Half Caste Flashcards
What is the term ‘Half-Caste’ ?
Half-caste is a term
used to describe people of mixed race or
ethnicity.
Who is John Agard ?
John Agard (born 1949) is an
Afro-Guyanese poet and playwright who now
lives in the UK.
About Racism in the UK ?
– The United Kingdom is a
multi-cultural society, largely owing to its
imperialist past, and more recent waves of
immigration. Racism is also fueled by attitudes
linked to the entrenched historical class system.
What conflict is the Poem ?
Self conflict
society conflict
How is the poem structured ?
The poem appears to be split into two main
halves.
In the opening half of the poem, Agard uses a range of humorous analogies to show that the word ‘half-caste’ has no meaning.
What’s the use of dialect and the effect ?
Dialect is when the text is written in the accent its spoken e.g - ‘yu’ . This makes the poem seem
What themes does John Agard explore ?
The collection explores multiple race issues faced by black and mixed race people living in the United Kingdom .
Racism
Divisions
What Poem could you compare this to ?
Benjamin Zephaniah ‘No Problem’
What are 3 important quotes ?
‘Excuse me’ - This line shows contextual meaning to mixed race people of apology . It’s also questioning the reader and is interactive . ( This can be used as a structure due to the short line and addressing and using refrain to the reader ) .
‘wha yu mean’ - This line shows dialect which sets the tone of the text , we can also see exasperation.( This line can be used as language because of the dialect) .
‘wid de whole of yu eye’ - This line shows the opposite to half and is showing there’s no difference to half and full but the people need to have a full open mind. ( This line can be used for emotion ) .
Why does this poem use Refrain ?
The speaker repeats the phrase ‘Explain yuself/
wha yu mean/When you say half caste’ at several points throughout the poem. This assertive demand (using an imperative verb) forces the reader to reflect on the meaning of the term that they use so flippantly towards the speaker.
Why does the poem use Puns ?
Agard uses several puns throughout the poem to
show his wit and intelligence – thus offering the perfect reprisal to those who imply (through their use of the term) that he is in some way ‘half.’ One example is between lines 12 and 21, in which the speaker plays with the word ‘caste’ to mock the ‘overcast’ British weather.
