1
SMILE, it’s POETRY
S.M.I.L.E. is a good Acronym to help you remember what to look
for when investigating poetry.
It stands for:
Structure
Meaning
Imagery
Language
Effect
S - STRUCTURE: How is this piece organised?
( How many stanzas/verses)
How is the idea developed?
(what words or phrases give the images or theme emphasis or clarity)
What is the structure?
(line length/rhyme scheme? Is there any rhythm/repetition/enjambment?
M – Meaning:
What is the poem about?
Does it have a message?
What is the poet discussing?
Is there an overall theme and idea in the poem?
I – IMAGERY:
What pictures do you get in your mind when you
read the poem?
Does the poem contain similes/metaphors or personification?
Why do you think the poet has included these images in the poem?
L – LANGUAGE:
what words has the poet used to create an
image?
Are there any complicated words?
Is the language simple to understand?
Which words and phrases create the images? (Use quotations to prove
your point).
E – EFFECT: What is the effect of the poem?
What does the poem make you feel/think about?
What opinion does it show about the subject?
What is the poet trying to say about their subject?
Copyright © 2003 FRET’s English Teaching Resources, Lesson Plans & Schemes of Work.
www.englishteaching.co.uk + www.english-teaching.co.uk
THE SLAVE TRADE: AN INTRODUCTION.
We
For
the
and
2
are going to look at a number of poems written by people from other cultures.
instance Maya Angelou wrote “And Still I Rise” which contains references to
enslavement of African people. Many black writers come from America, Britain
the British Commonwealth. These writers are linked to our country by history.
WHAT IS SLAVERY?
Slavery is when one person is owned by another person, in much the same way as a
sheep or cow is owned by a farmer. Slave owners were allowed to do precisely as he or
she wished with their slave. It was common for slaves to be beaten and starved because
they had no legal protection. A slave was not paid for their work and all decisions that a
person might make for themselves were taken by the slave owner. Slavery benefited the
owners and countries which used it as a method of forced labour.
Britain had many links with the slave trade and made substantial profits from it.
THE ROMAN AND GREEK EMPIRE
Slavery is not a new concept because slavery dates back to 432 B.C. The Greek
civilisation was founded due to the use of slaves. The Greek civilisation did not recognise
that women were free people. Women were bought and sold according to the wishes of
their father or husband.
The country you know as Italy was also built by slaves. The population who lived in Italy
during the 1st century A.D. were known as the Romans. Like the Greek Empire the
Romans used slaves to invade other countries, including Britain.
In A.D. 61 slavery was flourishing in Rome. Slaves were bought and sold in market places
as if they were animals. The price of a slave depended on his or her skills. A strong, fit,
male slave would be valuable to work on his owners’ land, or to join a gang of slaves owned
by a contractor who built roads and bridges. Other slaves were used to clean the house,
keep the garden tidy, cook the food or help the woman of the house with her make up
and dress.
EUROPE AND THE SLAVE TRADE
Slavery has been used by many countries. Africans made their own prisoners of war
slaves and sold them to Arab traders long before the Europeans set foot on African soil.
Britain’s involvement in the slave trade did not start until the great explorers started to
find new countries. Christopher Columbus discovered the Caribbean islands (West
Indies) in 1492. He brought back many items that could be sold in Spain, including a
shipload of African slaves.
SUGAR PLANTATIONS.
In the 16th century Europeans discovered sugar in the Caribbean. Rich people in Britain
reacted favourably to the discovery of sugar. It was previously unknown and many
households wanted to buy it. Sugar was a luxury item in Britain and it sold for a high
price. The Europeans set up huge plantations which needed a workforce. The West
Indians had suffered a great famine and needed a source of food. The Europeans
“bought” the native people and put them to work on the sugar plantations. The slaves
Copyright © 2003 FRET’s English Teaching Resources, Lesson Plans & Schemes of Work.
www.englishteaching.co.uk + www.english-teaching.co.uk
3
worked for 18 hours a day but more slaves were needed. The settlers decided to look
to Africa to supply its need for a workforce.
In 1660 King Charles II set up a company of merchants to trade with the Africans for
slaves. Britain paid the Africans with trinkets and cheap goods in return for slaves. They
then transported the slaves to the Caribbean to work on the sugar plantations. The
movement of slaves and sugar was also known as “The Golden Triangle”. See illustration
below.
1.
2.
3.
4.
How did Christopher Columbus help to start the trade in slaves? (2 marks)
Can you think of any benefits for a company to use slaves? (2 marks
How did the discovery of sugar help to make a profit for Britain? (2 marks)
Can you think why the word “golden” was used as a description for the
movement of slaves and sugar? (1 mark)
The Golden Triangle.
America
The Caribbean Islands
Britain
Africa
This picture shows the route sugar took. The slaves were transported from Africa
to the Caribbean and back to Britain.
