Red Wheelbarrow Historical View

Theory: The poem is about slavery in the view of the slave.

- “A red wheel barrow” = The oppressed ethnic groups
o Red can signify blood, because many slaves in the new world died or were tortured. They were also paid with very little money, if any at all.
o Wheelbarrow could signify hardship. This was the case in oppressed minority groups, where they were unable to break from the pattern of oppression and sheer poverty because they had to carry a wheelbarrow throughout.
• Historical context: back in the 20’s, minority ethnic groups weren’t considered as full human beings; wheelbarrow is an object
• This was done for the general public to accept the poem
- “Glazed with rain water” = signifies the working conditions
o Rain water = implies many things
• No consideration for health or safety (meaning they worked in any condition, including in rain)
• Sweat (they worked tirelessly until they were drenched in sweat, like rainwater)
• Tears (so much tears like rain water) (continue)
o Glazed = signifies they were covered for generations
• You only see the outside, the final product, the glaze (meaning you see only the slavery side, the oppressed side of the slaves. 4Therefore they aren’t treated human)
• Glazed means new layers were put on and finished for generations. You don’t see them actually suffering, you see them liking the work or don’t’ mind “glazed = smooth, clean)
• Historical context: oppressed ethnic groups worked in very harsh conditions without decent pay; the managers who operated such businesses and farms often saw the oppressed groups as emotionless, hard-working slaves.
- “Beside the white chicken” = the white people.
o “Chickens” = they feed off the work from the slaves, minority groups without doing much work.
o “Beside” = they are literally right next to them, but they just view the red wheelbarrow like a continuous object, continuous source of food
o “Beside” = they can live next to each other, they don’t have to be...