Checking Out Me History Flashcards
1
Q
Why are italics used?
A
Used to seperate the distinct stanzas regarding european history and figures in black history
- a way of distancing / coping
- turn of tables - teaches people about HIS history
- short lines to emphasise the content - makes reader slow down and truly understand
2
Q
“vision” “beacon” “hopeful” “freedom” “star”
A
- semantic field of light/hope
3
Q
“Dem tell me about 1066 and all dat”
A
“All dat” - dismissive - angry about the limited history he got taught
4
Q
Why is there NO punctuation throughout?
A
- Agard refuses to follow educarion system - refuses society
- this also enables the reader to read or interpret it however they want and not live by set/fixed rules you’ve been taught - allowing them to ‘carv[e] out [their] identity’
- could also represent the things he lacked/missed in his education
- embraces heritage
5
Q
“de cow who jump over de moon”
A
- connotations of nursery rhymes
- ^ not related to his history - insignificant to him
- emphasised by regular rhyme scheme ABAB - rhyming
6
Q
What does “bandage up me own eye with me own history/blind me to my own identity” mean?
A
- oppressive education
- prohibiting him from learning about his heritage
7
Q
Significance of last line?
A
“I carving out me identity”
- constrast which they increase a sense of oppression
- carving involves effort x hard
