Literature Poetry
Revision
Half Caste
1.
What is the main tone of the poem?
– The poet is angry but uses an unconventional style with humour
to present his anger.
2.
How do we know this?
– He is very ironic with the listener and accuses the listener of
narrow-mindedness. “yu must come back…wid de whole of yu
mind”
3.
Tell me two methods he uses that help highlight his anger.
– Assonance – helps orally emphasise the anger in his voice. E.g.
“half-caste til dem overcast”. “Ah rass” is an Afro-Caribbean
term of disgust.
4.
Comment on the type of English the poet uses.
– The first three lines are standard English; perhaps this is to
make sure that he is listened to, as he feels that his own accent
and dialect may make people judge him. The rest of the poem
is in Afro-Caribbean dialect which helps him to reinforce his
pride in his own identity and cultural background. It is also
Half Caste continued…
1.
What is the effect of the repetition of “yu” and “Explain yuself”?
– It gives the poem an accusatory feel, so the reader feels spoken to
directly.
2.
What three examples does the poet use to show how ridiculous the term
“half-caste” is?
– If it’s okay to call me “half-caste”, then: As Picasso mixed colours in his
paintings, then they should be called “Half-Caste canvases; the mix of
grey sky and white/blue sky in England should also be called half-cast
and as Tchaikovsky mixed white notes and black notes, his
symphonies should be called “half caste”. He is being ironic.
3.
Comment on the poet’s use of punctuation.
–
4.
He uses punctuation very sparingly and uses / instead of a comma or full stop. Forward
slash is often used to separate two different things and this perhaps helps to emphasise the
two separate parts of his cultural identity. The lack of punctuation also makes the poem
sound more like a rant- which emphasises his anger.
How does the poet structure the poem?
–
In the first half of the poem, he shows how ridiculous the term “half caste” is by asking the
listener to explain what he/she means. In the second half of the poem, he extends the irony
by describing himself as only having half a body and then tells the listener to go away and
think about what he has said.
Exam Practice Questions…
1. Explain how Agard uses language and form to put
forward his views about injustice in “Half-Caste”
2. Now compare this with how injustice is explored in
“The Class Game”.
OR
3. Now compare this with one other poem of your choice
that presents views about injustice.
Parade’s End
1. What is the tone of the poem?
– The tone is one of tension and anxiety
2. What is the main theme?
– The poem shows cultural conflict. The Indian family
experience racial abuse from their locals in Yorkshire.
3. How does the poet show the speaker’s fear?
– “my brother’s eyes scanning the men” – suggests he
is fearful of what they might do. “Bolted two metal
bars”, “caged alarm” and “shutters”, show how the
family have to take severe security measures to
protect themselves and their property.
Parade’s End continued…
4. What is the significance of the “re-sprayed car”?
– The car used to be brown and has been re-sprayed
due to an earlier racist acid attack. The colour
“champagne-gold” suggests wealth and may cause
jealousy amongst the community. At the end of the
poem, another acid attack has taken place, changing
the car “from gold to the brown of our former colour”.
This suggests that they will never escape this abuse
as they cannot change their skin colour or cultural
identity and therefore, will always be judged by those
who are racist.
Parade’s End continued…
5. How and why does the poet create contrasts in the
poem?
– The contrast between the colours brown and gold
suggests a contrast between wealth and poverty. Are
the locals jealous that the Indian family have their
own business and therefore make decent money?
– This is further shown with reference to “swilling
kidneys”, which suggests cheap cuts of meat and the
fact that many people are on the “dole”. The
Yorkshire lady describes the family as driving “flash
caahs!” which could also show jealously.
Exam Practice Questions…
1. Explain how Nagra presents conflict in
“Parade’s End”.
2. Now compare this to how conflict is
presented in “Belfast Confetti”.
OR
3. Now compare this to how one other poet
presents conflict.
Belfast Confetti
1. What is the main theme of the poem?
– The panic and fear that result from a terrorist
attack.
2. What is the tone of the poem?
– The theme of the poem is one of fear and
confusion.
3. What is the effect of starting the poem
with the word “suddenly”?
