Half-caste

Question 1

What does the title mean?

Answer 1

Derogatory term for mixed race and it implies incompleteness and shows repetition throughout the poem

Question 2

Excuse me

Answer 2

Direct address –> Engages reader or challenges the bigots which emphasises how confrontational he is

Question 3

standing on one leg

Answer 3

Sarcastic tone is humorous –> highlights how ridiculous the term is

Question 4

I’m half-caste

Answer 4

Declarative sentence –> reflects his pride in his identity

Question 5

Explain yuself…wha yu mean

Answer 5

Repetition of ‘yuself’ –> emphasises the issue lies with the bigot and not with him
These 2 lines are repeated throughout which highlights how argumentative or confrontational he is

Question 6

yu mean when picasso mix red an green is a half-caste canvas

Answer 6

Analogy –> Emphasises the beauty of mixing colours and humourous metaphor is used

Question 7

What do lines 13 - 21 tell us knowing it’s a humorous metaphor?

Answer 7

Humorous metaphor –> Links to how the English weather is always overcast and refers to the p[oor treatment he had to endure

Question 8

demon dont want de sun pass

Answer 8

Metaphor –> For bigots who block out their humantiy

Question 9

yu mean when tchaikovsky sit down at dah piano an mix a black key wid a white key is a half-cast symphony

Answer 9

Humourous metaphor + Analogy –> Highlights beauty of mixing

Question 10

half

Answer 10

Repetition throughout which heightens how he is viewed as incomeplete

Question 11

wid de whole of yu ear an de whole of yu ear an de whole of yu mind

Answer 11

Insinuates it’s the bigot who is less than whole - not him. The poet challenges the reader to open their minds

Question 12

How is the poem written?

Answer 12

Poem is written in free verse with the 2nd stanza being long, has enjambment and no punctuation –> Highlighting the rant-like quality

However, the other stanzas have a forward slash which breaks up the conversation-like tone and his ideas

Question 13

What is the structure of this poem? why?

Answer 13

The poem has 3 unequal stanzas –> Reflects how if he’s being treated as half a person, he’s going to write half a line. Some of the lines are not completed which reflects how he is viewed.

Question 14

Why are there no end-stopping lines?

Answer 14

Emphasises how this isn’t the full story; only when one can see his past stereotypes will they truly know who he actually is

Question 15

Why does the writer use words like yu, dat, yuself, an,de? What is this called?

Answer 15

The poet uses phonetic spelling which shows he is unapologetic about his Guyanese Creole dialect –> Accentuates he has a great grasp on identity that he has no intention of diluting