Worker rights are a contemporary issue whose depth and importance were similarly relevant in previous centuries. Pablo Neruda utilizes his poem, ‘The United Fruit Company; to satirize the actions of Latin American leaders in the twentieth century, specifically as they associate with foreign international corporations. Their suppressive actions favoring imperialistic goals saw the suppression of workers’ rights and mass killings under dictatorial rule. The pursuit of personal gains by those in power (such as the government) leads to the perpetual exploitation of the working class.
Allusions are indirect references that the reader recognizes due to their link to popular culture through media such as songs, movies, or books. Pablo Neruda criticizes the imperialistic efforts of corporations in Latin America by alluding to famous companies such as Coca-Cola Inc. and Ford Motors (Stanza 1, 4-5). The poet establishes the magnitude and reaches of The United Fruit Company by contextualizing it to similar behemoths regarding political and economic influence in the region. Further, the phrase ‘Banana Republics’ is one coined and popularized to refer to politically unstable countries that have been impoverished because of crop over-reliance. Worker suppression efforts orchestrated by multinational companies in countries such as Guatemala and Honduras ultimately aligned with foreign national interests and were to the detriment of local citizens (Wilson). The author’s reference to these events creates a clear picture in the reader’s mind through associative references.
A significant portion of the poem is structured freely without a specific rhyme scheme or pre-determined rules. Neruda abandons obscurity and instead focuses on creating a concrete image in the four poem stanzas. His use of repetition, specifically with the word flies creates a contemptuous tone regarding the region’s dictators, as demonstrated in the lines;
“Trujillo flies, Tachos flies
Carias flies, Martinez flies,
Ubico flies, …” (Stanza 2, 12-13)
These leaders displayed tyrannical behavior during their reigns that showed apparent disregard for the welfare of the working class. Repetitive association with flies, treated with contempt due to their numerous adverse health effects, secures the writer’s perception of the leaders. They accepted resources and influential help while killing their citizens, thus showing the harmful nature the author wishes to communicate.
Moreover, symbolic references to the wealth of Latin America, which primarily emanates from crop funding, are apparent in the third stanza. The poet likens the plundering of Latin countries whose produce was excessively placed on ships overflowing like trays. These treasures, as Neruda dubs them, were taken from their sunken lands and ultimately transported elsewhere to benefit imperialistic nations (Stanza 3, 5-6). With the support of local dictators, the power and dominance of companies such as The United Fruit Company saw the decimation and severe depletion of workers’ rights in favor of production.
Analogies are used to compare two objects that may have similarities to one another to make a unifying point. The dead bodies of Indians are likened to a bunch of rotten fruit in the poem to showcase how little worth they meant to the region’s corporations and dictators (Stanza 4, 7-8). Further, Neruda informs the audience that the personality was stripped from the Indian worker’s body because its identity is insignificant compared to the effort the person can expend when working. Similarly, fruits are appealing when ripe and in their prime but immediately discarded if the intended benefits cannot be garnered. The poem creates a powerful sorrowful image precisely because the body is not singular but, instead, one that goes to add to the pile. The killings perpetrated by Latin American leaders at the time to garner favors from foreign corporations suppressed justified worker rebellions and revolutions to ensure the continuation of evil deeds such as exploitation and corruption.
In summary, the poem ‘The United Fruit Company’ vehemently criticizes imperialistic efforts at the expense of people’s rights. The poem’s author uses allusion, free verse structure, repetition, symbolism, and analogies to evoke powerful emotions about the dictatorial rule and worker suppression. Pablo Neruda’s work is critical to sensitizing people about neo-colonialism and multinational companies’ manipulation of local leaders.
Works Cited
Neruda, Pablo. “United Fruit Co.” Modern Latin America, 1950, Web.
Wilson, Matthew. “What’s A Banana Republic? A Political Scientist Explains.” The Conversation, Web.