Checking Out Me History Flashcards
What is the main message of this poem?
- That white history is appreciated more than black history. Through this poem, Agard wants the readers to celebrate black history/ the poet wants to find his own identity.
Who was “Cheking out me History” written by?
- Checking out me History was written by John Agard.
CONTEXT
Where did John Agard grow up?
How is this relevant to the poem?
- John Agard grew up in British Guyana (a colony.)
- His heritage was taken away from/ perhaps he was taught about British- white heritage rather than his own Black heritage.
What is the significance of there being no punctuation in the poem and the misuse of grammar in the title (Me rather than My?)
- Shows that Agard is not keeping to the structure of education in general (grammar/ punctuation) - breaking the bounds/ learning about his own heritage.
What is the significance of Agard using the coloquial word “dem” throughout the poem?
- “dem”: he could be aiming to keep his linguistic heritage.
- “dem”: (not naming the people) showing how insignificant these people are to him. The people that aim to trap him from learning about his heritage.
How does Agard describe how “dem” cover up Agard’s identity?
- He describes how they “bandage up me eye” and “blind me to me own identity.”
- “bandage”/ “blind” - feels as though he is trapped from finding out his true identity.
- “Bandage” - illness (there’s something wrong with him for wanting to learn about his history!!)
What is the significance of MOST of the lines in poem rhyming? When do the lines rhyme? What significance does this hold?
- It creates a nursery- rhyme tone to the poem when Agard is speaking about what he learns at school.
- Shows how trivial his education is in his eyes (learning about white people’s folklore rather than true black history.)
- Also, shows how repetitive his education is/ how trivial it has become in his eyes.
Who is “Dick Whittington and he cat?”
- Characters in a folklore tale.
- Insignifanct figures> important black figures (in his education.)
Who was “Toussaint L’Ouverture?”
- He was the leader of a slave revolt that ended slavery in Hati.
How does Agard describe Toussaint L’Ouverture?
- “de Beacon”: he is the light to freedom/ a symbol of hope.
- “de thorn”: dangerous, strong against the French!
HONOURING THIS MAN’S LEGACY !!
What two MAIN parts is the poem split into?
- How Agard feels about his education/ what he learns.
- Agard celebrating the works of influential black individuals (he is appreciative of them/ wants readers to feel appreciative too!!)
Who were Maroons and who was Nanny Maroon?
- “Maroons” were Africans who escaped slavery in America: Nanny Maroon was their leader.
What trivial examples of euroscentric history are included by Agard?
- “man who discovered the balloon” - unimportant/ trivial.
- Nursery Rhymes/ folklore tales –> Dick Whittington.
- “cow” who jumped over the moon: The man is NOTHING/ animal in comparison to the accomplishments black people have achieved.
What type of imagery is used when describing Nanny Maroon?What is the significance of this imagery?
- Natural Imagery: to represent the freedom that she bought for many slaves/ the nature she had to pass through in order to free the slaves!!
Give examples of natural imagery used when describing Nanny Maroon.
- “mountain dream” - dreaming of freedom.
- “fire woman struggle”: burning desire to be free.
- “stream/ freedom- river”: free- flowing; represents her victory in escaping the shackles of slavery.
AGAIN, HONOURING HER LEGACY AND HER STRUGGLES!!