– It highlights the unexpectedness of the attack.
Like the persona, we are thrown into the
chaos without any warning.
Belfast Confetti continued…
4. Explain how the poet uses punctuation as a metaphor.
– Belfast confetti was a name given to the home-made
bombs that were made of metal shrapnel. As the
shrapnel flies through the air, the poet describes it as
looking like punctuation marks on the skyline. At the
same time though, this helps to emphasise the chaos
“It was raining exclamation marks” could describe
what the shrapnel looks like but could also reflect the
cries and screams, which if written down, would most
likely be followed by an exclamation mark.
5.What is the effect of the ellipsis on line 3?
– It suggests that the firing is on-going and also
suggests that the persona cannot escape from it.
jBelfast Confetti continued…
6. What is the effect of the caesura in the poem?
– It highlights how he cannot escape. The punctuation marks acts
like a dead-end, as the persona seeks an escape route. “Why
can’t I escape? Every move is punctuated. Crimea Street.
Dead end again.”
7.How does the poet show his panic and confusion at the end of the
poem?
– The rapid use of questions reflects his confusion, showing that
he does not know what to do. “What is //My name? Where am I
coming from? Where am I going?”
8.How does the poet show that he feels that this type of terrorist attack
is like being at war?
– References to battles from the Crimean War “Balaclava, Raglan”
and references to weapons of war “Saracen”, “Makrolen faceshields”. This helps to highlight the sense of a battle.
Exam Practice Questions…
1. Explain how Carson presents ideas of
fear and chaos in “Belfast confetti”.
2. Now compare this to how the poet
presents fear in “Our Sharpeville”
OR
3. Now compare this to another poem that
explores feelings of fear and or chaos.
Our Sharpeville
1. What is the theme of the poem?
– The fear and deceit that was experienced by
white South African children in the aftermath
of the Sharpeville Massacre.
2. What is the tone of the poem?
– Secrecy and fear
3. How does the poet emphasise the
childishness of the persona?
– “hopscotch”, “I ran to the gate to watch them
pass” – shows child-like curiosity because
she knows she is not meant to.
Our Sharpeville continued…
4. What is the effect of the alliteration in
“foreign and familiar”?
– It shows the conflict between the fact that
seeing them is an everyday occurrence but at
the same time threatening because they are
“foreign”. (i.e. black)
5. Explain the metaphor used in stanza
one?
– “building hot arteries” – the mines that the
men build are described as arteries because
they help to provide the life-blood to the town
(i.e. fuel)
Our Sharpeville continued…
6. How does the poet use language to suggests childish
excitement in stanza two?
– Her language reminds us of bible stories: “Great
caravan”, “olive trees, a deep jade pool” etc. She
links the silver stars in the sky to the stars she used
to be given in bible classes. Her language is full of
colour imagery, which makes her imaginings seem
exotic and exciting.
7. How is the colour imagery continued in the next
stanza?
– “a pool of blood that already had a living name”. The persona is
brought back to reality as she remembers why she is supposed
to fear the men – The pool of blood represents the loss of lives
at Sharpeville.
Our Sharpeville continued…
8. What does the poet mean when she says “these were
not heroes in my town, // but maulers of children”?
– In her story book imaginings, the men would be the
heroes of the story but she remembers that she has
been taught that the men are dangerous to children.
She is told this as a way of scaring her into keeping
away from the black people.
9. How does the poet emphasise that The Sharpeville
massacre is not talked about?
– “had to remain nameless”, “this fearful thing”
10. How does the poet use language to reflect secrecy and
concealment in the last stanza?
– “curtains drawn tightly”, “locked yard”, “closed rooms”
Our Sharpeville continued…
11.What do you think the girl feels about this
situation and what evidence can you
provide to support this?
– She feels “shame” that she is curious about
the blacks as her family have made her feel
this way. She knows that she has been lied
to “my grandmother lie” which suggests that
she is beginning to question the fear of the
white community. However, at the same
time, she is worried that the lies might be
true.
Exam Practice Questions…
1. Explore how de Kok depicts fear and
conflict through the eyes of a child in the
poem “Our Sharpeville”.
2. Now compare this to how conflict and
fear are explored in “Exposure”.
OR
3. Now compare this to how conflict and
fear are explored in another poem.
Exposure
1. What is the theme of the poem?
– War and the effects of war on the soldiers.
2. What is the tone of the poem?
– The tone is pessimistic, one of hopelessness
and despair.
3. Why does the poet start with the word
“our”?
– He shows that this is an event that affected
many.
Exposure continued…
4. Find an example of images in stanza one and explain
their effect.
– “iced east winds that knive us” – personifies the wind
as being like a killer.
5. Find two more examples of images in stanza two.
– “mad gusts tugging on the wire, // like twitching
agonies of men” – simile personifies the wind making
it sound more dangerous.
– “like a dull rumour of some other war” – suggests the
noise of the guns has become so constant they are
barely conscious of it.
Exposure continued…
6. What emotion is conveyed most strongly in stanza
three? Give examples.
– Words that suggest sadness – “poignant”, “misery”,
“melancholy”
– Words that suggests hopelessness – “We only know
war lasts”, “But nothing happens”
7. How is nature personified in stanza three?
– “Dawn massing in the east her melancholy army //
attacks once more in ranks on ranks of shivering
grey” - the poet presents nature as a military force.
The words “melancholy” and “shivering grey” suggest
that the weather is no happier to be fighting than the
men themselves.
Exposure continued…
8. Comment on the effect created in line 16.
– Use of alliteration and hard consonant sounds
(consonance) sounds like the bullets
themselves.
9. How and why does Owen personify the
snow?
– “flowing flakes that flock, pause and renew”
and “Pale flakes with fingering stealth come
feeling for our faces”. Owen makes the snow
sound like a deadly enemy. The alliteration
reflects its deadly silence and softness.
Exposure continued…
10.Where and why does Owen refer to the
past in the poem?
– In stanzas five and six, the soldiers dream of
being back home before the war started.
“Slowly our ghosts drag home” shows how
hard it is to summon up these memories that
they seem so far away from. “on us the doors
are closed” suggests that they will never be
able to return. Does this mean that people at
home have forgotten about them? Or don’t
appreciate what they’re doing?
Exposure continued…
11. How does Own finish the poem on a negative and
pessimistic note?
– “For love of God seems dying” – the men cannot
believe that God could let them suffer like this.
– “All their eyes are ice” – could suggest soldiers who
are now dead or soldiers whose expressions are now
fixed in pain and hopelessness.
12. What is the effect of the repetition of “But nothing
happens?”
– It helps to reinforce the hopelessness and
pointlessness of what the men are going through.
– The repetition also reflects the monotony of the men’s
experiences.
Exam Practice Questions…
1. Explain how Wilfred Owen presents the
horror of war in “Exposure”.
2. Now compare this to how the horror of
war is explored in August 6, 1945.
OR
3. Now compare this to another poem that
explores the horror of war.
Catrin
1. What is the theme of the poem?
– The conflict that can arise between mother and
daughter.
2. What is the tone of the poem?
– Pain in the first half and admiration and frustration in
the second half.
3. How does the poet suggest that birth can be like a
conflict?
– Both mother and child fight for the child to be born.
The mother’s pain and effort make the baby seem
like an adversary that she must be free of, while the
baby, tied by the umbilical cord struggles to emerge.
Catrin continued…
4. Why does the poet repeat “I can
remember”?
– To show that she is thinking back to an earlier
time in their relationship.
5. How does the poet describe the hospital
room?
– “hot white room” – suggests it is
uncomfortable
– “Environmental blank, disinfected” – suggests
it is sterile and lacks soul.
Catrin continued….
6. What is the “Red rope of love”?
– This represents the umbilical cord
7. Why do you think they both “fought over”
it?
– The umbilical cord has held mother and child
together since conception. If the struggle is
like a tug of war and they were fighting over
the rope, this suggests that the mother wants
the baby to be born, while the other (the
baby) wants to stay where it is. This implies
that the mother has to fight extremely hard to
give birth while the baby resists it.
Catrin continued…
8. What does the poet mean in lines 11-14?
– This could be a metaphor to show the words she
screams while in labour, filling the room.
9. What does the poet mean by “wild tender circles // Of
our struggle”?
– Perhaps ‘circles’ suggests the shape of the birth
canal through which the baby emerges. In shape
they contrast with squareness of the room. ‘Wild’
suggests to us that the struggle is intense and
painful, almost out of control, yet paradoxically it is
‘tender’ at the same time. ‘Tender’ might refer to the
type of physical sensation the speaker feels, or it
could refer to the sort of love between the mother
and baby.
Catrin continued…
10.Comment on the effect of line 16.
– The caesura, “Separate.” reinforces the
separation between mother and child. The
word “shouted” is a metaphor to show that
they both want their own way (they are not
really shouting).
11.What does the poet mean when she says
“Still I am fighting you off”?
– This could refer to the every day conflicts that
arise between mother and daughter.
Catrin continued…
12.How does the poet’s language in stanza
two show her admiration of her daughter?
– “straight, strong, long // Brown hair”, “rosy,
//Defiant glare” The alliteration and rhyme ion
these lines, help to highlight her admiration.
13.Comment on the line “From the heart’s
pool that old rope…”
– “the heart’s pool” could suggest the depths of
the mother’s feelings for her daughter. “that
old rope” is a metaphor for the umbilical cord.
The daughter is still struggling to break away
from her mother in her quest for
independence.
Exam Practice Questions…
1. Explore how a conflict between two
people is shown in “Catrin”.
2. Now compare this to how conflict is
shown between two people in “Cousin
Kate”
OR
3. Now compare this to how conflict is
shown between people in another poem
of your choice.
Your Dad Did What?
1. What is the theme of the poem?
– Conflict that arises through misunderstandings.
2. What is the tone of the poem?
– The tone is of frustration as the teacher does
not understand and jumps to the wrong
conclusions.
3. Why does the poet use question marks as
the teacher marks the pupil’s work?
– They show the teacher’s growing confusion and
frustration.
Your Dad Did What continued…
4. Why does the poet give so little
information about the pupil?
– This implies that the teacher does not really
take much notice of the children as an
individuals; they are just “essays” to her.
5. Find evidence from the poem to show
that it is written from the point of view of
the teacher.
– “you make them write about the holiday”
– “You find the ‘E you gave him”
Your dad Did What continued…
6.
What is the attitude of the teacher towards the pupils? Find
evidence to support your answer.
– The teacher seems rather bored by the pupils, referring to
“reams of what this girl did, what that lad did,” which suggests
that she is not interested in what they write. She seems more
interested in how they write than in what they write. She often
refers to them as “they” which is very impersonal.
7.
Explain the twist at the end of the poem.
– The poet puns on the letter “E”, the teacher gives the child an
“E” grade for the work, and it is the missing letter “e” that makes
the child’s experience clear to the reader. This explains what
has happened to the child. We feel sympathy that his father has
died yet he still has to write about his holiday. It is unclear
whether the teacher finally realises what the child means.
Your Dad Did What continued…
8. Why does the poet include the child’s
words in italics?
– It gives the child a “voice”. The reader can
understand the confusion the teacher has in
first reading the work. When we understand
what it means we sympathise with the child.
9.What is the effect of the regular rhyme
scheme?
– This gives the poem a child-like quality but
contrasts with the sadness of the topic.
Exam Practice Questions…
1. Explain how Hannah explores the relationship
between teacher and pupil in “Your dad did
What?”.
2. Now compare this to how the relationship
between mother and daughter is shown in
“Catrin”.
OR
3. Now compare this to how the relationship
between adults and children is shown in
another poem of your choice.
The Class Game
• What is the main theme of the poem?
The narrator is angry at people who judge
her because of her class and the way she
speaks. The poem is a humorous look at
class stereotyping. The narrator is proud
of her class.
• What is the tone of the poem?
The tone is angry but positive at the end
The Class Game continued…
• How does the speaker feel about her class? Evidence?
Proud of her identity and class “proud of the class that I come from”
• Find evidence that she is not very well off.
“me second hand clothes”/ “live in a corpy”
• Find evidence to show that she feels people judge her.
“wince when you hear…”
• What do the words “Well mate!” suggest about the speaker’s
character?
She is strong minded – won’t be put down.
• How does she show that the working class work hard?
“hands are stained with toil”
• What do these words suggest about her attitude towards the higher
classes?: “crook me little finger when I drink me tea?”
She thinks the higher classes are pretentious.
The Class Game continued…
• What is the effect of the rhyme in the poem?
Gives the poem an upbeat feel to help show that the narrator will not
be down-trodden. It also highlights the questions – showing that
she is standing up for herself.
• Where is slang used and what is its effect?
“bog”, “belly”
Reflects the way the narrator speaks; she is proud of how she speaks.
• Where is dialect used and what is the effect?
“A cleaner is me mother”
“A docker is me brother”
Again, this adds to the poet’s pride in her identity and Liverpool roots.
• The poem is full of contrasts. Find some examples? What is the
effect?
“stained” and “soft lily white”
Reinforces the difference between the speaker and the person she is
speaking to. Reinforces class division.
Exam Practice Questions
1. Explore how effectively Casey has used vocabulary
and poetic devices to portray differences in social class
and her attitudes towards them. Use examples from
the poem to support your answer.
2. Now compare this to how the poet presents the
difference between the two characters in “Hitcher”
OR
3. Now compare this to how differences are shown in a
poem of your choice.
Cousin Kate
• What are the main ideas of the poem?
The narrator of the poem explains how betrayed she has been by her
cousin who has married a man who she was in a relationship with.
The narrator would have been considered a “fallen woman” in the
time the poem was set, as she has slept with a man outside of
marriage and had a child as a result. The narrator compares herself
as a “fallen woman” to her cousin who now has status in her
marriage.
• What is the tone of the poem?
The tone is one of anger and betrayal
• There are many conflicts and contrasts in the poem. How many can
you find?
“palace-home” and “mean estate”
“good and pure” and “an unclean thing”
“contented” and “woe”
“me an outcast thing” and “you good and pure”
• The Poem is a Ballad. What is a ballad?
Cousin Kate continued…
• Find an example of a simile in stanza two. What is the effect?
“He wore me like a golden knot,
He changed me like a glove:”
He thought she made him look good on his arm but he quickly changed
her for someone new – like one changes fashion accessories.
• What is the effect of the repetition of sentence structure in stanza
one?
It helps to stress her regret.
• Why does the poet make reference to a dove and what words does
this contrast with?
It is a symbol of purity. An “unclean thing”
• What do the following lines mean?
“He lifted you from mean estate
To sit with him on high.”
He raised your status from rich to poor
Cousin Kate continued…
• How does the poet show the speaker’s
contrasting feelings about her son?
“my shame, my pride,”
• What do the following lines mean?
“Your sire would give broad lands for one
To wear his coronet.”
Your father would give anything for you to
have a son
Examination Practice Questions
1. Explain how Rossetti creates sympathy
for the narrator in “Cousin Kate”.
2. Now compare this to how the poet
creates sympathy for the pupil in “Your
Dad did What?”
OR
3. Now compare it to how the poet creates
sympathy in a poem of your choice.
The Drum
• What are the main ideas of the poem?
The poem is about how men are persuaded to go to war by
the recruitment methods which suggest that war is
glorious. The drum accompanied the men as they
marched off to war and was associated with this sense
of glory. The poet shows how this idea of glory is false
and that the reality of war is horrid. Therefore, he hates
the sound of the drum because it reminds him of the lies
that are told to soldiers before they go to war.
• What is the tone of the poem?
The tone is one of anger.
• What contrast is shown between the first stanza and the
second stanza?
The Drum Continued….
• What contrast is shown between the first stanza and the
second stanza?
The first stanza shows the false associations that people
had with the drum sound. It made people think of going
to war as being glamorous.
The second stanza shows the reality of what, which was
not glamorous at all.
• What is the effect of the regular rhythm and rhyme?
It reflects the steady beat of the drum. The up-beat feel
reflects how young men were encouraged to go to war
by being promised glory, honour and status.
In the second stanza, the regular rhyme and rhythm helps
to reflect how constant and continual the real suffering of
war was.
The Drum Continued…
• Which words in line one shows that he does not
like the sound of the drum?
“hate” and “discordant”
• What evidence is provided to show that young
men are fooled into going to war?
“thoughtless youth”, “lures”, “tawdry lace”,
“glistening arms”, “Ambition”
• What is the effect of the alliteration in “fight, and
fall, in foreign lands.”?
Alliteration highlights how quickly they will die
The Drum Continued…
• What is the effect of repeating the first two lines
in stanza two?
It helps to reflect the constant beat of the drum.
• Can you spot a lexical field in stanza two?
Words conveying the horror of war: “burning”,
“ruined”, “mangled”, “dying groans”, “widows’
tears”, “orphans’ moans”, “Misery’s”
• What is the effect of starting several lines with
“And”?
Repetition of And suggests that the list of horrors
goes on and on.
Examination Practice Questions
1. Explore how Scott uses negative
language to convey his attitude towards
war.
2. Compare this to how the poet of
“Invasion” conveys attitudes towards war.
OR
3. Compare this to how the poet of another
poem from the anthology conveys
attitudes towards war.
Invasion
• What contextual information do you know about
the subject matter of the poem?
Iraq invaded Kurdistan and persecuted its people,
killing thousands of Kurds between 1987 and
1989. The poem is from the point of view of the
Kurds, waiting for an approaching invasion.
• What are the main ideas of the poem?
The speaker is a Kurd awaiting an Iraqi invasion of
his homeland. He shows the anticipation and
fear as they wait and the difference between the
invading army and their poor defence.
Invasion Continued….
• What is the tone of the poem?
The tone is of fear and hopelessness.
• How does the poet emphasise the difference
between “them” and “us” in the first stanza.
Regular use of personal pronouns “they”, “their”,
“they’ll” etc. but only one “we” – does this
suggest that there are many more of “them”?
• What is the effect of the caesura in line one?
It helps to add to the sense of threat – as if it is
something that they cannot stop.
Invasion Continued….
• How does the poet make the Iraqi soldiers
appear sinister in stanza one?
“they’ll appear through the mist”
• Why does the poet describe the Iraqis as
wearing “death-bringing uniforms”?
It helps to suggest that they are deadly – once
they put on the uniform, they become killers.
• How does the poet show that the Iraqi soldiers
are well-equipped to win?
“guns and tanks pointing forward” – they have all
the right weaponry and are in an aggressive
position.
Invasion continued…
• How does the poet create a contrast
between the Kurds and the Iraqi soldiers
in Stanza two?
“rusty guns and boiling blood” – they are
poorly equipped.
• How does the poet’s choice of verbs in
stanza four help to show the horror of
war?
“cover”, “mix” and “creep” emphasise the
sheer quantity of blood lost.
Invasion Continued…
• How does the poet’s use of language suggest
the hopelessness of the situation?
“We will lose this war,” – simple statement
suggests that there is no other ending possible.
“Keep your head down and stay in // doors” –
imperative verbs suggest that the speaker feels
strongly that there is no point in fighting back.
“We’ve lost this war before we have begun” –
ending the poem in this way is very bleak and
sums up the poet’s view.
Examination Practice
1. How does the poet show attitudes
towards conflict in “Invasion”?
2. Now compare this to how the poet shows
attitudes towards conflict in
“Conscientious Objector”
OR
3. Now compare this to how another poet
shows attitudes towards conflict.
Hitcher
• What are the main ideas in the poem?
The narrator is not happy with his life and picks up a
hitchhiker who appears to have all the freedom that he
desires. The narrator commits an unprovoked violent
attack on the hitchhiker and shows no remorse for his
actions.
• What is the tone of the poem?
The tone is very casual and laid back.
• What details do we get about the speaker in stanza
one?
He does not appear to like his job as he appears to take a
lot of sick days. He does not own his own car, so
perhaps does not earn much. He is “tired” and “under
the weather, suggesting a general unhappiness with life.
