Checking out me history Flashcards
What is the Context of the poem?
Agard was born in the Caribbean in 1949 and moved to the UK in the 1970
His poetry challenges racism and prejudice
Poem may have achieved its purpose as a stature of Mary Seacole was made in Ondon in 2017
How does the structure alternate?
two structures and alternates by the font to shows separateness and rebellion
What does the repetition of “dem tell me” mean?
could represent the white version of history which mostly rhymes in rhyming couplets ,triplets or quatrains
shows frustration
What does the rhyming couple suggest?
could represent the white people and black people and outlines the difference Agard is trying to outline
What does enjambment and irregular stanza show?
enjambment shows the build up of Agard frustration about the way he was taught history and the overall treatment of black people
irregular stanza highlights the injustice he has been taught about his history
Why is sound important?
Variation in spelling to suggest Caribbean dialect
stresses the importance of carving out his own identify
How is imagery shown?
uses imagery to mock what he has been taught about white history
black historical figures contain stronger imagery with nature metaphor for powerful affect Nanny de Maroon is linked with mountain rivers and fire
How is the theme of power shown?
powerfully reclaims his own history
takes back the power he feels that was taken away from him
How is the rebellious and celebratory tone shown\?
rebellious tone is created by repetition and short lines ta the beginning “Dem tell me”
celebratory tone is shown when talking about the black history figures h=which is emphasised by image of nature
What does “dem” suggest?
phonetic spelling
shows how proud and confidence he is with his own identity
he will not confine to British society
start of the poem foreshadows the end
What does “bandage” represent?
Noun
symbolically represents ignorance
society has bandages his eyes so he can see his own identify and now he has to carve it out
bandage is when you are in pain links to black history and slave trade when they were in pain
What does “eye” mean?
western society is means deceit and lie he think he has been lied to and white people have ignored black people
eye symbolizes judgement and authority the white community judge him because he is black and authority of white people over black
What does the lexical field of healing,bravery and freedom show?
shows what the black people did and were
sad irony is we don’t know who they are
the black figures did more then Florence nightingale but no one knows her
