Checking Out My History Flashcards
Structure
Dual structure
The division between stanzas though agards use of italics shows the separation between the history he was taught and black history
Stanza organiseation
Each stanza end with a reference to a black historical figure;this indicates significance to agard
Enjambment
This shows how much agard cares about the equal teaching of histroy
Theme
Identity
Pride
Power
Anger
Quote 1
‘Dem tell me… dem tell me wha dem want to tell me
‘Dem’ has undertones of disrespect and creates a distance between e speakers and the writers of white history
• Repetition of dem’ throughout builds up and creates an angry tone,
Quote 2
‘Bandage up my eye with me own history’
o Metaphor for him not being able to learn about or celebrate his history
• connotations of violence and restriction, they show the pain caused by being cut off from his history
Quote 3
‘But now I checking out me own history… I carving out me own identity’
o ‘Carving has hints of rebellion and shows the need to fight to disc
his identity and share it with others
• ‘Identity’ is the final word in the poem as if to emphasise its significance to him
Context
he poem focuses on the holes in the British colonial education system—particularly that system’s omission of important figures from African, Caribbean, and indigenous history