What is the poem Checking Out Me History about?
“Checking Out Me History” was written by the British Guyanese poet John Agard and first published in 2005, in the collection Half-Caste. The poem focuses on the holes in the British colonial education system—particularly that system’s omission of important figures from African, Caribbean, and indigenous history.
What is the message of the poem half caste?
This is a poem about asserting your identity against others who would ‘bring you down’. John Agard was born in Guyana in 1949, with a Caribbean father and a Portuguese mother (he is of mixed race). In 1977, he moved to Britain, where he became angry with people who referred to him as ‘half-caste’.
Why is it important that Agard is finding out about his history?
Agard was born in Guyana and received a British education due to the country being colonised up until 1966. He was therefore given a eurocentric view of history whilst being denied his own cultural identity.
What type of poem is Checking Out Me History?
It is a dramatic monologue which sounds like a speech about non-European history: the poet teaches the reader his ‘history’. The poem alternates between two structures which are marked by two different fonts.
How does the poem Checking Out Me History show power?
Both London and Checking Out Me History are poems that express the poets anger towards the misuse of power by those with authority, but the main difference is that while Agard shows a solution, Blake does not, showing how they have different viewpoints on if it is possible to change.
How does the narrator feel in the poem Checking Out Me History?
1) ANGER — The narrator’s angry because the education system didn’t teach him about his culture. He was unaware of his heritage even though it’s an important part of who he is. achievements and wants to tell their stories to show the important role they played in history.
How do we know that the poem half-caste is about the poet John Agard?
The collection explores multiple race issues faced by black and mixed race people living in the United Kingdom. The poem is a reflection of the feelings evoked in Agard as a result of being labelled “half-caste” upon moving to the UK.
How does John Agard explore identity in checking out history?
How does Agard present his ideas in ‘Checking out me history’? Be able to identify techniques and explore the effect on the reader. Agard uses a dialect (Creole) in this poem shown by the phonetic spelling, making clear that language is part of identity his linguistic heritage.
How does Agard feel about Checking Out Me History?
Checking Out Me History is a poem of two sides. Agard wants us to be aware of both the things he was taught at school and the things he did not learn in the mainstream curriculum that he feels are important. He uses the physical separation of the stanzas and the font styles to indicate which culture he is referencing.
What rhyme scheme is Checking Out Me History?
Checking Out Me History alternates between two structures, marked by two different fonts. The first uses the repeated phrase “Dem tell me” to indicate the white version of history, mostly written in rhyming couplets, triplets or quatrains.
What is the form and structure of Checking Out Me History?
Structure summary: Checking Out Me History is a poem of two sides. Agard’s Checking Out Me History poem uses stanzas and font styles to portray different things. Sections written in regular font refer mostly to British Colonial education. The poem rejects European syntax and English pronunciation.
How does Agard structure the poem to make us aware that he does not value the history he is being taught?
Checking Out Me History Structure Agard wants us to be aware of both the things he was taught at school and the things he did not learn in the mainstream curriculum that he feels are important. He uses the physical separation of the stanzas and the font styles to indicate which culture he is referencing.
How is power and conflict presented in Checking Out Me History?
ENGLISH GCSE 9-1 POWER & CONFLICT POETRY – Checking Out Me History. Agard is referring to the Europeans that are trying to teach him their history. The subject, verb, object form in the sentence show how the Europeans have the power. Refers to a violent way of removing eyesight, taking away who he is and his past.
What is the significance of the title half-caste?
Half-caste is a term used for individuals of multiracial descent. It is derived from the term caste, which comes from the Latin castus, meaning pure, and the derivative Portuguese and Spanish word casta, meaning race.
How does the poet present power in Checking Out Me History?
Contrasts the start of the poem. The active verb ‘carving’ contrasts the passive verb of being ‘blinded’, he is making an effort to learn about his own culture and develop his sense of being and identity. Checking Out Me History is about the abuse of human power and also the human power to bring about change.
What is the tone of the poem half caste?
The speaker is discussing the term “half-caste” which is attributed to him as a result of his mixed race heritage. The comparisons he makes highlight the ridiculousness of the term’s usage. The overall tone of the poem is sarcastic and biting, arguably as the result of years of criticism.
What does the quote bandage up me eye with me own history mean?
“Bandage up me eye with me own history” suggests insult to injury in the sense that the accused caused the blindness, then used the listener’s “own history” to cover up the blind eye. In all, the accusation is of a deliberate, cruel attempt to mislead.
How does Agard present the power of identity in Checking Out Me History?