Pretty Ugly By Abdullah Shoaib

"Pretty Ugly" is a reverse poem written past an unknown precious stone, Abdullah Shoaib, who shook the cyberspace with this powerful poem four years back. From then onwards, the poem has not lost popularity, nor has its powerful bulletin stopped reaching our hearts. It'due south such a probing poem that makes readers come across the journey of one speaker from immaturity to maturity and ignorance to cocky-awareness. Reading the poem in the usual order presents a scenario where the speaker accepts what society "feeds" in the form of conventional ideas of beauty, self-worth, and love.

Whereas, reading the text bottom-up reveals that once the speaker understands the meaning of truthful beauty that does non deal with one'due south external features, he realizes that he/she is cute in the way they are. Therefore, they "deserve" to be loved and accepted. If others tend to turn down this as an arrogant appeal, they are in a position to accept that they are "ugly".

In this style, Shoaib shows that when we change the way of seeing things in ourselves every bit well equally in the world, reality starts to take a more meaningful shape. Information technology is similar to reading the text lesser-up rejecting the conventional notion of reading summit-down.

Read the full text of "Pretty Ugly" below:

            Pretty Ugly            past            Abdullah Shoaib            I'chiliad very ugly So don't try to convince me that I am a very beautiful person Considering at the end of the day I hate myself in every single mode And I'm non going to prevarication to myself by saying There is beauty inside of me that matters So residual assured I will remind myself That I am a worthless, terrible person And nil you say volition make me believe I withal deserve love Considering no affair what I am not skilful enough to exist loved And I am in no position to believe that Beauty does exist within me Considering whenever I look in the mirror I always think Am I as ugly as people say?  (Now read bottom to pinnacle)

Analysis of Pretty Ugly by Abdullah Shoaib

Summary

Abdullah Shoaib's poem "Pretty Ugly" can be read and summarized in two ways. In the first reading (top to lesser), Shoaib presents us with a demotivated and self-loathing persona who rejects the possibility of being beautiful. The speaker tells others not to convince him as he hates himself in every single manner. He even rejects the possibility of the fact he has inner beauty. Therefore, information technology is natural that he cannot be loved the style others are. Lastly, the speaker ends with a rhetorical question, asking whether he is really as "ugly" as people tell them.

In the second reading (lesser to superlative), the same speaker takes a solid opinion. The pessimistic cocky-interrogation at present sounds like a declaration; a question straight posed to guild. The speaker rejects all the notions of order regarding his dazzler and accepts (proclaims) the fact that beauty does exist inside him. He deserves to be loved, no matter what. Furthermore, cypher others say matters to the speaker every bit he has started assertive in himself. Their cynical remarks cannot discourage him anymore.

Significant

The championship of the poem "Pretty Ugly" gives united states a direct hint at the main idea. "Pretty" and "ugly" are 2 opposite words. But Shoaib does non apply these words to depict 2 contradictory ideas. He rather fuses them together and forms a complementary idea, like the yin and yang. What is pretty for others cannot be truly pretty.

Similarly, what seems ugly to i cannot appear the aforementioned to others. Then, information technology is how humans see a particular affair. For ane grouping, the drinking glass is always half-empty, while others see it as half-filled. They are not totally wrong, nor entirely right. In the aforementioned manner, what gild deems every bit the trademark features of beauty cannot entirely be the touchstone of truthful beauty within oneself. Hence, the speaker (in the back reading) says, "And then don't try to convince me that/ I'grand very ugly."

Structure, Course, & Rhyming

"Pretty Ugly" is a reverse verse form. Information technology can be read both ways, summit to bottom and bottom to top. The elevation-downwardly reading of opposite verse is often pessimistic. In dissimilarity, the bottom-meridian reading is optimistic or changes the mood of the entire text. Unlike palindrome poetry that reads the same backward, contrary verse brings out a dissimilarity through backward reading.

This poem consists of 17 lines that are packed into a single stanza. The lines don't accept punctuation, and the meridian-to-bottom text ends with a question mark. Besides, this verse form is in free-poetry, without whatever set rhyme scheme or meter. It is written from the perspective of a first-person speaker.

Though there is no regular rhyme scheme, readers tin can discover a few instances of rhyming, such every bit in "day" and "fashion". Autonomously from that, the overall poem can be considered as a single statement, strapped together with several clauses.

Literary Devices & Figurative Language

Shoaib uses the following literary devices in "Pretty Ugly":

Irony

While reading the poem astern, it seems the speaker has used understatements in the actual poem (elevation to bottom). For example, in the get-go 3 lines, he tells others not to convince him that he is a wonderful person. It sounds ironic if the speaker himself believes in his worth.

Enjambment

This device is used throughout the verse form. Each line runs into consecutive lines forcing readers to go through them all together. By using this device, create curiosity in readers' minds regarding what will come side by side. For instance, enjambment occurs in the post-obit lines:

I'yard very ugly

And then don't try to convince me that

I am a very beautiful person

Hyperbole

Some instances of hyperbole from the poem are:

"I'1000 very ugly"
"I am a very beautiful person"
"I hate myself in every unmarried manner"

The words in assuming are used for the ironic effect.

Metaphor

In the line, "There is beauty within of me that matters," the speaker implies the beauty of the soul. So, the beauty within is a metaphor for the soul's grace.

Asyndeton

Conjunction (and) is dropped in the line, "That I am a worthless, terrible person," for maintaining the flow.

Litotes

This device is used in the line, "I am not good plenty to be loved." The speaker uses an ironic statement in which an affirmative ("I am bad") is expressed past the negative of its contrary ("I am not adept").

Rhetorical Question

The poem ends/begins with a rhetorical question: "Am I as ugly equally people say?" In the meridian-down reading, this figurative question sounds distressing and hopeless. In the opposite reading, this question sounds more forceful and confident.

Alliteration

The repetition of similar sounds, either consonant or vowel, at the beginning of neighboring words occurs in the following instances:

"try to" (line 2)
"thursdaye day" (line 4)
"to prevarication to" (line vi)
"1000ake ge" (line x)
"that/ Beauty does" (lines 14-fifteen)

Line-by-Line Assay & Explanation (Top to Lesser)

Lines 1-3

I'1000 very ugly

So don't try to convince me that

I am a very beautiful person

Abdullah Shoaib'due south "Pretty Ugly" is about a speaker who seems to be utterly brainwashed by society. His vocalism reflects a sense of hopelessness, deep anguish, and resentment. He is completely fed up with how others think about him every bit a person and the way he looks. It is said that when a lie is repeated again and over again, it becomes a truth. The aforementioned case happened with the speaker. He has been listening to several negative remarks virtually his beauty or self-worth.

With utter disgust upon himself, he declares in a straightforward manner, "Yes, I'm very ugly." He is helpless, at the aforementioned time, filled with anger. Therefore, he humbly requests others non to convince him of annihilation against his belief shaped past social club's remarks. In that location is no demand to praise him, saying, "Indeed, you lot're really beautiful!" He does non deserve or need such kind of consolation. All he needs is a lilliputian space to live in the way he wants.

Lines four-7

Considering at the terminate of the day

I hate myself in every single mode

And I'm not going to lie to myself past maxim

There is beauty inside of me that matters

On top of the urge to alive in isolation, in that location is some other reason behind his rejection to accept others' praise. He hates himself each day. The people around him went on to pause his self-conviction to the degree that he could non fifty-fifty find anything special in him to be happy with. It feels as if beingness ugly is a sin, and he is termed a "sinner." In guild to purge his sinfulness, he is required to atone for existence ugly.

Alongside that, he does not want to alive under the impression that he is cute from within. Besides, he tries to say that if there is dazzler in his soul, does it really matter to others? So, the speaker, information technology is amend to live with the "truth" of his life and endure alone, without having expectations of being accepted.

Lines 8-11

And then residue assured I volition remind myself

That I am a worthless, terrible person

And nothing you say volition make me believe

I all the same deserve dearest

In these lines, the speaker continues to talk about how he feels. There is an ironic undertone in his vox that can but be felt when the poem is read bottom-up. Every bit the speaker is unwilling to lie to himself about his inner beauty, he is assured that he will remind himself of his worthlessness and ugliness equally long equally he lives. It is essential to note the fact that if one is non beautiful, society makes them feel like they are "worthless." They even deem the person as "terrible," like a wild, hideous beast.

Therefore, he reiterates that it is besides late to believe in himself again. He has not just lost hope but also stopped thinking of existence loved. In this mode, Shoaib points out that a person tin can only get affection if he is handsome or beautiful. Otherwise, there is no hope for him to find a partner or be loved past others in lodge.

Lines 12-17

Because no thing what

I am not proficient plenty to exist loved

And I am in no position to believe that

Beauty does be within me

Because whenever I look in the mirror I always call back

Am I as ugly as people say?

The speaker describes the fact that one can only be loved if they are adept (pretty) enough. As he is non "good plenty" co-ordinate to gild, there is no possibility of getting love. In the next lines, the poet uses a repetition of the idea of inner beauty. His speaker says that due to all these negative factors, he cannot believe that there is beauty in his heart. He is so demotivated that he cannot recall of one skillful quality in him.

The last 2 lines of "Pretty Ugly" are different from the rest of the lines. It is considering here, the speaker's tone becomes a scrap disquisitional. When he looks at his reflection in the mirror, it makes him think. The reflection somehow shakes the misconception impregnated into his heed. As it has gone very deep, he struggles to differentiate the truth from the lies. For this reason, he asks whether he is as ugly equally others call up about him.

Line-by-Line Analysis & Explanation of the Opposite Poem (Bottom to Top)

First, read the reverse poem "Pretty Ugly" below:

Am I as ugly as people say? Because whenever I look in the mirror I always think Beauty does be within me And I am in no position to believe that I am not adept enough to be loved Because no matter what I still deserve love And nothing you say will make me believe That I am a worthless, terrible person Then residuum assured I will remind myself There is dazzler inside of me that matters And I'm not going to lie to myself by saying I detest myself in every unmarried way Considering at the end of the day I am a very beautiful person So don't try to convince me that I'k very ugly

Lines i-3

Am I every bit ugly equally people say?

Because whenever I look in the mirror I always think

Beauty does exist within me

The bottom-to-top reading of "Pretty Ugly" presents readers with the same speaker, but this fourth dimension, confident, cocky-aware, and wise. He thinks in stark contrast with what others think about him. Moreover, his tone reflects a sense of rejection. He is not affrighted anymore. So, the second reading shows how one speaker's thinking changes with maturity and self-awareness. All it takes is courage to stand against the established rules of guild. Changing the direction of reading presents an entirely different meaning of the aforementioned words. Too, i has to change the manner of looking at things or oneself to realize their truthful worth.

This section begins at the point where the previous reading concluded. The speaker standing in front of the mirror asks himself whether he is so ugly as others say. He emphasizes the fact that beauty "does" exist within. It does not prevarication in the way one looks. True beauty exists deeper in i's soul.

Lines 4-7

And I am in no position to believe that

I am not proficient plenty to be loved

Because no matter what

I still deserve honey

Therefore, the speaker is non in the mood to believe what others say near him. If others say he does not deserve love as he is non handsome, he only rejects the notion. Information technology does non thing what they say; he withal "deserves" to be loved. Every human being needs and deserves love. No rule says the prerequisite to getting love is to look good.

Lines 8-eleven

And nix yous say volition make me believe

That I am a worthless, terrible person

So residual assured I will remind myself

At that place is beauty inside of me that matters

The speaker'due south vox becomes more forceful every bit he says, none of their remarks can alter his mindset. He is not the person anymore. Previously, he could have believed that he was worthless and ugly. But at present, he understands his worth and natural dazzler within his middle. He firmly believes that the beauty inside him "matters," not what others think or say about him. It is he who has to alive with himself for the rest of his life. So, if he cannot love himself, how tin can others love him?

Lines 12-fifteen

And I'thou non going to lie to myself past saying

I hate myself in every unmarried mode

Considering at the end of the twenty-four hours

I am a very beautiful person

People never stop remarking nearly others. They always judge others' worth by their wealth, their appearance, and looks. Therefore, it is amend not to prevarication to oneself by believing their remarks. One is foolish to accept others' lies every bit their truth. So, the speaker refrains from lying to himself in dissimilarity to what he did before. He will not say to himself he is horrid, or he hates himself in every single way possible. Information technology is because he is enlightened of his own worth and beauty.

Lines sixteen-17

So don't try to convince me that

I'm very ugly

The last two lines of the reverse poem are direct addressed to society. Here, the speaker tells others not to attempt to convince him. Their tactics are not going to piece of work on him anymore. It is due to the fact that he is self-aware. He could be ugly from society's perspective. In his ain eyes, he is beautiful and fit to be loved, to be accepted, and to be considered a unique human being. Therefore, nobody can convince him that he is "very ugly."

Themes

The major themes of "Pretty Ugly" are perception, credence and rejection, ignorance versus self-awareness, the soul'due south beauty, and discrimination. Firstly, the theme of society's perception regarding ane'southward dazzler, worth, and abilities is criticized in this poem. Shoaib describes how a person'due south heed is torn betwixt what others think virtually him and what he thinks about himself. The clash takes the forefront in the start reading. Past using the reverse form, the poet reverts the same perception to another more enlightening one.

The theme of acceptance versus rejection is another central theme in the poem. In the top-down text, the poet explores how the acceptance of conventional lies makes i feel weaker and worthless. In comparison, the down-to-meridian poem showcases one's rejection of social lies that previously fabricated him feel inferior. This contrast in the speaker'due south thinking pattern implies some other theme, immaturity vs. maturity.

Tone

Like any other contrary poetry, "Pretty Ugly" is in a pessimistic tone in the general order of reading. In contrast, the opposite reading reveals the underlying optimism of the speaker. When the speaker thinks based on what others say near him, his tone reflects a sense of helplessness, credence, and utter skepticism. As he grows into a mature person, his tone becomes confident. It reflects his sense of rejection of social norms, self-awareness, and optimism. In this way, the duality in tone helps readers understand how a person grows from existence gullible to being intelligent and wise.

Questions & Answers

What is the theme of "Pretty Ugly" by Abdullah Shoaib?

Abdullah Shoaib's "Pretty Ugly" contains a number of themes that include acceptance versus rejection, the journeys from immature thinking to mature thinking, beauty, discrimination, and the fright of existence left out. When the poem is read superlative-down, it presents us with a speaker who accepts others' perceptions about himself. Every bit he grows mature, thus wise, equally projected through the backward reading, he understands what others say well-nigh him does non thing at all. At the terminate of the day, what he thinks about himself simply matters.

What is the meaning of "Pretty Ugly"?

The championship of the poem "Pretty Ugly" hints at the glass one-half-filled with h2o paradox. Shoaib describes how order'south perception of beauty and worth cannot be totally right, nor what they deem to be ugly is entirely accurate. In this poem, he shows how "pretty" and "ugly" are not diametrically opposite ideas but two complementary concepts of order. The same thing tin can seem ugly when seen through others' eyes. When we change the way we look at things, the aforementioned matter appears beautiful.

How do you read the "Pretty Ugly" poem?

The verse form "Pretty Ugly" can be read in both ways, forrard and astern. In the forward reading, information technology is a pessimistic and utterly discouraging reading. The exact text (or words) becomes inspiring and confident when information technology is read lesser-to-top.

When was "Pretty Ugly" written?

The poem was written around 2018 by gimmicky (Social Media poet) Abdullah Shoaib. It went viral in the same year and never lost its appeal due to its unique structure.

What literary device is "Pretty Ugly"?

The title of the poem "Pretty Ugly" is an example of an oxymoron. Ii contradictory ideas are placed side past side to create an artistic effect and to reveal an interesting message.

What is a reverse poem?

A reverse poem is a poetic text that can be read in two ways, top to bottom and bottom to top. In general, the forward reading is pessimistic. While the opposite reading sounds optimistic, as axiomatic in Abdullah Shoaib's poem "Pretty Ugly."

Similar Poems with Life Lessons

"It Couldn't Be Done" by Edgar Guest — What to tell others when they question our worth and abilities; poet Edgar Guest provides answers to their cynical remarks.
"Stay Calm" past Grenville Kleiser — In this poem, Kleiser describes how the fine art of self-control and remaining at-home helps us win all the battles, be it mental or concrete.
"The Flower" by Alfred Lord Tennyson — This poem explores the hypocrisy of society and how one creator is never recognized or appreciated for their novel works.
"I Shall Paint My Nails Red" by Carole Satyamurti — In this poem, a mid-anile adult female rejects all the norms and declares her wish to paint her nails in bold carmine color.

External Resources

The Poem Aloud — Heed to this beautiful reading of "Pretty Ugly" by Abdullah Shoaib.
About Reverse Poetry — Larn near the definition and check out some examples of opposite poetry.
Some Reverse Poems — Explore some incredible contrary poems.

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