The mood of Diop's 'Vanity' is__________

Analyzing the question

The question asks about the mood of David Diop's poem "Vanity." Mood is the overall feeling or atmosphere the poem creates, so we're looking for the emotional tone of the poem.

The concept

In "Vanity," the poet (a Négritude writer) addresses the vanity of the African who has adopted Western ways, and he also reflects on the pride that comes with a privileged position. The poem is built around the idea that the speaker's "friends" have been "flattered" and gain comfort from the colonizer, while the speaker himself recalls that "in the days of old" things were different. The poet is not just attacking them; his voice reflects worry about how his people lose their identity and values.

Step-by-step evaluation of the options

• A. Expressed through rhetorical questions - This describes a technique (a style device), not a mood. Also, the poem is mostly statements and reflections, not rhetorical questions.
• B. Condemnation - There is criticism in the poem, but the speaker is not harshly condemning. He addresses those he calls "friends" and speaks with sadness at what they have become.
• C. Expressed through the use of innuendos - Again, this is a technique, not a mood. The poem is fairly direct.
• D. Concern - The speaker is troubled about the alienation and loss of identity of his people from their roots, and the poem reads as a sincere caution. Concern fits as a mood.

Answer

Exam tip

When a question asks for "mood" or "tone," look for an emotion word (concern, anger, joy, nostalgia, sadness). Options that describe how something is said (rhetorical questions, innuendos) are about technique or style, so you can usually eliminate them quickly.