Atlas

Themes

Identity and Heritage

Climate and Cultural Loss

Burden and Responsibility

Rage and Desperation

Identity and Heritage

The complex, conflicting identity of being both Samoan and American (colonized and colonizer) and the burden of carrying both cultures.

Climate and Cultural Loss

The direct link between climate change, rising sea levels, and the destruction of Pacific Islander identity, culture and home.

Burden and Responsibility

The emotional and physical weight felt by Siagatonu in dealing with grief, guilt, and the fight for survival and justice.

Rage and Desperation

The poet’s anger at the silence and inaction of the world regarding the climate crisis and the profound loss of her heritage.

Author’s purpose

To Confront/Challenge

To express Grief/Anger

To reclaim Identity

To confront / challenge

To challenge the silence and indifference around the climate crisis, specifically highlighting its impact on the Pacific.

To express grief / anger

To articulate the deep, personal anger and grief that comes from witnessing the slow destruction of one’s cultural source.

To reclaim identity

To define her own complex identity and acknowledge the weight of her heritage while transforming that burden into a source of strength and voice.

Internal conflict

Self vs. Self

Internal conflict

Self vs. Self

The struggle of being “both blade and blood,” feeling guilt for being American while grieving for her Samoan roots.

Internal conflict

Self vs. Self

Resulting effect / tone

Creates tension, complexity, and profound psychological burden in the poet’s tone.

External conflict (Person vs. Society)

Self vs. Inaction

External conflict (Person vs. Society)

Self vs. Inaction

The author’s fight against the ignorance / apathy of others:
“…don’t believe me when I say water…”

External conflict (Person vs. Society)

Self vs. Inaction

Resulting effect / tone

Drives the urgent, defiant, and political tone of the poem.

External conflict (Person vs. Nature)

Humanity vs. Climate Change

External conflict (Person vs. Nature)

Humanity vs. Climate Change

The devastating, irreversible force of rising sea levels destroying “home”.

External conflict (Person vs. Nature)

Humanity vs. Climate Change

Resulting effect / tone

Underpins the central theme of cultural loss and existential threat.