Question

What does Ping mean when she says “even if they mean nothing to the other shore?” What effect does this phrase have on the poem?in the poem ''things we carry on the sea''.

Answer 1

Answer and Explanation:

In her poem "Things We Carry on the Sea", author Wang Ping describes the reality of those who have to forcibly leave their homes and seek a place to live in another country. She uses repetition at the beginning of each line with "we carry", emphasizing how much refugees and immigrants bring with them. Their memories, their past, their hopes and dreams.

Then, there is the line:

We carry diplomas: medicine, engineer, nurse, education, math, poetry, even if they mean nothing to the other shore

What Ping means is that refugees and immigrants are not always welcomed by others. Even though they are human beings like everyone else, being a refugee makes them worthless to the eyes of many. So much so that their effort, education, and knowledge are ignored, as if "they mean nothing" to people who have never had to leave their own homes.

The phrase above is quite impactful. Upon reading it, readers are led from feeling to feeling: surprise, acceptance, and sadness. Surprise because our first reaction is to think that a diploma is a diploma, that knowledge is knowledge, and that people are people, no matter where they come from. Acceptance because, a second later, we realize this is truly the reality. We have all seen examples of people who look down on others due to their origin. Sadness because we know this is unfair.