Checking Out Me History

Question 1

Poem content - idea trying to get across?

Answer 1

Agard shows how a biased teaching of history can impact on how people think about their own identity.

Question 2

Structure and form

Answer 2

• When told of major black historical figures like Toussaint L’Ouverture and Mary Seacole. This structure has very short lines, uses abbreviations and misses out words. There is some rhyme, but this is very irregular. These features may reflect how the historical figures were removed from history lessons. The tone in this structure is celebratory.
• Jamaican dialect to subvert English educational system

Question 3

Identity quotations

Answer 3

“ checking out me own history” - has to do his own research to find out about his identity

“Blind me to me own identity” - Agard feels he has been denied access to his own history, which has altered his identity

Question 4

Structure and rhyming

Answer 4

• In the same stanza, he says ”ballon” “moon” “spoon” “Nanny de maroon”. This emphasises the last word in the stanza, which is nanny de maroon He was an African-American historic figure which makes the reader stop and think about who it is focusing on.
• Verses about black historical figures are italicised to make them stand out as important. Free verse and lack of written to create an un-mocking tone into the present them as free spirits
• There is natural imagery such as “fire” “stream” “river” and “mountain”. This positive and natural imagery implies. They are positive and natural influences of the speakers life which is carved out his identity.
• Caribbean, idiolect, and lack of punctuation demonstrates how Agard refuses to reform into the rules of English language, and implies to the oppressive, domineering and controlling nature of English communication. But now his identity is shining.

Question 5

Key quotations

Answer 5

“Bandage up me eye with my own identity” this metaphor is implying that organisations have deliberately held back the speaker from seeing his own identity he has been “blinded” to it
“I carving out me identity” last line of the poem. “Carving” connotes to a strenuous task, suggesting we have to actively find and seek out our own identity. “Me” at the end of the poem, symbolises how he is the final one at the end of the stanza. His history has improved him with a new sense of his identity.