checking out me history Flashcards
1
Q
“dem tell me”
A
- anaphora
- assonance, building up rhythm to make a political point
- rhyming scheme very simplistic, aimed at both a childhood and adult audience, as hes talking about the kind of history that we are taught in schools, and he deliberately is trying to get us to teach children in a different way
- dialect choice which is not standard english, shows how hes in opposition to them. however, hes overcoming the “them” (British society) by naming them with his own dialect, showing that he believe his protest will be victorious
- repetition of me suggests personal experience, but actually his experience is representative of any immigrant in the country
2
Q
what is the poem about
A
- how prejudice education was by excluding particular world view, only focusing on euroccentric ideas
3
Q
“bandage up me eye with me own history”
A
- been told hes been damaged, and therefore had the bandage put around his eye, but theres nothing wrong with his eye, his vision has just been obscured
- the false view of history is mirrored by the false treatment of his eye, implies that the speaker wants to see beyond the dominant historical perspectives and seek a more accurate and positive understanding of their own heritage.
- his own history has been the thing that has blinded him, the fact about slavery and transportation to foreign lands, is the only part of British involvement in history that is taught, but the poem is asking what the people who had been treated as slaves did to overcome their oppressors, the positive side of his own history has been hidden away
- bandaging up something natural, suggesting that there is something wrong with it
4
Q
form
A
- first 4 lines rhyme scheme AAAA, basic, repetitive and constrictive, perhaps reflecting restrictive life in Britain
- when he starts talking about afro Caribbean history, the form starts to become free verse and the rhymes seem to occur more unpredictably, emphasising personal freedom, linked to cultural freedom, contrasting him discovering his real history, to the restriction of living in Britain and learning this limited view of history, reflected in the limited rhyme scheme
5
Q
“Toussaint a slave…
A
with vision lick back Napoleon
6
Q
“Toussaint a slave with vision lick back Napoleon”
A
- Toussaint who was a slave contrasted with great Napoleon, who conquered Europe in the 1800s. by having this contrast, he tries to show us that a mere slave was more powerful than this conquerer in europe, as he could conquer europe but not a small island full of slaves
- could suggest that in the future, he could overcome the great weight of European historical perspective with history
- small poem just like the small slave overthrowing bigger power
7
Q
“dem tell me bout Columbus and 1492…
A
but what happened to de Caribs and de Arawaks too”
8
Q
“dem tell me bout Columbus and 1492 but what happened to de Caribs and de Arawks too”
A
- Colombus allegedly “discovered” America in 1492, Europeans claimed what belonged to other people and took it for themselves
- we are not taught that Columbus initially stopped off at the Caribbean islands, leading to the genocide of the Carribeans and Arawaks
- “caribs” were the origins of cannibals and now theres no evidence that they ate anyone at all, but it was the myth put out by European settlers as part of the justification for killing them off
- question prompts the reader to reflect on the gaps and silences in the retelling of history and the importance of recognizing and acknowledging the experiences of all communities
9
Q
“a healing star among the wounded”
A
- referencing Mary seacole, who left the Carribean to help in the Crimean war
- metaphor to mythologise Mary Seacole, making her represent something much bigger than herself, something to guide us, Agard wants to guide the reader into a new view of history, but he does not want to do this through violence, but through healing
- The line utilizes a metaphor by comparing Mary Seacole to a “healing star.” This metaphor suggests that she possesses qualities or abilities that bring comfort, aid, and healing to those who are wounded or suffering. It emphasizes her role as a source of support and care, shining brightly amidst the challenges and struggles faced by others.
- Change in tone from anger to conciliatory, softer and gentle, trying to come to an agreement or compromise, where we will see that what hes saying is fair
- if we think about mythology and constellation in the stars, all the names of the constellations come from Greek myths, but they were named by Zeus, who would take people from history who he thought were worthy and take their bodies when they died and turn them into stars or constellations
in that way they become beacons of hope for futures of generations forever
10
Q
“but now i checking out me own history….
A
i carving out me identity”
11
Q
“but now i checking out me own history I carving out me identity”
A
- previous lines “dem tell me” show that they are still telling him the same thing, but the difference now is that he feels empowered, as hes gone back and seen the real history of his ancestors, so hes now able to have a new identity
- ends with a couplet, traditional and a way to signify a happy ending, could be suggesting that people like him can have a happy ending and own identity
- metaphor “carving”, presents him as a sculptor whos going to carve a masterpiece out. suggesting that when you do create your own identity, its like creating a piece of art, something beautiful that is going to last and change history
- also highlights his poem as a way of carving out identity and used to change peoples views on the world
12
Q
but now im checking out my history
A
im carving out me identity
