How does Wole Soyinka express the disposition of Africans in his poem 'Telephone Conversation'?

Wole Soyinka, in his poem 'Telephone Conversation' highlights an encounter between a white landowner and black client to effectively portray the evident and institutionalised discrimination facing the African community. The context of the poem originates in England whereby many groups of people, either displaced by World War Two or with the decline in colonialism, found refuge in the United Kingdom. The historical xenophobia eminating during the 1960s is embodied and embellished in this poem. Soyinka's use of reptition, diction, enjambement, and imagery all contribute towards a strong understanding of how it must feel to experince being black citizen during this era of civil and political strife. Upon reading the poem, one cannot ignore the dire disposition of Africans living in England during that period of time.

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Answered by Devora K. English tutor

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