THE SLAVE TRADE
It was not just the Europeans who enjoyed profits from slave trading. Some Africans
set themselves up as slave traders and attacked neighbouring villages in order to
capture people to sell to the Europeans. These “slave traders” liked the European rum
and the guns which were exchanged for people.
By the end of the eighteenth century most of Europe was trading in slaves including:
Portugal, France, Holland, Sweden and Denmark. In 1800 Britain transported over half of
Copyright © 2003 FRET’s English Teaching Resources, Lesson Plans & Schemes of Work.
www.englishteaching.co.uk + www.english-teaching.co.uk
4
the slave population. British ports such as: Liverpool and Bristol rapidly expanded due
to the vast profits which were made from the slave trade.
The slaves had no legal rights or legal protection. This meant that they could be beaten,
mutilated and killed without any legal protection.
When Britain discovered North America (U.S.A.) they discovered cotton. The British set
up plantations like they had in the Caribbean and used slave labour to run it. The slaves
were transported from Africa to work on the cotton plantations. Back in Britain
factories were set up in Lancashire to turn the raw cotton fibres into yarn and then into
clothes. Many businesses made a lot of money from selling sugar, tobacco and cotton.
The businessmen did not have to pay their workers wages so they could sell their
products for almost total profit. The transportation of slaves and cotton was similar to
the trade of sugar and slaves.
1. Draw a diagram of the trade in slaves and cotton between Britain, America
and Africa . (3 marks)
(Look at the diagram of “The Golden Triangle”. Remember to label your diagram).
THE END OF SLAVERY?
The abolition of slavery was a long process. Many MPs and powerful men were opposed to
the idea of abolishing slavery. British industry benefited from the slave trade. Shipping
companies made ships which were designed to transport slaves. The sugar industry was
virtually run on slave labour. Slaves were not paid and were forced to work very long
hours. The British government feared that businesses would go bankrupt if they had to
pay their workers a wage. Many members of parliament owned businesses which were
connected with the slave trade and were unwilling to oppose a practice which had made
them rich. Finally, in 1807 William Pitt and Charles James Fox presented a bill ( a
proposal / suggestion) to parliament that slavery should be abolished. The bill was
agreed after much arguing. However, it was not until 1833 that parliament passed
another bill which freed the slaves in “The British Empire”.
The following questions are designed to make you think. Refer to the text and make
sure you give reasons for your answers.
Imagine that you owned a cotton factory.
1). What were the benefits of slavery?
2). Why could slavery be seen as a bad thing?
3). What is your opinion of slavery?
Copyright © 2003 FRET’s English Teaching Resources, Lesson Plans & Schemes of Work.
www.englishteaching.co.uk + www.english-teaching.co.uk
TECHNICAL TERMS
5
This is not the complete list, but it will help you to analyse the poems.
Make sure that you learn the spellings.
Alliteration: repetition of closely connected words beginning with the
same letter, usually a consonant. It is used to highlight the feeling of
sound and movement, to intensify meaning, or to bind words together, e.g.
"the b urning b ushes" or " S ing a s ong of s ixpence"!
Assonance: repetition of similar or identical vowel sounds in words which
follow each other, especially when the vowel is stressed, i.e. "Now as I
was young and easy under the apple boughs/ About the lilting house and
happy as the grass is green."
Enjambement: a line ending in which the syntax, rhythm and thought are
continued and completed in the next line, i.e. "But in contentment I still
feel/ the need of some imperishable bliss."
Imagery: use of pictures, figures of speech and description to evoke
ideas feelings, objects actions, states of mind etc.
Irony: use of words or phrases that are often sarcastic and or humorous.
E.g. it would be ironic for a police officer to be arrested.
Lyric: originally poetry meant to be sung, accompanied by lyre or lute.
Now refers to category of poetry that is short, concentrated in
expression, personal in its subject matter, and songlike in quality.
Metaphor: like the simile, is based on a point of similarity between two
things; but whereas the simile states that one thing is like another, the
metaphor identifies them completely. Thus, "the child chattered like a
monkey" is a simile, but "that child is a perfect monkey" is a metaphor.
Onomatopoeia: use of words which echo their meaning in sound, e.g.
"snap", crackle" and "pop"!
Personification: technique of presenting things which are not human as if
they were human, i.e. "The Ballad of John Barleycorn"
Refrain: a recurring phrase or line, especially at the end of a verse, or
appearing irregularly throughout a song or poem. It is used to create
unity, to accumulate plot and meaning or to maintain rhythm and melody.
Rhyme: The use of words with matching sounds, usually at the end of
each line.
Copyright © 2003 FRET’s English Teaching Resources, Lesson Plans & Schemes of Work.
www.englishteaching.co.uk + www.english-teaching.co.uk
Rhetorical question: A question posed by a writer that remains
unanswered OR which is not intended to be answered. For instance, your
teachers do not always need an answer when they ask “What are you
doing?” It is sometimes a way to stop you doing something.
6
Similes: compare things which are alike in some respect, although they
may be different in their general nature, i.e. "as light as a feather" or
"sleeping like a baby". (Also see metaphor.)
Stanza: another word for verse.
Symbol: when a word, phrase or image 'stands for' or evokes a complex
set of ideas, the meaning of which is determined by the surrounding
context, i.e. the sun can symbolize life and energy, a red rose can
symbolize romantic love.
Use the space below to include any other technical terms that you have
learnt in this unit.
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Copyright © 2003 FRET’s English Teaching Resources, Lesson Plans & Schemes of Work.
www.englishteaching.co.uk + www.english-teaching.co.uk
7
And Still I Rise
You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may tread me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.
Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.
Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.
Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.
Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own back yard.
You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.
Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?
Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.
Maya Angelou
Write on this poem to identify and underline any technical devices you
find. Use the SMILE criteria.
Copyright © 2003 FRET’s English Teaching Resources, Lesson Plans & Schemes of Work.
www.englishteaching.co.uk + www.english-teaching.co.uk
8
Understanding Poetry
You have just read “And Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou. In order to
understand a poem you need to look at the techniques an author uses to
put across their opinion or thoughts on a particular subject.
TASK 1
Using the technical terms sheet re-read the poem and underline all the
different technical devices that you can find.
TASK 2
Now that you have identified some of the main devices which are used in
the poem try and complete this table. Sometimes the device name has
been missed or the quotation.
Device
Quotation
Effect
Rhetorical question
Does my sassiness
upset you?
To make the reader
aware that she is
speaking to them.
rhyme
Extension: Continue this table on the other side of this sheet. How many
more can you find?
Copyright © 2003 FRET’s English Teaching Resources, Lesson Plans & Schemes of Work.
www.englishteaching.co.uk + www.english-teaching.co.uk
“And Still I Rise” Vocabulary List
Sassiness
Sexy, sexual allure or attractiveness.
Beset
To have, to have something put upon you ( “beset by
gloom” ) To be gloomy.
Gloom
To feel upset or miserable and never see the positive
side of things.
9
Bowed
To lower the head or body. To bow.
Soulful
having or expressing deep feeling.
Haughtiness
To give an air of being superior to someone else. The
colloquial expression would be to call someone a snob.
Welling
to swell.
Ancestors
Ancient relatives of a person.
Add any extra words which you do not understand in the space
below.
Word
Meaning
Copyright © 2003 FRET’s English Teaching Resources, Lesson Plans & Schemes of Work.
www.englishteaching.co.uk + www.english-teaching.co.uk
10
‘And Still I Rise’ by Maya Angelou
Now you have discussed the poem and understand the language and
context, consider the following questions. Remember to refer to the text
in order to support your answers.
1) Who is rising in the poem? Think about who the poet is and how
they might be different to the person they are speaking to. (1
mark)
2) Who do you think the poet is speaking to? (1 mark)
3) Why do you think the poet has written this poem? (2 marks)
4) Look in detail at the third verse. What is the significance of these
comparisons? What is the poet saying to you, the reader? (1 mark)
5) Take a close look at the eighth verse. Put it into your own words.
6) Choose your favourite verse and explain your choice. Study and
write about the language used and the images created. (5 marks)
‘And Still I Rise’ by Maya Angelou
Now you have discussed the poem and understand the language and
context, consider the following questions. Remember to refer to the text
in order to support your answers.
7) Who is rising in the poem? Think about who the poet is and how
they might be different to the person they are speaking to. (1
mark)
8) Who do you think the poet is speaking to? (1 mark)
9) Why do you think the poet has written this poem? (2 marks)
10) Look in detail at the third verse. What is the significance of these
comparisons? What is the poet saying to you, the reader? (1 mark)
11) Take a close look at the eighth verse. Put it into your own words.
12) Choose your favourite verse and explain your choice. Study and
write about the language used and the images created. (5 marks)
Copyright © 2003 FRET’s English Teaching Resources, Lesson Plans & Schemes of Work.
www.englishteaching.co.uk + www.english-teaching.co.uk
11
Slavery and The British Empire Vocabulary sheet
Listed below are some words that might be unfamiliar to you. Read the
word and the definition.
WORD
abolition
bill
colony/colonies
commercial
expansion
exported
imported
immigration
profit
missionaries
DEFINITION / MEANING
To stop something. E.g. the death penalty
was abolished in the 1960’s
A suggestion made to parliament which
will be discussed and, possibly, made law.
A colony is a country which is owned by
another E.g. One of Britain’s colonies was
India.
A business or profit making project.
