An Unknown Girl Essay

In this essay, we are going to talk about the poem An Unknown Girl. We are going
to talk about the setting, characters, action, style and ideas that are generated in
this poem.
The setting for this poem is in India in a local market, In the evening bazaar. As
the writer says bazaar, we know that the poem is set in a local market. We also
know that this poem is set in India as it says, Banners for Miss India. Another
reason to suggest the poem is set in India is that it mentions the currency. For a
few rupees, an unknown girl is hennaing my hand. Rupees are the currency used in
India so we know that this poem is set in India in a local market.
The writer in the poem Unknown Girl shows us the characters. There is the girl who
is never named and there is her. The girl who is never named is the main character
of the poem, after all the poem is written about her. Repetition of an unknown girl,
highlights and emphasizes the main point of the poem suggesting both that the
persona is curious about India but the girl also represents the Indian side to the
persona that she is trying to discover/find out more about. The writer is the other
main character; the readers may see she wants to find out more about her Indian
culture, the peacock lines are entangling her in an Indian world that she loves and
wants to be in. Slowly the Indian in her is growing as a symbolic tattoo gets larger,
Indian culture has captured her hand as if entering as newfound blood. One short
sentence creating a greater impact and putting importance to this sentence. The
tone would be very proud shes just made a huge realization or accomplishment.
There are many instances of action in the poem. The main instance of action is
where the unknown girl is steadily hennaing the persons hand. This implies that
she is doing it carefully and showing her experience. Also, when it says dummies
tilt and stare when the person is outside watching the floats. When she squeezes
the wet nozzle this is an instance of action and a use of vivid imagery.
In this poem, the writer writes about the image of India and her surroundings. On
line 35 she uses a simile like people who cling to the sides of a train which tells us
she is holding on very tightly on to something. This image gives us an image of the
atmosphere in India as people cling onto the sides of a train in India. People cling on
to something when they are scared so this also shows that she is scared of letting
go of whatever she is holding on to.
There are many ideas which the poet generates throughout this poem by
embedding implicit phrases throughout the poem to make the reader stop and think
before continuing to read. A great example of this would be found on line 27 I have
new brown veins where at first glance, it looks as if she is describing the icing-like
henna on her hands. However further analyzing in depth shows that she is also
trying to convey the idea of her brown blood; her Indian decadency.
Written By: Delair, Nakul, Imran, Vishal, Avneeth and Yashwanth

To conclude, the writer uses many techniques like similes and metaphors to portray
imagery. Also the writer uses repetition of Unknown Girl emphasizing and
highlighting the main point of the poem.

Written By: Delair, Nakul, Imran, Vishal, Avneeth and Yashwanth