Half-caste, John Agard Flashcards
1
Q
Meaning
A
- Man protests against demeaning manner in which his racial heritage is described
- Asserting your identity against others who would ‘bring you down’
2
Q
Imagery #1
A
“keen half of mih ear”
- Half formed man = shows how ludicrous term is
- “keen”
- Sharp
- Poet scrutinising ignorant sharply
- Eager/enthusiastic
- Listening/watching ignorant with enthusiasm - wants to find out about him
- While ignorant made snap judgment, poet did opposite
- Sharp
3
Q
Imagery #2
A
“when picasso / mix red an green”
- Shows mixed things are good - better
- Mixture as an essential part of great art
- Art connote beauty, depth and interest
- Sees his mixed race identity in this way
- Flaunts poet’s knowledge
4
Q
Tone #1
A
Satirical
“Excuse me”
- Responding to encounter
- Makes dramatic & exciting
- Grabs reader’s attention = shows has something important to say
- Polite term + stereotypically British comment
- Conceals caustic humour and irony that is present
- Foreshadows tone is angry + outraged
5
Q
Tone #2
A
Agressive, bitter, confrontational: Asserts identity as a whole
& demands that readers change their attitudes
“Explain yuself”
- Poem written phonetically
- Confrontational/direct instruction = challenges reader + makes them uncomfortable
- Ignorant can’t reply = poet silences them
- Instead supplies answers = dominating poem & shows superior intellect/wit
- Poet not ashamed of who he is & what he sounds like
- Forces reader to speak with his voice
- Places us in his shoes = cannot help but empathise with him
- Confrontational/direct instruction = challenges reader + makes them uncomfortable
- Repeated 4 times
- Keeps reminding reader = poet not going give up questioning ignorant
- Undermines ignorant authority?
6
Q
Structure #1
A
Lots of enjambment
- Breaking rules of modern society
- Doing something different by standing up for himself
- His anger made him speak without pause
7
Q
Structure #2
A
Free verse with no fixed rhyme scheme or rhythm
- Expresses speaker’s anger = confront racist
- Pouring out his feelings
- Repetition, occasional rhyme & lack of punctuation
- Give an emphatic rhythm and fast pace
- Caribbean rhythm
- Asserting his Caribbean heritage
8
Q
Comparisons 2x
A
- ‘Search for my Tongue’
- ‘Poem at Thirty-Nine’
9
Q
‘Search for my Tongue’
A
Comparisons with individual who feels conflicted because their identity = mixture of 2 languages
10
Q
‘Poem at Thirty-Nine’
A
Juxtaposition with another poet who speaks defiantly and proudly about her identity