To expand, make bigger.
To sell goods to another country. E.g.
America exports jeans to Britain.
To buy goods from another country
To enter another country to live.
To make money
Religious people who try and convert other
countries to a particular religious belief.
E.G. Christian missionaries went to Africa
to try and persuade Africans to follow the
Christian faith.
Extension: Which word fits?
Copy out the sentences, inserting the appropriate word.
1. A successful company should make a lot of ……………. to pay its
employees.
2. People who leave their country of origin to live in a different
country are ……………………………. from their country.
3. The use of caning pupils in school has been ……………………….
4. If a person eats too many chocolates they will ………………………
5. A business could be described as a …………………… venture.
6. Britain once owned Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe was a British ……………….
7. This word describes bringing in products from another country.
8. To sell goods to another country.
9. A group of religious people who try and convince other people of
their beliefs are called?
Copyright © 2003 FRET’s English Teaching Resources, Lesson Plans & Schemes of Work.
www.englishteaching.co.uk + www.english-teaching.co.uk
12
The British Empire
The British Empire was the name given to the United Kingdom when
it governed many countries around the world. At its height in the early
1900s, the British Empire Covered over 20 percent of the world’s land
area and controlled more than 400 million people.
HOW DID IT ALL START?
The British Empire was established over the course of three centuries. It
began in the late 16th century with chartered commercial ventures in
sugar and tobacco plantations, slave trading, and missionary activities in
North America and the Caribbean Islands. The sugar and tobacco
industry made use of slaves. During the nineteenth century, the British
Empire reached the height of its power, ruling over large parts of Africa,
Asia, and North America.
1). How long did it take for Britain to establish an Empire? (1 mark)
2). What industry helped to found the British Empire in India? (1 mark)
3). When was the British Empire most successful? (1 mark)
WHY WAS THE EMPIRE USEFUL TO BRITAIN?
An important factor in the first empire was trade. Britain managed to
create a system where it exported more goods than it imported. This
enabled Britain to make a lot of money from selling its goods abroad.
Under this system, colonies were established to increase the wealth of
the home country. They were either used as sources of raw materials
such as sugar or tobacco, or as markets for products of the home
country. The intention was to keep the amount of the home country’s
exports higher than the amount of its imports.
♥ What does it mean if you export a product? (1 mark)
♥ What does it mean if you import a product? (1 mark)
♥ Can you think of any benefits for Britain keeping importation low and
exportation high? (2 marks)
Copyright © 2003 FRET’s English Teaching Resources, Lesson Plans & Schemes of Work.
www.englishteaching.co.uk + www.english-teaching.co.uk
13
INDIA
India has always been important to Britain. Have you ever wondered why
SO many people from India can speak English?
Britain started to trade with India in the seventeenth century. The
English East India Company founded trading posts known as factories at
Surat (1612) and Madras (1639). Rapid expansion followed, and in 1690
the company set up a new factory further up the River Hugli, on a site
that became Calcutta (now Kolkata). By the early 1800’s The East India
Company owned and controlled much of India. Britain now had control of
India and it was even ruled by Queen Victoria. During the 19th century,
Britain used its strong armies in India to expand into Southeast Asia.
AUSTRALIA
Australia became important to the British, both as a strategic port near
East Asia, and as a destination for British convicts. In 1783 a British
fleet of convicts was sent to Botany Bay. This resulted in the foundation
of Sydney in 1788.
1). How did Britain benefit from owning India? (1 mark)
2). What uses did Britain have for Australia? (2 marks)
SOUTH AFRICA
Britain gained South Africa from the Dutch during the Napoleonic Wars.
This allowed the British to establish a strong presence in southern
Africa. Thousands of British colonists began to arrive after 1820, and
English became the official language in 1822.
Copyright © 2003 FRET’s English Teaching Resources, Lesson Plans & Schemes of Work.
www.englishteaching.co.uk + www.english-teaching.co.uk
The map below shows the extent of The British Empire. Look carefully
at all the countries that Britain governed.
14
1). Name five countries which Britain has ruled. 5 marks
♥ How did the British Empire benefit Britain? In your answer, use your
knowledge of slavery. (5 marks)
The map below shows the extent of The British Empire. Look carefully at
all the countries that Britain governed.
1). Name five countries which Britain has ruled. 5 marks
♥ How did the British Empire benefit Britain? In your answer, use your
knowledge of slavery. (5 marks)
Copyright © 2003 FRET’s English Teaching Resources, Lesson Plans & Schemes of Work.
www.englishteaching.co.uk + www.english-teaching.co.uk
15
IMMIGRATION BY INVITATION
Immigration to Britain has been affected by both slavery and The British
Empire. Britain is a culturally diverse society and it has benefited from
new nationalities living here. We have borrowed words, foods, clothing
and ideas from other countries
WHO ARE ‘THE BRITISH?’
Many British people attribute their origins to the early invaders: Celts,
Vikings, Anglo-Saxons, Normans. Today they call themselves English,
Scottish, Irish, or Welsh. Immigration has been an ongoing process for
hundreds of years. However, it has become more of a talking point since
the decades following the end of World War II in 1945.
IMMIGRATION TO REBUILD A SHATTERED BRITAIN.
After the Second World War Britain had a lot of problems. Many men and
women had been killed in the fighting and Britain had suffered severe
bombing during the war and many cities needed to be rebuilt. Britain’s
new Prime Minster, Clement Atlee, needed to rebuild the country. There
were not enough people to fill the vacant jobs. In order to combat this
problem Britain invited foreign workers to this country. The government
asked the: Chinese, Asian Indians, Pakistanis, Africans, and Caribbean
people of African ancestry to come and work in Britain.
THE REALITIES OF IMMIGRATION
However, when the immigrants arrived in Britain they began to face
racism. Many immigrants were given low paid jobs which the British
public had refused to do. It was not uncommon for immigrants to face
prejudice. They were unable to find rented accommodation or even a hotel
room! The British public seemed to forget that it had asked them to come
here in the first place.
Immigration by invitation still occurs today. The National Health
Service has appealed to foreign nationals to come and work in our
hospitals because of the lack of British nurses and doctors. Similarly, in
2002, the London borough of Hackney advertised in Australia and Africa
for teachers because its schools could not recruit enough staff. Many
teachers in the southern hemisphere have migrated to Britain to fill
vacancies. It is not just the health service and the education system
which lack skilled staff. Many engineers and trades-people, such as
electricians and mechanics, are also “imported” from other countries.
Copyright © 2003 FRET’s English Teaching Resources, Lesson Plans & Schemes of Work.
www.englishteaching.co.uk + www.english-teaching.co.uk
Next time you walk down the high street look at the shops and people.
Try to identify the influence of other nationalities. If it wasn’t for
immigration you would not be able to enjoy lasagne, pizza, kebabs or a
chicken tikka masala!
16
Why did Britain invite immigrants to Britain after the
second world war?
2. What problems did the immigrants face?
3. In you opinion, how beneficial is it for Britain to allow
immigration.
1.
(Think about: food, clothing, language, music).
Copyright © 2003 FRET’s English Teaching Resources, Lesson Plans & Schemes of Work.
www.englishteaching.co.uk + www.english-teaching.co.uk
17
Presents From my aunt in Pakistan
They sent me a salwar kameez
Peacock blue,
And another
Glistening like an orange split open
Embossed slippers, gold and black
Points curling
Candy-striped glass bangles
Snapped, drew blood.
Like at school, fashions changed
In Pakistan –
The salwar bottoms were broad and stiff
Then narrow
My aunts chose an apple-green sari
Silver-bordered
For my teens
I tried each satin-silken top –
Was alien in the sitting room.
I could never be as lovely
As these clothes –
I longed for denim and corduroy.
My costume clung to me
And I was aflame,
I couldn’t rise out of its fire,
Half English
Unlike Aunt Jamila
I wanted my parents’ camel skin lamp –
Switching it on in my bedroom,
To consider the cruelty
And the transformation
From camel to shade,
Marvel at the colours
Like stained glass.
My salwar kameez
Didn’t impress my schoolfriend
Who sat on my bed, asked to see
My weekend clothes.
But I often admired the mirror-work
Tried to glimpse myself in the miniature
Glass circles, recall the story
How the three of us
sailed to England.
Prickly heat had me screaming on the way
I ended up in a cot
In my English grandmother’s dining-room,
Found myself alone,
Playing with a tin boat.
I pictured my birthplace
From fifties photographs.
When I was older
There was a conflict, a fractured land
Throbbing through newsprint.
Sometimes I saw Lahore –
My aunts in shaded rooms,
Screened from male visitors,
Sorting presents,
Wrapping them in tissue.
Or there were beggars, sweeper-girls
And I was there –
Of no fixed nationality,
Staring through the fretwork
At the Shalimar gardens.
Monaza Alvi
My mother cherished her jewellery –
Indian gold, dangling, filigree,
But it was stolen from our car.
The presents were radiant in my wardrobe.
My aunts requested cardigans
From Marks and Spencers.
Copyright © 2003 FRET’s English Teaching Resources, Lesson Plans & Schemes of Work.
www.englishteaching.co.uk + www.english-teaching.co.uk
VOCABULARY AND THEMES IN THE POEM.
18
Moniza Alvi refers to many Pakistani items in her poem. The new words have been
explained below. Make sure you refer to this list when you are commenting on the
poem.
Salwar Kameez- traditional Pakistani dress. It is made up of a long tunic/top and baggy
trousers. This dress is worn by Pakistani women.
Embossed- A pattern which is printed onto clothes. For instance a logo may be embossed
on a t-shirt.
Corduroy – A thick material which feels soft to the touch. It is made up of lines of cloth
giving it a ridged effect.
Sari - long wrap around cloth worn by many Asian women
Filigree- a detailed pattern which is very complicated.
Fretwork – detailed carving usually made from wood.
Lahore- a city in Pakistan.
Task 2
Using your SMILE worksheet make detailed notes on the poem. You may use
coloured pens to underline words and phrases which you think could be important.
Next: consider the following questions. Remember to use quotations from the poem
and answer in full sentences.
1) From whose viewpoint is this poem written? 1 mark
2) Identify the simile in the first verse. Why has the poet used this simile? 2 marks.
3) Why has the author used an adjective before telling the reader the colour of the
clothes? (Peacock blue, apple green) 1 mark
4) Why has the poet used the word “alien” in the second verse?
5) What does “ I could never be as lovely as those clothes” suggest about how the
reader views herself? 1 mark.
6) Why does the poet “long for denim and corduroy”? 2 marks
7) How important to the poet are her traditional clothes and what do they remind her
of? 2 marks
8) Can you identify any reason for her parents emigrating from Pakistan? (look at the
fifth stanza) 1 mark.
9) What does the poet feel about her nationality? 1 mark
10) How does the poet present the image of her nationality in the poem? 5 marks.
Copyright © 2003 FRET’s English Teaching Resources, Lesson Plans & Schemes of Work.
www.englishteaching.co.uk + www.english-teaching.co.uk
19
Teacher Notes
Moniza Alvi: Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan
The poem is written in the first person, and is obviously autobiographical - the
speaking voice here is really that of the poet.
Moniza Alvi contrasts the exotic garments and furnishings sent to her by her aunts
with what she saw around her in her school, and with the things they asked for in
return. Alvi also shows a paradox (apparent contradiction), as she admired the
presents, but felt they were too exquisite for her, and lacked street credibility. Finally,
the presents form a link to an alternative way of life (remote in place and time) which
Alvi does not much approve: her aunts "screened from male visitors" and the
"beggars" and "sweeper-girls" in 1950s Lahore.
The bright colours of each salwar kameez suggest the familiar notion of exotic clothes
worn by Asian women, but the glass bangle which snaps and draws blood is almost a
symbol of how her tradition harms the poet - it is not practical for the active life of a
young woman in the west. In a striking simile the writer suggests that the clothes
showed her own lack of beauty: "I could never be as lovely/as those clothes". The
bright colours suggest the clothes are burning: "I was aflame/I couldn't rise up out of
its fire", a powerful metaphor for the discomfort felt by the poet, who "longed/for
denim and corduroy", plainer but comfortable and inconspicuous. Also she notes that
where her Pakistani Aunt Jamila can "rise up out of its fire" - that is, look "lovely" in
the bright clothes - she (the poet) felt unable to do so, because she was "half-English".
This may be meant literally (she has an English grandmother) or metaphorically,
because she is educated in England. This sense of being between two cultures is
shown when the "school friend" asks to see Moniza Alvi's "weekend clothes" and is
not impressed. The school friend’s reaction also suggests that she has little idea of
what her friend, a young Pakistani woman is, and is not, allowed to do at weekends,
despite living in Britain.
The idea of living in two cultures is seen in the voyage, from Pakistan to England,
which the poet made as a child and which she dimly recalls. This is often a symbol of
moving from one kind of life to another.
Copyright © 2003 FRET’s English Teaching Resources, Lesson Plans & Schemes of Work.
www.englishteaching.co.uk + www.english-teaching.co.uk
20
Telephone Conversation
The price seemed reasonable, location
Indifferent. The landlady swore she lived
Off premises. Nothing remained
But self-confession. "Madam," I warned,
"I hate a wasted journey--I am African."
Silence. Silenced transmission of
Pressurized good-breeding. Voice, when it came,
Lipstick coated, long gold-rolled
Cigarette-holder pipped. Caught I was foully.
"HOW DARK?" . . . I had not misheard . . . "ARE YOU LIGHT
OR VERY DARK?" Button B, Button A.* Stench
Of rancid breath of public hide-and-speak.
Red booth. Red pillar box. Red double-tiered
Omnibus squelching tar. It was real! Shamed
By ill-mannered silence, surrender
Pushed dumbfounded to beg simplification.
Considerate she was, varying the emphasis-"ARE YOU DARK? OR VERY LIGHT?" Revelation came.
"You mean--like plain or milk chocolate?"
Her assent was clinical, crushing in its light
Impersonality. Rapidly, wave-length adjusted,
I chose. "West African sepia"--and as afterthought,
"Down in my passport." Silence for spectroscopic
Flight of fancy, till truthfulness clanged her accent
Hard on the mouthpiece. "WHAT'S THAT?" conceding
"DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS." "Like brunette."
