The Class Game Flashcards
How can you tell what class I’m from?
- Repetition highlights the fervent desire to challenge the societal assumptions about people’s socioeconomic status
- Rhetorical Question - challenging stereotypes and expectations
-Immediately interrogates readers, introducing the theme powerfully - Creates a cyclical structure with the final line
‘Tara’ to me ‘Ma’ instead of ‘Bye Mummy
dear’?
Satirising the differences in diction that make her feel distanced from those with a higher socioeconomic status, almost making fun of the formality of the way they speak compared to her more colloquial mannerism
‘Cos we live in a corpy, not like some
In a pretty little semi
And commute into Liverpool by train each day?
Non standard English reflects her accent, giving her an authentic voice, highlighting her heritage.
Corpy - Colloquialism for a council estate, contrasted by the plosive alliteration of “pretty little”
Semi - Semi-detached house, larger house, higher socioeconomic status.
Idea of commuting each day expresses the stable position and flexibility that financial liberty offers, as they are able to afford to live outside the city, and work a 9-5 job each day.
Or is it because my hands are stained with toil?
Instead of soft lily-white with perfume and oil?
Juxtaposing the symbolism of higher and lower socioeconomic status, and criticising the stigma that comes alongside it.
Sensory imagery of soft, connotations of white as pure, olfactory imagery of perfume, luxury
Why do you care what class I’m from?
Sarcastic and patronising tone maintained throughout to highlight her disregard and pent up frustration at the class system.
Well mate!
Reclaiming her label through same tone, highlighting the anger that the restrictions of class have put on her life, exclamation emphasising her defiant tone
And I’m proud of the class that I come from.
Ends poem on a prideful, defiant note, of not caring about the others’ stereotypes, creating a cyclical structure to show the poet’s journey to self-acceptance.
