Human Family: Analysis
Start writing a post
Relationships

Human Family: Analysis

In minor ways we differ, in major we're the same.

4886
Human Family: Analysis
YouTube

Human Family: By Maya Angelou

I note the obvious differences

in the human family.

Some of us are serious,

some thrive on comedy.


Some declare their lives are lived

as true profundity,

and others claim they really live

the real reality.


The variety of our skin tones

can confuse, bemuse, delight,

brown and pink and beige and purple,

tan and blue and white.


I've sailed upon the seven seas

and stopped in every land,

I've seen the wonders of the world

not yet one common man.


I know ten thousand women

called Jane and Mary Jane,

but I've not seen any two

who really were the same.


Mirror twins are different

although their features jibe,

and lovers think quite different thoughts

while lying side by side.


We love and lose in China,

we weep on England's moors,

and laugh and moan in Guinea,

and thrive on Spanish shores.


We seek success in Finland,

are born and die in Maine.

In minor ways we differ,

in major we're the same.


I note the obvious differences

between each sort and type,

but we are more alike, my friends,

than we are unalike.


We are more alike, my friends,

than we are unalike.


We are more alike, my friends,

than we are unalike.

Analysis: How can a poem so simple, be the answer to so many problems. When I took English, my teacher assigned us to do an analysis of this poem. My initial response was that this poem was a bit cliche because it's obvious, no one is the same. Every human has distinct physical features, and characteristics that build the foundation of their individual self. But, what if the poem was saying more than that?

We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.

I recognize the nature of that sentence when I go to the movies and see people of all races enjoying the same content, when there's a car accident and everyone is making a path for the ambulance, and when I’m in the library watching everyone trying to meet deadlines. Sometimes I wonder if this basic concept could solve the major problems in the world. In the same English class, we read a poem named “The Man He Killed” by Thomas Hardy. In the poem, the soldier illustrates his experience of killing another soldier. As the soldier reflected, he realized he killed an innocent man because society perceived him as the “enemy.” In the last stanza of the poem, the soldier stated, "Yes; quaint and curious war is! / You shoot a fellow down / You'd treat if met where any bar is, / Or help to half-a-crown" implying that, if he had met his opponent somewhere else such as a bar, they could have formed a friendship. He even went to the extent of considering if the soldier’s involvement in the war was only because he needed a job, just like him.

We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.

As humans, we are all able feel emotions. Each religion has different beliefs, but many share the same values. In college, we all have different majors, but our ultimate goal is to be successful. Going forward, as a society, we should not focus on areas we differentiate and instead recognize the commonalities we share. For the benefit of us all.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

52861
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

33970
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

956650
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

181442
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments