I do still think that Nagra is trying to disprove the stereotype subtly, and show that ‘them’ and ‘me’ can be harmonious. He repeats the phrase “dem never tell me” which emphasizes that the accused “dem” are withholding important information, and depriving him of something. #checkingoutmehistory To much writing could be better by adding bullets points. #prelude ( Log Out /  The stereotype is shown in that: he runs a corner shop, he eats Indian food “chapatti… chutney” and he lives in an ‘indian’ area “di whole Indian road”. 1066 and all dat. View US version . Checking out me History is a poem about a Caribbean man’s frustration at the teaching of history- he believes that he is only taught about white historical figures and argues that some important black icons are neglected. Themes: Racial identity and history are important to the poem and the poet writes with a phonetic style to capture their voice and create tone emphasising his Caribbean origins. In 1977, he and his partner Grace Nichols moved to Britain to pursue dreams of being professional writers. When he describe the white figures he is taught about he is matter-of-fact and very succinct, but discusses the black figures in longer and more expressive detail. ‘Singh song’ is similar in that Daljit Nagra uses phonetic spelling “My vife is on di web” to reflect an Indian accent, and uses some humorous examples of language ‘lost in translation’ such as “at di cheese ov her price”. Example essay: In what ways does Hill explore the theme of fear? Square The last line "But now I checking out me own history" suggests determination in the narrator's voice, and a … All Assessment Objectives + Success Criteria, Extract From, The Prelude (1850) - William Wordsworth, The Charge of the Light Brigade (1854) - Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Storm on the Island (1966) - Seamus Heaney, War Photographer (1985) - Carol Ann Duffy, Checking Out Me History (2007) - John Agard, English GCSE AQA: Comprehensive Analysis of the Power and Conflict Poems. Whereas the sections on Toussaint L'Ouverture, Nanny de Maroon and Mary Seacole are celebratory in tone, emphasised by images of nature and using epic (out of the ordinary) vocabulary - words like vision, see-far and star. "Checking Out Me History" was published in 2007. ( Log Out /  for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; The last line "But now I checking out me own history" suggests determination in the narrator's voice, and a … Change ), Example: Ideas and Feelings in Checking out me History, ARCHIVE Language: Exam Reading Section (exams ending 2016), Question 1: Retrieving and interpreting information, Question 2: Analysing headlines and pictures, Question 3: Inferring thoughts and feelings, Question 4: Comparing how language is used for effect, ARCHIVE Language: Exam Writing Section (exams ending 2016), ARCHIVE AQA Literature (for specification ending 2015). In British schools white history and white children's stories dominate the curriculum; the speaker in the poem feels mocked by this unfair and uneven emphasis. #theprelude Checking Out Me History. #chargeofthelightbrigade This could be significant as often literature uses italics to stress of emphasize a word within a sentence, he is perhaps trying to present his history choices as important in contrast to “dem’s” choices. These remind us of the oral traditions of the Caribbean where many slaves were prevented from learning to read. Checking out me history SMHW.notebook 10 January 22, 2018 How does Agard present his ideas in 'Checking out me history'? Both poems ‘The Emigree’ and ‘Checking Out Me History’ explore a feeling of conflict over the persona’s own individual identity as a result of displacement and historical inaccuracy. Author: Created by amdramqueen. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. NOTE: This book's analyses are very long and wordy due to much information from different sources. White history is obviously irrelevant to the speaker's cultural identity. 4.6 17 customer reviews. But now I checking out me own history. #power And then the resolution. The narrator of this poem, which can be read in full here, is introduced through their voice, relayed through words such as “dem” and “wha,” better understood as “them” and “what,” which indicates to the reader immediately that English is not likely the native language of the speaker. The poet might be provoking us to check out our own histories, particularly if they include periods or important figures not taught in schools. This is a powerpoint used to revise the poem quickly near to the exams but elements of it could be used in the initial teaching stages. Black history is quoted to emphasise its separateness and to stress its importance. His descriptions of black icons are also ‘free’ from rhyme schemes, enforcing the theme of freedom which runs throughout. In ‘Checking out me History’ John Agard uses a Caribbean dialect “lick back”, and phonetic spelling “dem… dat” which reflects the Caribbean accent, to create a clear character voice. Hi Chelsea- as an examiner for AQA I can confirm that bullet points are not preferred over developed explanations. He does this mostly through the character of ‘the bride’ who is shockingly untraditional “effing at my mum… stumble like a drunk… a red crew cut”, but is still connected to her Indian culture: “in all di colours of Punjabi…sari”. Compare how language is used to explore ideas and feelings in ‘Checking out me History’ and one other poem from the Anthology. Anaphora, (Greek: “a carrying up or back”), a literary or oratorical device involving the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of several