"THAT'S DARK, ISN'T IT?" "Not altogether.
Facially, I am brunette, but, madam, you should see
The rest of me. Palm of my hand, soles of my feet
Are a peroxide blond. Friction, caused-Foolishly, madam--by sitting down, has turned
My bottom raven black--One moment, madam!"--sensing
Her receiver rearing on the thunderclap
About my ears--"Madam," I pleaded, "wouldn't you rather
See for yourself?"
Wole Soyinka
(b.1934)
Copyright © 2003 FRET’s English Teaching Resources, Lesson Plans & Schemes of Work.
www.englishteaching.co.uk + www.english-teaching.co.uk
Create a Character Profile
21
You have just read “telephone Conversation” by Wole Soyinka. The reader gains
specific information about how the landlady looks.
Task: Draw the landlady in the space below. Remember to refer to the poem to
gain specific information. You need to label your drawing and be able to explain
why you have made her look a certain way. You might also divide up her brain to
explain her opinions and personality.
THE LANDLADY
Do you think that Soyinka is giving a favourable impression of the
landlady? Explain your answer. (3 marks)
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Copyright © 2003 FRET’s English Teaching Resources, Lesson Plans & Schemes of Work.
www.englishteaching.co.uk + www.english-teaching.co.uk
“TELEPHONE CONVERSATION” ACTIVITIES.
22
TASK 1
You have just read “Telephone Conversation” by Wole Soyinka. In order to understand
the two characters in the poem divide up the poem into: the person who wrote the poem
and the landlady. Use highlighters to mark who speaks which part.
Vocabulary
Location- a place E.g. the location of the house was very convenient for getting to school.
Rancid- foul, bacteria filled, bad smelling.
Omnibus- an old fashioned bus usually double-decker.
Dumbfounded- completely unable to respond to someone, struck dumb
Clinical- cold and sterile reaction. Displays no emotion
Spectroscopic- many colours a spectrum of colours.
Peroxide- the chemical used to dye hair and clothes it is a form of bleach.
Assent- agreement, to agree.
Sepia - a brownish grey to dark olive brown colour
Friction- when two objects rub against one another usually causing heat and discomfort.
For instance new shoes can cause friction when worn for the first time. Friction can
cause blisters.
TASK 2
Now that you have divided up the poem, read the poem again with your partner. One
person should be the landlady and one person the speaker.
Once you have read the poem consider your response to these questions. Discuss your
response with your partner. Jot down your responses so you can share them later in the
lesson.
1). Why do you think the speaker admitted to his colour at the start of the poem?
2). What do you think the speaker thinks about the landlady? (Remember that the
narrator or “voice” in a poem does not have to be the poet him/herself.)
3). What do you think Soyinka, the poet, thinks of the landlady, or people like her? What
clues does the poem give us?
When you have discussed these questions join up with another pair to compare and
discuss your answers.
Consider: Does the other pair have different answers to you?
How are their responses similar or different? Can you accept/understand any
differences in opinion?
Copyright © 2003 FRET’s English Teaching Resources, Lesson Plans & Schemes of Work.
www.englishteaching.co.uk + www.english-teaching.co.uk
23
Blues
Those five or six young guys
lunched on the stoop
that oven-hot summer night
whistled me over. Nice
and friendly. So, I stop.
MacDougal or Christopher
Street in chains of light.
A summer festival. Or some
saint's. I wasn't too far from
home, but not too bright
for a nigger, and not too dark.
I figured we were all
one, wop, nigger, jew,
besides, this wasn't Central Park.
I'm coming on too strong? You figure
right! They beat this yellow nigger
black and blue.
Yeah. During all this, scared
in case one used a knife,
I hung my olive-green, just-bought
sports coat on a fire plug.
I did nothing. They fought
each other, really. Life
gives them a few kicks,
that's all. The spades, the spicks.
My face smashed in, my bloody mug
pouring, my olive-branch jacket saved
from cuts and tears,
I crawled four flights upstairs.
Sprawled in the gutter, I
remember a few watchers waved
loudly, and one kid's mother shouting
like "Jackie" or "Terry,"
"now that's enough!"
It's nothing really.
They don't get enough love.
You know they wouldn't kill
you. Just playing rough,
like young Americans will.
Still it taught me something
about love. If it's so tough,
forget it.
