Point of View

“The right word” is written from the first-person perspective of a speaker struggling to ascertain the correct way to perceive her situation. An unknown person stands outside the speaker’s door, and each successive stanza brings a whole new set of meanings and associations based on the speaker’s word choice. This creates an overall tone of disorientation and uncertainty. The speaker constantly changes her mind and questions her process of perception, which can be seen in lines such as “is that the wrong description?” and “I haven’t got this right” (4 and 8). Constant questioning gives way to rephrasing, which influences how the speaker perceives the boy standing outside. Through this uncertain speaker, Dharker demonstrates the ways in which unchecked bias and prejudice can prevent connection.

The speaker never arrives at a certain conclusion, but she drops the baggage that inflammatory language carries in favor...