North End Love Songs

In the collection of poems North End Love Songs by Katherena Vermette the modern day view of Aboriginals is negatively portrayed in the section called November. She uses terms such as "Indians" to illustrate the degradation they receive from society. The author does not give any of the characters in the poems names to hint that all aboriginals are the same in society's point of view. The speaker's vivid description of her brother indicate the loneliness she is suffering through as well as her isolation from the rest of society. The author uses literary devices such as imagery and metaphor to depict society's view of Aboriginals and the isolation of the speaker from the rest of society.

The speaker's fondness of her brother displays her attachment to him. When he goes missing she is struck by loneliness and isolation. She cannot deal with the stress of losing a loved one. Her vibrant description of her brother demonstrates her affection for him: "he wears jeans/ the colour of snow/a jacket blue and thin/ even though it is/ such a cold/ november/ he wears a black/ concert t shirt/ bright writing with/ an eagle clutching a large peace sign/ in its claws/ he tosses and feathers/ his soft black hair/ with thin brown hands" (Vermette 70-71). The author's clever use of literary devices deepens the speaker's descriptions of her brother making her bond with him appear even stronger. She uses imagery and metaphors to portray the brother's clothing and appearance. The specific details she notes about him indicates her love of him. The speaker even "wears her brother's sweater" (Vermette 76). By wearing her brother's sweater, the speaker again shows how much she misses his presence. Her deprivation of him is further evident when she mentions his vhs tapes: "her brother ripped/ the stickers off/ his vhs tapes/ wrote W/ for Wayne/ in thick black marker/ on the black plastic/ you couldn't see/ unless you tilted it/ to the light" (Vermette 77). By recalling such a small event, it is clear the speaker heavily misses her brother. The speaker's depressed mental state is finally confirmed when she learns her brother is dead: "she imagines/ her brother's body/ swelled/ like hers/ pushed all the way/ to the edge/ unidentifiable" (Vermette 88). The speaker is damaged so heavily by her loss that she feels physical pain from it. She then reminisces on all of the qualities her brother possessed: "her brother is beautiful/ hair brushed gently/ across shoulders/ like newly born/ bird feathers/ so soft but/ the downy black/ could never be/ touched" (Vermette 91). Her constant reminders of his qualities and appearance illustrate her sorrow. She even compares him to heavy metal: "her brother is/ heavy metal ballads/ a thin ripple bass line/ a long/ slow current/ of guitar/ a smooth/ wave of lyrics" (Vermette 91). The author's use of simile effectively portrays the speaker's emotions. She remembers her brother's love of heavy metal and compares him to it. The speaker's suffering following her brother's disappearance is smartly displayed by the author with the use of several literary devices.

The author incorporates elements to express the modern day view of Aboriginals to society. She suggests society shows treats them with discrimination. They are prejudice towards Aboriginals and give them stereotypes.