This thinking activity assigned by Prof. and Dr. Dilip Barad Sir, (Department Of English, MKBU.) where I attempt to analyze a poem through the framework of I. A. Richards’ Practical Criticism. The focus of this task is to explore how figurative language shapes the poem’s meaning, emotion, and reader’s response.
Exploring Figurative Language in Meena Kandasamy’s ‘One-eyed’ Through I.A. Richards’ Lens
I.A. Richards: The Figurative Language
I.A. Richards is considered a key figure in the development of New Criticism, influencing critics like John Crowe Ransom and William Empson through his analytical methods. However, unlike the strict New Critics who focus only on the text itself, Richards also values the reader’s emotional response. He believes that the true worth of a poem lies in its power to create emotional harmony, balance, and peace in the reader’s mind. For Richards, art is valuable because it organizes complex human emotions into meaningful and satisfying patterns.
According to I.A. Richards, every word in a poem carries four kinds of meaning -
1. Sense
2. Feeling
3. Tone
4. Intention
Two Uses of Language:
Four types of misunderstanding:
1. Misunderstanding of the sense of poetry: Careless, intuitive reading (rhyme or irregular syntax)
2. Over-literal reading – prosaic reading
3. Defective scholarship; inappropriate metaphor
4. Difference in meaning of words in poetry and prose (Personification,Metaphor etc)
This is a Poem:
3. One-eyed (A Poem by Meena Kandasamy)
the pot sees just another noisy child
the glass sees an eager and clumsy hand
the water sees a parched throat slaking thirst
but the teacher sees a girl breaking the rule
the doctors sees a medical emergency
the school sees a potential embarrassment
the press sees a headline and a photofeature
dhanam sees a world torn in half.
her left eye, lid open but light slapped away,
the price for a taste of that touchable water.
My Personal Interpretation of “One-eyed” by Meena Kandasamy
When I read this poem for the first time, I found it simple at first, but as I went through each line carefully, I started to feel its depth and pain. I understood that this poem is not only about a girl drinking water it is about injustice, inequality, and how society treats people differently because of caste.
In the beginning, I saw innocence. The lines about the pot, glass, and water made me think of something pure and natural. These objects do not judge the girl; they simply do their work. It felt peaceful, as if the world of things was kinder than the world of humans. But when I reached the line “the teacher sees a girl breaking the rule,” the mood suddenly changed. I understood that this was not just a small mistake it was considered a “crime” only because of who the girl was.
As I read on, I noticed how everyone the teacher, doctor, school, and press looks at her differently, but no one actually helps her. Each person “sees” her situation, but no one truly sees her suffering. That repetition of the word “sees” made me think that in our society, people often look but do not feel.
The ending lines made me very emotional:
“her left eye, lid open but light slapped away,
the price for a taste of that touchable water.”
After finishing the poem, I sat quietly for a while because it left a strong impression on me. I understood that Meena Kandasamy is trying to show the painful truth of caste discrimination through this poem. She wants us to realize how unfair it is when basic human needs, like water, become symbols of social control.
Reading “One-eyed” for the first time made me aware of the world we live in where people still face violence for equality. It made me think about how literature can open our eyes to truth and teach us empathy. The poem made me feel sadness, anger, and awareness all at once.
What I Understood from I.A. Richards’ Four Kinds of Meaning in “One-eyed”
1. Sense:
From this poem, I understood that the sense is the direct or literal meaning the surface story that the poet tells. In “One-eyed,” the poem describes how a young girl named Dhanam drinks water and is punished for breaking a caste rule. But behind this simple act lies a much deeper truth about social injustice and human cruelty. I realized that the poet uses very few words but gives a strong message about inequality and discrimination. The sense of the poem helped me see how one small action drinking water can reveal a big social problem.
2. Feeling:
For me, the feeling in this poem is what touched my heart the most. I could feel the pain, sadness, and helplessness of the girl. At the same time, I also felt the poet’s anger and protest against this injustice. The line “light slapped away” stayed in my mind for a long time it made me feel how cruel the world can be when people are judged by caste instead of humanity. I understood that poetry is not just about words but about the emotions that those words awaken in us. The feeling in this poem helped me connect deeply with Dhanam’s suffering.
3. Tone:
I understood that tone means the poet’s attitude toward the subject and the readers. The tone of “One-eyed” is serious, painful, and full of hidden protest. Meena Kandasamy’s tone is calm but powerful she doesn’t directly shout at the readers, yet her words make us uncomfortable and aware. I could feel that her tone carries both sorrow and strength. Through this tone, she makes us realize that silence can sometimes be louder than anger. It also showed me that a poet can express protest through softness, dignity, and emotional truth.
4. Intention:
From this poem, I understood that intention means the poet’s aim or purpose in writing. I feel that Meena Kandasamy’s intention is to show the harsh reality of caste discrimination and to make readers think about humanity and equality. She wants us to open our eyes to the pain of those who are treated unfairly in society. I believe her purpose is not just to tell Dhanam’s story but to make us question ourselves how we “see” others and how we respond to injustice. Her poem is a reminder that literature can be a tool for awareness and change.
What I Misunderstood (According to I.A. Richards’ Four Types of Misunderstanding)
1. Misunderstanding of the Sense of Poetry:
When I first read “One-eyed,” I focused only on the surface story a girl drinking water and getting punished. I did not immediately notice the deeper meaning about caste discrimination and social injustice. I read it quickly, almost carelessly, without thinking about the symbolic meaning of the pot, glass, and water. Later, I realized that these objects actually represent purity, equality, and humanity things that society fails to maintain.
2. Over-literal Reading:
At first, I took the poem too literally I imagined only the physical scene of a girl being hurt. I didn’t understand that the poem was not just a real incident, but also a metaphor for the way marginalized people are treated in society. I thought it was just one sad story, but then I understood that Meena Kandasamy is talking about a larger truth how an entire community faces such injustice.
3. Defective Scholarship (Inappropriate Metaphor):
Initially, I misunderstood some of the figurative expressions. For example, I thought “light slapped away” only meant losing eyesight. Later, I realized it is also a metaphor it means the loss of hope, dignity, and justice. I also didn’t fully understand that the “seeing” by the teacher, doctor, and press was an ironic comment on how people look but fail to understand. My early reading missed this deeper poetic use of imagery and metaphor.
4. Difference in Meaning of Words in Poetry and Prose:
In my first reading, I understood the words in their ordinary meanings like “pot,” “glass,” and “water.” But later I realized that in poetry, these words have symbolic meanings. The pot and water are not just objects they stand for nature’s purity and equality, while the teacher and school represent man-made divisions. I also learned that poetic language often uses personification and metaphor to express emotions more deeply than prose.
References
Barad, Dilip. I. A. Richards – Figurative Language – Practical Criticism. ResearchGate, Jan. 2024, doi:10.13140/RG.2.2.23687.98724.
Barad, Dilip. “Just Poems.” Dilip Barad | Teacher Blog, 23 Sept. 2015, https://blog.dilipbarad.com/2015/09/just-poems.html. Accessed 18 Dec. 2025.
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