Comparison and Contrast of The
One Who Goes Away vs Search for My Tongue
Introduction
Both
poems by Sujata Bhatt deal with themes of identity, displacement, and inner
conflict. However, while Search for My Tongue focuses mainly on language
and cultural identity, The One Who Goes Away explores emotional
separation, distance, and personal relationships.
Similarities
Between the Poems
1. Theme of Displacement
Both
poems reflect the experience of leaving one’s native place.
In
Search for My Tongue, displacement is linguistic and cultural.
In
The One Who Goes Away, displacement is more emotional and physical.
In both, the poet shows the pain of being away
from roots.
2. Identity Crisis
In
both poems, Sujata Bhatt presents a struggle with identity.
In
Search for My Tongue, identity is tied to language.
In
The One Who Goes Away, identity is shaped by relationships and memory.
Both show that identity is fragile and
affected by separation.
3. Sense of Loss
Both
poems express a deep feeling of loss.
Loss
of mother tongue in Search for My Tongue
Loss
of connection and closeness in The One Who Goes Away
The tone in both poems is emotional and
reflective.
4. Hope and Continuity
Despite
loss, both poems suggest continuity:
In
Search for My Tongue, the language grows back like a plant.
In
The One Who Goes Away, memories and emotional bonds remain.
Nothing is completely lost—something always
survives.
Differences
Between the Poems
1. Focus of Theme
Search
for My Tongue:
Focuses on language, bilingualism, and cultural identity
The
One Who Goes Away:
Focuses on human relationships, separation, and emotional distance
One is cultural, the other is personal/emotional.
2. Use of Language
Search
for My Tongue:
Uses Gujarati and English (code-switching) to show conflict between
languages
The
One Who Goes Away:
Uses simple English throughout, focusing on emotional expression
The first poem is linguistically
experimental, the second is straightforward.
3. Imagery and Symbolism
Search
for My Tongue:
Uses strong biological imagery (tongue, rotting, growing plant)
The
One Who Goes Away:
Uses emotional and situational imagery related to distance and absence
The imagery in the first is more symbolic,
in the second more realistic.
4. Type of Conflict
Search
for My Tongue:
Shows internal linguistic conflict (two languages fighting within the
mind)
The
One Who Goes Away:
Shows external emotional conflict (distance between people)
One is inner psychological struggle,
the other is relational conflict.
5. Tone and Mood
Search
for My Tongue:
Moves from fear → realization → hope
The
One Who Goes Away:
Remains melancholic and reflective, with a softer sense of acceptance
The emotional journey is more dramatic
in the first poem.
Critical Comparison
Critics
often note that Sujata Bhatt uses different approaches to explore identity
and loss:
In
Search for My Tongue, she uses language as a metaphor for
identity.
In
The One Who Goes Away, she uses human relationships to express
similar feelings of separation.
Both poems show that whether through language
or relationships, separation deeply affects human identity.
Conclusion
Both
poems are powerful explorations of loss, identity, and survival.
Search
for My Tongue emphasizes the permanence of
cultural roots through language.
The
One Who Goes Away highlights the emotional impact of
distance in human relationships.
Together, they show that no matter what form
separation takes—linguistic or emotional—something essential always remains
within us.