sentences or clauses, as in the well-known passage from the Old Testament (Ecclesiastes 3:1–2) that begins:. Context: John Agard was born in British Guiana, now called Guyana, in South America (despite the location, Guyana has stronger cultural links to other Caribbean countries), in 1949. The speaker tells us the reason for the address—that he has reclaimed his power, that he can see for himself now. Conditions. Tes Global Ltd is Agard is in fact half Guyanese and so the character of the poem could in fact be him; this could be auto-biographical. Noticeably the poet emphasises how we often celebrate our national or cultural history, without looking at the history and culture of those we were in conflict with. The new Love and Relationships/ Power and Conflict clusters separate them by their tone and topic. Hope this helps! We look at how history is taught and the conflict between fact and truths which is sometimes obscured by race or gender. #theemigree The speaker refers to figures and events from both white and black history. He does this to emphasize that he is a black Caribbean man and therefore the issues he explores are relevant and personal to him. The first uses the repeated phrase Dem tell me to indicate the white version of history, mostly written in rhyming couplets, triplets or quatrains. "Checking Out Me History" was published in 2007. Conflict occurs when we see the contrast with what we are taught and what we are not, the nature of the characters and history involved being 'conflict' and the conflict of the victor (whom we remember) and those we don't. I carving out me identity . Dem tell me Dem tell me wha dem want to tell me But now I checking out me own history I carving out me identity Interpretations of the poem: A man showing patriotism and national pride An accusation that the West’s influence on the teaching of history is an injustice. #stormontheisland ( Log Out /  Popular books for Arts, Humanities and Cultures. This website and its content is subject to our Terms and I decided to make a book on all the Power and Conflict poems for the English GCSE exams. It is a poem that challenges us to consider the meaning of history, how we come to know about the past and accept versions of history. The choice to write in non-standard English perhaps reflects his disapproval of the idea of ‘standard English’- linking to his cultural identity. The impersonal and indefinite pronoun "that" dismisses British Euro-centric history: either an irrelevant or so well know it needs no explanation. It is filled with a rich historical context that makes up the bulk of the poem's story, which is, in large part, a colonial story. Free. #remains #english Dem tell me wha dem want to tell me. This has the effect of making the black icons he mentions seem more important and impressive “Toussaint a slave with vision”. Although they are segmented, some may not find too much comfo... #aqa #kamikaze He uses non-standard phonetic spelling to represent his own powerful accent and mixes Caribbean Creole dialect with standard English. The poet is also in conflict with "dem" or with fact and fiction to emphasise the conflict in his own identity. The use of rhyme in the "Dem tell me" sections creates a sing-song tone that - combined with the use of nursery rhymes - suggests the narrator's contempt for the white version of history. However, rather than being angry about being a stereotype, the character is happy and content. The use of rhyme in the "Dem tell me" sections creates a sing-song tone that - combined with the use of nursery rhymes - suggests the narrator's contempt for the white version of history. London WC1R 4HQ. to tell me” • Repetition, dialect, caesura ... “Bandage up me eye with me own history / Blind me to me own identity” ... • Black history deliberately isolated or left out Themes Londonis about the lack of and abuse of power. He builds what might be called a ‘stereotypical’ image of an Indian man. 5. AQA A-level History D. Ferry, A. Anderson. For everything there is a season, and a time. Checking out me History The poem was published in a collection entitled Half-Caste and Other Poems (2007), a mixture of old and new poems concerned with the theme of race and cultural identity. Hi Zoe- This site was created for the OLD anthology, in which Singh Song and Checking Out Me History were in the same cluster as ‘poems from different cultures’. Key Quotations: ‘Dem tell me’, ‘Bandage up me eye’, ‘no dem never tell me bout dat’, ‘see-far woman’, I checking out me own history/ I carving out me identity’. OCR English Literature - Ibsen: A Doll’s House and Christina Rossetti: Poems Revision, AQA Poetry Anthology -Walking, Talking Mock. It also, however, captures the accent and rhythm of the Caribbean ethnicity of the poet and the parts of the work in italic are almost song-like with a rhythm that seems to suggest stories passed down in song or to a beat (very much a Caribbean-style beat). #powerandconflict #ozymandias #gcse The poem explores ideas about cultural identity- particularly looking at how ethnic cultures fit into Western (British) society. We can assume that “dem” are white people that decide the curriculum, and the narrator feels show a very polarized view of history; you could say he is trying to show that they oppress him, an idea which is fuelled by the images of slavery and oppression of black people by others, and of escape: “freedom river”, that he depicts in his descriptions of his heroes. Interspersed are the stories of three black historical figures: Toussaint L'Ouverture, Nanny de Maroon and Mary Seacole, told using abbreviated syntax with words missed out, shorter lines and an irregular rhyme scheme.