Checking out me History

Question 1

what is the poem about (4)

Answer 1

1 the narrator is talking about his identity and how it links to his knowledge of history
2 he was taught about Britans history but not about his Caribbean roots
3 he talks about men and women from other ethnic backgrounds who should be celebrated
4 he says he is going t create his own identity based on his background

Question 2

What form does the poem take (3)

Answer 2

1 a range of stanzas are used suggesting he is breaking the language rules he has been taught
2 rhyme schemes differ between the British and Caribbean stanzas
3 “Dem” non standard English reflects the speakers anger that his own cultural history isn’t taught
-4 spelling also represents his own cultural background, showing he is proud of his identity

Question 3

what is the structure of the poem (2)

Answer 3

1 Caribbean history stanzas have shorter lines to slow them and make then seem more important than the British ones
2 alternates between historical figures in British and Caribbean culture, emphasising their differences

Question 4

what are the key context of the poem (5)

Answer 4

1 Agard’s poetry examines cultures and identity
2 Agard was born in the Caribbean
3 Agard moved to Britain in 1977
4 Mary Seacole was a Jamacian nurse in the Crimean War
5 Nanny de maroon was a Jamaican national heroine who fought against slavery

Question 5

what is the poets message (2)

Answer 5

1 to understand your identity you must understand your history
2 power is maintained by telling certain stories and keeping people ignorant about of some aspects of history
3 with holding history by the dominant culture can suppress

Question 6

what are the key quotes and explain

Answer 6

1 “ Blind me to me own identity” use of blindness reflects how history he was taught intentionally misses out his cultural history.
2 “Dem tell me bout de dish ran away with de spoon. But dem never tell me bout Nanny Maroon”. everyone is taught an unimportant nursery ryhme but not about this significant black woman who abolished slavery
3 “but dem never tell me bout Mary Seacole”- overshadowed by Florence Nigtingale - few taught about Mary Seacole but all know who Florence is.
4 “But now I checking out me own history. I carving out me identity”. - the speaker is going to embrace his own history and identity , it is in contrast with his angry tone at the beginning
5 “no dem never tell me bout dat” the double negative makes the speaker sound angry at never been taught of his own history.

Question 7

which poem to compare to and why

Answer 7

London
1 The narrator in London shows anger towards “every black’ning church” and “palace walls” suggesting he is angry at the people in power for not doing anything to change the bleak situation he sees.
Anger directed at the people in power is also seen in checking out my history where the speaker is angry at British education system (dem) for not teaching about his culture.

2 In London emotive language such as “the youthful harlot’s curse” could be interpreted as a sexually transmitted disease, as they were widespread at the time” The fact it has been blasted onto a child suggests its innocence has been forcibly taken.
This contrast with checking out my history where the speakers anger is exagerated through the use of comical language to describe British history such as de cow who jump over da moon

Question 8

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