Hitcher Continued….
• Which three words in stanza one emphasise the
speaker’s dissatisfaction with life and how does the poet
emphasise these?
“tired”, “fired”, “hired” – the use of rhyme helps them to
stand out.
• How does the poet emphasise the contrast between the
speaker and the hitchhiker?
“He was following….good earth for a bed” – this creates an
idyllic image of someone who has no responsibilities.
• Why does the poet include the words “The truth he said,
was blowin’ in the wind”
This is rather a “hippy” idea and is also the name of a Bob
Dylan song about carefree living.
Hitcher Continued….
• What does the phrase “I let him have it”?
He inflicted violence on the hitchhiker.
• Where is language used to show violence?
“once / with the head, then six times with the krooklok / in
the face”
• How does the poet show that the speaker is unfeeling?
“didn’t even swerve” – suggest he is more affected by his
driving skills. “Stitch that, I remember thinking, / you can
walk from here”.
• How does the poet draw a link between the two
characters?
“we were the same age, give or take a week” – suggests
that the speaker realises that is life could have turned
out like this.
Hitcher Continued…
• What do his references to the weather suggest
about the speaker?
“The outlook for the day was moderate to fair” –
suggest that the act of violence has made the
speaker feel better and set him up for the day.
• What is the effect of the enjambment in the
poem?
It suggest the laid back attitude of the speaker –
as though he is telling us a personal anecdote
that he is proud of.
Examination Practice
1. Explore how Armitage presents conflict
between two people in “Hitcher”.
2. Now compare this to how the poet
presents the conflict between two people
in “Cousin Kate”.
OR
3. Now compare this to how another poet
presents the conflict between two people.
O What is that Sound?
• What are the main ideas of the poem?
The poem is a ballad, telling the story of a married couple
who observe the movements of an army as they
approach their home. The wife asks questions as she
feels uneasy and wants to know what the army is doing.
The husband tries to reassure her that they are no threat
but then at the last minute, runs off, leaving his wife to
face an angry army. The reader assumes that the
husband was a traitor to the army and now he is a traitor
to his wife.
• What is the tone of the poem?
The tone is one of unease.
O What is That Sound continued…
• Who are the speakers in the poem and how do we know
this?
A husband and wife: “dear”, “were the vows you swore
deceiving deceiving?”, “I promised to love you dear”
• What clues are there that the poem is set in the past?
“drumming”, “scarlet soldiers”, “horses”
• What do we learn about the soldiers in the poem?
The soldiers are very disciplined and serious; they seem to
mean business. They sound increasingly threatening as
the poem goes on: “usual manoeuvres”, “running”,
“boots are heavy”, “eyes are burning”
O What is That Sound continued…
• What different methods does the poet use to create
tension?
• Use of dialogue…
This draws the reader into the conversation.
• Use of the different senses…
“O what is that sound that so thrills the ear?”
These make the reader feel as if they can see, hear and
fully experience the situation.
• Repetition of words and phrases…
“O what…”
This adds to the sense of fear, as the soldiers are getting
ever nearer. It also adds to the steady rhythm; we can
almost hear the soldiers marching towards us.
O What is that Sound continued…
• Methods to create tension continued…
• Violent words…
“splintered the door” - Suggests the violence
and brutality of the men. Suggests they
will deal violently with the narrator.
• Use of Questions…
“O what is that light I see flashing so clear?”
- This reinforces the uncertainty and fear
the narrator feels.
O What is that Sound continued…
• What is the effect of the regular rhyme and
rhythm?
It reflects the idea of soldiers marching. The
repetition in the poem adds to this.
• What evidence is there that the soldiers are
armed and organised?
“with all that gear”, “usual manoeuvres”
• What do the following lines suggest about the
speaker? No, I promised to love you, dear,
But I must be leaving.”
He seems happy to betray her love and try to
escape
Examination Practice
1. Explore how Auden builds tension,
explores repercussions and expresses
emotions connected with war.
2. Now compare this to how war is
presented in “Conscientious Objector”.
OR
3. Now compare this to how another poet
presents ideas about war.