DEREK WALCOTT
Copyright © 2003 FRET’s English Teaching Resources, Lesson Plans & Schemes of Work.
www.englishteaching.co.uk + www.english-teaching.co.uk
“Blues” by Derek Walcott
24
1. How does Walcott show that he is unguarded in the first verse? (1 mark)
2. What does Walcott mean when he says “not too bright for a nigger, and
not too dark.” ? (2 marks)
3. What does Walcott notice about the other boys? (3 marks)
4. What is the significance of the word “yellow” in the second verse?
5. How does Walcott refer to his face in the forth verse?
6. Why might Walcott think that the boys were fighting each other?
7. Find four examples of slang (non-standard English) in the poem. How does
this choice of vocabulary add to the effect of the poem?
8. Why do you think that Walcott chose this particular title?
9. What do you think Walcott thinks of his attackers? (5 marks)
10. What has Walcott learnt about life in this poem?
“Blues” by Derek Walcott
1. How does Walcott show that he is unguarded in the first verse? (1
mark)
2. What does Walcott mean when he says “not too bright for a nigger,
and not too dark.” ? (2 marks)
3. What does Walcott notice about the other boys? (3 marks)
4. What is the significance of the word “yellow” in the second verse?
5. How does Walcott refer to his face in the forth verse?
6. Why might Walcott think that the boys were fighting each other?
7. Find four examples of slang (non-standard English) in the poem. How
does this choice of vocabulary add to the effect of the poem?
8. Why do you think that Walcott chose this particular title?
9. What do you think Walcott thinks of his attackers? (5 marks)
10. What has Walcott learnt about life in this poem?
Copyright © 2003 FRET’s English Teaching Resources, Lesson Plans & Schemes of Work.
www.englishteaching.co.uk + www.english-teaching.co.uk
25
STUDYING A POEM INDEPENDENTLY
You have just been given a poem which you have not seen before. Remembering
everything you have been taught about how to study a poem, annotate the poem
and then answer the questions. Try following this structure to help you
understand the poem.
1) Read the poem. You should read it at least twice.
2) Using your SMILE and the technical terms sheet, start to make
notes on your A3 paper. Remember to underline the images words and
phrases which fit the criterion.
Main task:
Now that you have successfully investigated the poem consider the following
question.
Choose two poems to study.
How are cultural differences presented in the poems?
You responses will be different depending on which poems you choose but your
plan could look something like this.
Paragraph 1 – Introduce the two poems you are comparing and how the poet
shows that they feel torn between two cultures, OR show how the poet feels
that he/she has suffered racism. Remember this is only an introduction and
should you should not go into great detail.
Paragraph 2- focus on one poem and introduce how the poet feels that they are
different. Use a quotation and comment on how it shows the reader how the
poet is feeling.
Paragraph 3- Focus on the other poem and present how the poet feels and the
subject matter. . Use a quotation and comment on how it shows the reader how
the poet is feeling.
Paragraph four- What techniques have the poet’s employed to make the reader
understand the issue?
Paragraph five- ten Compare both the poems. How do they use
rhythm/rhyme/alliteration/assonance/onomatopoeia/vocabulary metaphor and
simile.
Paragraph eleven- How do the poets present their cultural identity? How do
they show that they are different to the British people?
Paragraph twelve- Conclusion, which poem is most successful and why?
Copyright © 2003 FRET’s English Teaching Resources, Lesson Plans & Schemes of Work.
www.englishteaching.co.uk + www.english-teaching.co.uk
26
STUDYING A POEM INDEPENDENTLY
You have just been given a poem which you have not seen before. Remembering
everything you have been taught about how to study a poem, annotate the poem
and then answer the questions. Try following this structure to help you
understand the poem.
1) Read the poem. You should read it at least twice.
2) Using your SMILE and the technical terms sheet, start to make notes
on your A3 paper. Remember to underline the images words and phrases
which fit the criterion.
Main task:
Now that you have successfully investigated the poem consider the following
questions.
1. Why does Walcott refer to himself as a nigger? (1 mark)
2. What is Walcott scared of in the third verse? (1 mark)
3. Who is Walcott referring to when he states “they don’t get enough love”? (1
mark)
4. What is Walcott saying about love in the last verse and why do you think he
being so hard? (3 marks)
Now consider:
Which two poems were your favourites? What did you think of them and what
techniques did they use to interest you as a reader? 5 marks
You should comment on:
•
•
•
•
the meaning of each poem;
how they were different compared with each other;
the use of rhyme or repetition;
what words or phrases you particularly liked.
Copyright © 2003 FRET’s English Teaching Resources, Lesson Plans & Schemes of Work.
www.englishteaching.co.uk + www.english-teaching.co.uk
27
Technical Terms Bingo
In the blank squares, write down as many technical terms as you can remember.
Write them in the spaces but in no particular order.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Technical Terms Bingo
In the blank squares, write down as many technical terms as you can remember.
Write them in the spaces but in no particular order.
Copyright © 2003 FRET’s English Teaching Resources, Lesson Plans & Schemes of Work.
www.englishteaching.co.uk + www.english-teaching.co.uk