Checking Out Me History Flashcards
CONTEXT
John Agard is a Guyanese poet who moved to Britain in the 1970s. The poem critiques the Eurocentric perspective of history, specifically taught in schools, which he was subject to as a child, and explores themes of cultural identity, colonialism, the clash between different historical perspectives and even the loss of identity due to a lack of thorough education about one’s heritage.
Structure and Form
The poem alternates between two distinct voices: the voice that recited Eurocentric historical narratives (and nursery rhymes) and the voice that celebrates black historical figures who haven’t been recognised in Western culture despite their influence and significance due to systemic racism.
The use of non-standard, Creole English and a rhythmic, almost musical quality about the Itallic excerpts reflect Agard’s Caribbean heritage and marks that this is him telling us about his history, rather than ‘Dem’, Western society who have taught their own version of history for so long.
The alternating voices and perspectives highlight the stark difference between Eurocentric and Afrocentric historical narratives, underscoring the poem’s critique of biased education.
“Dem tell me/ Wha dem ____…
…to tell me”
“Dem” alludes to authorities, specifically in education, and the way that powers, and those in control of information can use it - history has been manipulated in their favour, so that they can brainwash and ‘blind’ people.
The repetition of “Dem tell me” emphasises the poet’s frustration with the authoritative, one-sided nature of the history he has been taught.
The use of Creole language, asserts the poet’s cultural identity and challenges the standard forms of language imposed by colonial education.
“Bandage up me eye with me own ______….
_____ me to my own identity”
Metaphor: expressed how the omission of Black history has harmed the speaker’s self-awareness and cultural identity, while accentuating the power of history, and how being kept ignorant of it is almost disabling.
It suggests a deliberate act of obscuring the speaker’s vision, symbolising the concealment of his heritage.
“Dem tell me bout 10__ and all dat…”
Anaphora of ‘dem tell me’ throughout the poem enacts the dullness of Eurocentric history taught in school, and the repetative nature of it as they exclude diverse, significant stories of other cultures.
The date 1066 marks the Battle of Hastings seen as the start of British History and is one of the key events taught in Biritsh education. This substantiates that history is subjective and is only taught to the extent that bias allows.
“all dat” reduces and devalues such dates taught in the British curriculum and shows the irrelevance of them to him. He yearns to see more of himself in the history taught, rather than things repeatedly taught and hammered in to his mind that are of no importance or influence to his own identity.
“…dem tell me bout __________ and he cat”
Agard mocks what Western-centric culture deems important and devotes attention to, which in this case is British fables like Dick Whittington, and claims that even insignificant, and silly nursery rhymes about “de dish ran away with de spoon” are taught more thoroughly than Black history. Nursery rhymes, like ‘Hey Diddle Diddle’ referenced in the poem, are uneducational and fictitious, yet are traditionally taught in schools, so by juxtaposing this with the stories of Black historical heroes, he is portraying the misguidance of Eurocentric education and that they teach the wrong things.
Moreover, the contrast of this and the significant date 1066 highlights the imbalance in the curriculum.
The A A A A rhyme scheme in non-itallic parts creates a childish tone, almost jeering at how pointless some elements of education are, in comparison to the excluded crucial Black history.
“Toussaint/ a slave/ _______/ lick back/ ______”
with vision…Napoleon
Here, Agard introduces Toussaint L’Ouverture, a leader of the Haitian Revolution, highlighting his significant but overlooked role in history.
The fragmented structure and the enjambment emphasise Toussaint’s resilience and strategic prowress in the revolution.
The phrase ‘lick back’ is a colloquial expression of resistance and truimph over colonial oppressor alluding to the way in which Eurocentric education purposely leave unnoticed the subject of history that inherently presents the West as villainous and exposes the struggles of Black individuals like Toussaint, who did resist oppression in history.
REMEMBER: “Toussaint de thorn” conveys that figures that work against European superpowers and authorities are hated by “history itself” and are fated to to be ill-represented as a ‘pain’ or ‘annoyance’ like a ‘thorn’.
“Nanny/ see-far woman”
Nanny of the Maroons was a leader of the Maroons in Jamaica, celebrated for her resistance against British colonial rule.
The descriptions of “see-far woman” and “fire-woman struggle” use vivid metaphorical language to convey Nanny’s visionary leadership and her fierce resistance as well as the destructive power of burning passion.
“Hopeful stream/ to freedom river”
Metaphor for the way that one woman’s trickle of hope can run into a river, making huge change.
“But dem never tell me about Mary _____”
Seacole
“But” proves that in the Western-centric education, they talk of everything ‘but’ Black history.
The following excerpt summarises Mary Seacole’s journey and her contributions, which are often neglected in mainstream historical accounts. The enjambment across these lines creates a sense of movement, mirroring Seacole’s journey from Jamaica to the Crimean War.
The straightforward narrative highlights the clarity, and solidity of her story, proving that it has been neglected for no valid reason, since it is just as certain as Florence Nightingale’s achievements, and contrasts the complex racial injustices within society that has led to is omission.
White privelage in history is salient in this account as both Nightingale and Seacole served in the Crimean War as nurses and saved, healed many soldiers. Seacole showed just as much bravery, compassion and brought just as much hope but where Nightingale is endlessly recognised, Seacole is rarely mentioned.
“a yellow sunrise/ to the dying”
1) Hopefulness and newness that Seacole brought to the dying soldiers she healed.
2) The dead stories and narratives that haven’t been represented in history before are resurfacing, and he is shedding light onto them.
“I carving out me identity”
The return to the line “dem tell me” provides a cyclical, yet dynamic structure for the poem. Whereas those who underrepresent Black history, may continue to do so, Agard, as well as many others, have had a shift from Eurocentric views to post-colonial perspective on history.
The line concludes the poem signifying the speaker’s active role in shaping his sense of self and reclaiming his heritage.
The verb ‘carving’ implies a careful, deliberate process of creating something meaningful and lasting.
It also evokes the idea of shaping one’s own destiny and identity, a central theme to the poem, while encapsulating the speaker’s journey towards self-discovery and empowerment.
