Checking Out Me History Flashcards
Poet?
John Agard
What type of poet is John Agard?
Performance Poet
What is the structure?
Dual structure- the division between the stanzas through Agard’s use of italics shows the separation between the history he was taught and black history.
What repetition is used?
Each stanza begins with “dem tell me” which shows how colonial control has dominated his life in the same way it dominates the poem
What is the rhyme?
The rhyme scheme ties together the sections concerning white and black history, showing how Agard is attempting to end segregation through literally unification. Throughout a stanza, the rhyming is the same: “balloon”, “moon”, “spoon” and “maroon”. This makes each stanza predictable and the listener is waiting for the next line.
Bandage up me eye with me own history
Metaphor for being injured. Carribean culture has been damaged by british society.
Who is “dem”
British white. Partly accuses us. Political poem that’s attacking us not wanting to tell the hidden events that we have oppressed.
Partially written in what?
Quatrains
How does he use nursery rhyme?
Using it as a kind of playful element has the rhythm of a callipso ( a political music form ). Cheerful music in sound to convey a serious message. Keeps us engaged.
Why does he catch us offguard and Keep changing the rhythm
Stops us being hostile to his message. British educated reader can change the history that is studied and taught.
What happened in 1066?
Was when Britain was conquered by the Normans. When Briain became French. Suggests that all people ate connected.carriagesn and french people the result of conquest. Should be tolerant to each other.
Toussaint L’Ouverture
Cunning plan to research this hidden history so that we can understand his point. Also the powers thwat may be educationalists, politicians, historians have never told him about that ( “no dem never tell me dat” ). Wants us to feel as though we have also been deprived. Inviting us to find out.
Give examples of non-standard phonetic spelling
“Dem”, “de” and “bout”. Agard’s use of phonetic spelling emphasises that that this poem is a form of oral poetry. Normally Agard writes in standard English so this makes this poem stand out in the collection
Punctuation
The lack of punctuation also shows the poems theme of resisting oppression.
Tone?
An angry tone is created through the frustrated repetition of “dem tell me”, implying that the speaker feels that no one is listening to him.
He also simultaneously creates a childish tone through the use of a simple rhyme scheme with simple rhyming couplets. Could be that Agard is trying to get children to engage with the poem.
