At the end of August of 2005 the unimaginable happened, Hurricane Katrina. There was a lot of destruction and suffering. “Ethel’s Sestina” by Patricia Smith is very moving. It demonstrates the hardship, and the social injustice that led to loss of life on the days that followed. The victims of Hurricane Katrina went through many hardships. Ethel Freeman and her son, Herbert, made their way to the Convention Center in New Orleans after the storm. There they were to wait for the buses that would transport them to safety. Unfortunately, Ethel died before the buses arrived(Dewan 1). She survived the storm. She did not survive the rescue. The poem starts with, “[g]on’ be obedient in this there chair” (1). Which brings to light the fact that during…show more content… They all looked for shelter and food there after the storm. They were all told to stay and wait for the buses that would come for them (Dewan 1). Being outside in the sun took its toll. “[C]ould that be a bus they see. It’s the sun/ foolin’ them, shining much to loud for sleep/ making us hear engines, wheels” (10-13). While outside in the heat people are wishing for some rain “forgetting what rain can do (14).” The rain “[w]hen it comes/ it smashes living flat, wake you from sleep/ eats streets, washes you clean out of the chair/ you be sittin’ in” (14-17). Simply by using personification makes Katrina sound more like a giant looking to cause havoc. It demonstrates the power it has. Katrina claimed the the lives of 1,100 people in Louisiana (Dewan1). The social injustice that was seen during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina was very evident. Delays in humanitarian relief caused preventable harm to primarily African American, disabled, elderly, and impoverished residents (Fjord 1). The stanza “[a]in’t no white men or buses come” (22). Brings forth the fact the failure of the government to lookout for its citizens (10 years after Katrina 2). The victims of Katrina had to look to one another for support. Ethel looked to her son for support “I believe him when he says help gon’ come
