through his poetry, but he gives a voice to small places everywhere in the world. Walcott exposes his people's hidden miseries and emotions through literature in order to give them an accurate voice in the world. The voices of the West Indie people are misrepresented and repressed in response to a Western influence over the Caribbean region. Natives do not actively attempt to salvage their voices or preserve their identities through the expression of poetry. Economic stability can interfere with culture as many natives are moving from the Caribbean to the United States. The little poetry that is produced by the Caribbean people tends to be influenced by the positive attitudes of the Western visitors living in the areas. "Prelude" uncovers these issues with the use of literary devices such as diction, allusion and symbolism. The main idea of the poem is to highlight the contrasting perceptions that distant visitors and native inhabitants of the Caribbean have regarding their island. Derek Walcott exposes the weaknesses and miseries of the Caribbean people to the world in order to present them with an accurate identity.

Works Cited
King, Bruce, and Richard Dwyer. Critical Perspectives on Derek Walcott. Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers Inc., 1997. Print.
Walcott, Derek, and . Selected Poems. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2007. Print.