The Rebel by D.J Enright

Character-Sketch "Rebel" by D.J. Enright

The title of the poem looks very startling; but when we read the poem, we find no fights, revolution or conflcits; typically expected of the presencen of a rebel. Here the word 'rebel' does not refer to a political activist or non-conformist; but a person who is socially a misfit. He has no political aims; but has only personal urge to expose himself before others. "The Rebel" is a lightly expressed poem written in a casual style free of any bitterness or critcism. The poet shows the charater of rebel. One who does not conform to the norms of society and has a contradictory attitude based on self-assertion. This is not typically a political rebel who wants a revolution in the country; but this is a common adolecent boy who, for his inexperience, exhibits himself so as to draw attention. The conceopt of rebel is wrapped up in each and every line of the poem. Our expected is dazzled when we find such contradictory statements as 'long hair' and 'short hair', We do have such rebels in society. The title of the poem is not imaginaty; but realistic.

Throughout this contemporary poem, Enright demonstrates how no matter what the issue, there will always be someone who will 'rebel' against this and do the opposite to the majority of society regardless of what that may mean. For example, in stanza 5, the poem reads; "When everybody wears a uniform, The rebel dresses in fantastic clothes." And Vice-versa in the following stanza 6; "When everybody wears fantastic clothes, The rebel dresses soberly." This shows that the barriers or lengths of rebellion are unlimited even when the particular act of rebellion may be completely superfluous and have no meaning, because these two particular stanzas demonstrate the rebel "rebelling" by just doing the opposite to the majority crowd regardless of that that may be, with no significant reason or symbol to this action. This specific act of rebellion addressed in the poem has no significant impact or reflection on the rest of society.