Checking Out Me History Quotes Flashcards
First lines of checkin out me history
Dem tell me
Dem tell me
Wha dem want to tell me
Use of repetition creates an accusatory tone, showing his anger.
Quote from checkin out me history talking about how he hasn’t learned about his own history due to the education system
Bandage up me eye with me own history
Blind me to me own identity
Bandage is supposed to make you feel beter, however in this case it is blinding him of his own history. This is done deliberately by the British system. Metaphor.
It also shows that your history is a big part of who you are.
Almost humerous way of dissmissing British history in checkin out me history
Dem tell me bout 1066 and all dat
Dem tell me bout Dick Wittington and he cat
-Battle of Hastings
-All he’s learning about is British Society
-They teach him about stories and pantomimes of little importance instead of his history.
Last 2 lines of checkin out me history talking about general message of poem
But now i checking out me own history
I carving out me identity
Volta, goes from “dem” to “I”
The system hasn’t helped me so he has to carve out his own identity
Haitan figure
“Toussaint”
(Toussaint L’ouverture)
In italics symbolises his importance and many don’t know who he is.
Toussaint and other black leaders of Saint-Domingue helped to lead the only Atlantic slave society which successfully defeated its oppressors.
Comparisons to checking out me history…
The emigreé
London
Structure in checkin out me history
Italics used to seperate the distinct stanzas regarding european history and figures in black history
Uses mixture of stanza forms to show him breaking away from british history
Use of carribean language shows him trying to make british people feel like he has his whole life (outisde)
-alternates between fact and fiction
Context Checkin out me history
John Agard is a guyanan Poet who was born in the UK,Deprived of an education of his own history
Light Imagery
“Toussaint de beacon of de Haitan Revolution”
Nanny de Maroon as “fire-woman”
Mary Seacole as “a healing star” and “a yellow sunrise”.
These are stars however their light has been blocked by the British System