Conscientious Objector
• What are the main ideas of the poem?
The narrator describes Death as a person who
she will not help in any way. She is anti-war and
a pacifist who sees the only winner of war to be
Death. She makes many promises of things
that she will not do to help lead people to their
deaths.
• What is the tone of the poem?
The tone is one of defiance.
• Why is the opening line on its own?
It sums up the poet’s thoughts about fighting. She
cannot avoid her own eventual death but she
Conscientious Objector continued….
• What does the word “shall” actually
mean?
It means “definitely will”
• The poet personifies Death? How does
she do this? Find three examples.
“I hear him”
“He is in haste”
“he has business in Cuba”
“Though he flick my shoulders with his whip”
Etc……
Conscientious Objector continued…
• The narrator makes death appear sinister and
frightening. Find evidence to prove this.
“he cinches the girth”
“flick my shoulders with his whip”
“his hoof on my breast”
• How does the poet show that there are many wars going
on around the world?
He uses repetition of “business” making reference to
“Cuba” (alludes to the American conflict with Spain,
during which Cuba fought for its independence.) and
“the Balkans” (alludes to World War 1.)
Conscientious Objector continued….
• What other activities does the poet appear to criticise in
the poem?
Corruption in business – “Not on his pay-roll” and actions
against minority groups, such as racism: “I will not tell
him where the / black boy hides in the swamp.”
• What is the effect of the caesura in the poem?
Look at the semi-colons, it helps to add a sense of
urgency.
What might the poet be referring to with the words,
“though he promises me much”?
This hints at the recruitment methods used to get people to
join up
Examination Practice….
1. Explore how the poet presents attitudes
towards war in the poem.
2. Now compare this to how the poet
explores attitudes towards war in “The
Drum”.
OR
3. Now compare this to how another poet
explores attitudes towards war.
August 6, 1945
• What are the main ideas of the poem?
The narrator describes the pilot, Paul Tibetts as he
flew the Enola Gay over Hiroshima and dropped
an atomic bomb. The poem is very visual using
much imagery to convey the horror of what he
saw beneath him and to describe the nuclear
mushroom cloud. We are told that the pilot will
be left with nightmares.
• What is the tone of the poem?
The tone is one of horror and loss.
August 6, 1945 continued….
• What images are there in the poem and what is their
effect?
• “bees drizzle over / hot white rhododendrons”
This could suggest the beautiful, calm nature in the
countryside before the explosion. “white” suggests
innocence but “hot” suggests the intensity of the
explosion. The reader will be sorry at such devastation.
• “went up like an apricot ice”
Reflects the shape of the cloud and the innocent and
pleasant associations we have with ice-cream contrast
with the horror and deadliness of the bomb.
August 6, 1945
• Images continued….
• “saw Marilyn’s skirt’s / fly over her head for ever”
A metaphor of the iconic white dress of Marilyn Monroe to
describe the mushroom cloud. The words “for ever”,
suggest that the repercussions of the bomb will last for
ever.
• “a scarlet girl / with her whole stripped skin”
This ghastly image reflects the horror inflicted on the body
– her burnt skin has peeled from her body. Choosing to
describe a “girl”, the poet emphasises the innocence of
those who died.
• “people are becoming / as lizards”
The burning and peeling of skin have left the people more
like reptiles who shed their skin habitually.
Examination Practice
1. Explain how fell uses imagery,
vocabulary and form to convey the horror
of a nuclear attack.
2. Now compare this to how the poet
conveys the horror of war in “Exposure”.
OR
3. Now compare this to how another poet
uses vocabulary and form to present
something shocking.
August 6, 1945 continued…
• What do you think the poet means in the last stanza of
the poem?
Clearly the poet believes that the pilot would have
nightmares over what he has been part of and seen.
The ladybirds could reflect the red and black of the
charred bodies that he can see below him. It could also
refer to a children’s rhyme…
• What else could the ladybirds be a reference to?
Ladybird, ladybird fly away
Home, your house is on fire,
Your children are gone”
This could reflect what the people of Hiroshima faced after
the devastating effects on their homes and families.