'Identity' Flashcards
What 3 quotes are you doing for ‘Checking Out Me History’?
‘Dem tell me’
Agard writes phonetically to mimic his dialect and to express his refusal to conform to British societal expectations.
The repetition of ‘Dem tell me’ creates an accusatory tone, expressing Agard’s anger.
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Agard refers to L’Ouverture as ’de beacon of de Haitian Revolution’. The word ‘beacon can signify hope, the fact that his identity isn’t yet lost, and that there is still hope for his true identity to be discovered.
Agard refers to Mary Seacole as ‘a healing star’ and ‘a yellow sun rise’. The continued semantic field of light further cements his desire of uncovering his true identity.
The nouns ‘star’ and ‘sunrise’ have connotations to beauty suggesting that what Mary Seacole achieved was beautiful despite her lack of recognition.
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‘I carving out me identity’
The active verb ‘carving’ shows how determined he is to understand his identity and creates the impression that the discovery of his own identity is an ongoing process which will require time and skill. Alternatively, ‘carving’ has painful connotations which represents the pain he feels due to his identity being withheld from him for so long.
The first person pronoun ‘I’ further reinforces his determination to learn more to establish his own identity.
What 3 quotes are you doing for ‘Kamikaze’?
‘Her father embarked at sunrise’
Japan is known as the land of the rising sun. Sun links to the pilots culture as this looks similar to the Japanese flag. This emphasises how his Japanese culture has heavily influenced his identity.
The beauty of the ‘sunrise’ contrasts with the grim reality of the pilots mission which represents his lost identity.
The verb ‘embarked’ employs a sense of direction and purpose, yet also foreshadowing the fatal nature of the pilot’s suicide mission.
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‘they treated him
as though he no longer existed’
Although the pilot survived, in his communities’ eyes, his dignity and honour died. This could imply that Garland believes that war is pointless as it leads to either death or the death (loss) of relationships and identity.
The metaphor ‘no longer existed’ implies that his defiance of social and cultural expectations has made him appear cowardly and invisible in the eyes of his community and family which emphasises his complete loss of identity due to his actions.
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‘he must have wondered
which had been the better way to die.’
This may be seen as ironic, because the pilot made it home safely that day, yet his identity died when he took off for his mission and then returned home.
The phrase ‘he must have wondered’ presents a sense of uncertainty and doubt in the pilots mind. This internal conflict implies that the pilots choice, which erased his identity and made him invisible to his loved ones, may have been the worse death.
Although it is presented as if the pilot had a choice, both options resulted in a type of death. This presents how soldiers are controlled by indoctrination and propaganda. Garland’s use of writing the poem from a third person viewpoint might suggest that she doesn’t agree with the societal expectations of Japan.
What 3 quotes are you doing for ‘The Emigree’?
‘There was once a country’
The fairy-tale opening gives a nostalgic, mythical tone to the speaker’s homeland, emphasizing how memory shapes identity.
‘I am branded by an impression of sunlight’
The homonym ‘branded’ has a dual meaning—both a mark of identity and a painful, inescapable scar, showing how deeply her homeland is imprinted on her.
‘Sunlight’ symbolizes warmth and hope, reinforcing how the speaker clings to an idealized vision of her homeland, even if reality is different.
‘They accuse me of being dark’
This suggests suspicion, discrimination, or alienation in her new country.
‘dark’ could symbolize both physical appearance and being an outsider, reinforcing how identity is judged by others.
Give a brief summary of ‘Checking Out Me History’.
How does it link to ‘Identity’?
Summary:
Checking Out Me History by John Agard criticises the Eurocentric education system for ignoring black historical figures, forcing the speaker to reclaim his true heritage. Through phonetic spelling, Agard asserts Caribbean identity and challenges the way history shapes self-perception.
Link to Identity:
Cultural identity: The poem shows how history shapes identity and how colonial education erases black heritage.
Reclaiming Identity: The speaker must actively “carve out” his identity, showing that identity is something to be discovered, not imposed.
Give a brief summary of ‘Kamikaze’.
How does it link to ‘Identity’?
Summary:
Kamikaze by Beatrice Garland explores the pressures of cultural identity through the story of a Japanese kamikaze pilot, which is told from the perspective of his daughter, who chooses to return home rather than complete his mission. His decision leads to social rejection and isolation, as his family, turn their backs on him, showing the conflict between personal identity and societal expectations.
Link to Identity:
Cultural identity: Japanese honour culture prioritises duty over individuality, shaping the pilot’s fate.
Powerlessness in identity: The pilot loses his identity whether he dies in war or lives in shame.
Give a brief summary of ‘The Emigree’.
How does it link to ‘Identity’?
Summary:
The Émigrée by Carol Rumens explores displacement, memory, and identity through the perspective of a woman forced to leave her homeland due to war or political oppression. Despite the reality of conflict, she clings to an idealised, childhood memory of her home, showing how identity is deeply connected to place and personal history.
Link to Identity:
Cultural identity: The speaker’s sense of self is tied to her homeland, even though she can never return.
Power of memory: Despite war and exile, her memories preserve her identity, resisting the effects of time and conflict.
Displacement & loss of identity: Leaving her home leaves her feeling alienated, reflecting the struggles of refugees in unfamiliar places.
What is the form/ structure of ‘Checking Out Me History’ and what does it show?
Structurally, ‘Checking Out Me History’ deliberately does not use any punctuation.
- Punctuation can be interpreted as a set of rules used to shape and restrict communication. Therefore, Agard presents that identity cannot be confined by Western literary norms.
Agard’s structure rejects control, reinforcing the idea of personal and cultural liberation.
What is the form/ structure of ‘Kamikaze’ and what does it show?
‘Kamikaze’ has a rigid structure of six lines per stanza.
- This reflects the idea of order and discipline, linking to the cultural and military expectations which Garland presents are placed upon the pilot.
Garland’s structure enforces control, highlighting the rigid expectations that shape the pilot’s identity.
What is the form/ structure of ‘The Emigree’ and what does it show?
‘The Emigree’ has 3 stanzas which are separated structurally.
- Stanza 3, in particular, explores concerns about the speaker’s identity and current situation
