A first post of the 2015/16 academic year!
Here's a link to the GCSE English revision app. Click the pic:
Thanks for showing me this, KM. A good find (if a bit geeky).
Why not give it a whirl?
Mr M
Saturday 21 November 2015
Revision App
A first post of the 2015/16 academic year!
Here's a link to the GCSE English revision app. Click the pic:
Thanks for showing me this, KM. A good find (if a bit geeky).
Why not give it a whirl?
Mr M
Saturday 30 May 2015
The final stretch
Hi folks,
Well, if your GCSEs were a marathon, then you're here: approaching the final corner - counting down yards instead of miles. The finishing line is around the next bend!
I know that you lot are all ready now, but if you feel like you need a final shove in the right direction, I'll be about at the end of school on Monday for a final revision session.
I'll bring biscuits! For the final time!
Have I said final enough?
Mr M
Well, if your GCSEs were a marathon, then you're here: approaching the final corner - counting down yards instead of miles. The finishing line is around the next bend!
I know that you lot are all ready now, but if you feel like you need a final shove in the right direction, I'll be about at the end of school on Monday for a final revision session.
I'll bring biscuits! For the final time!
Have I said final enough?
Mr M
Friday 29 May 2015
English Language - Exam Guide and Q4 tips
Hi all,
As you know, the next English Paper is THE BIG ONE!
Here's my exam guide:
As you know, the next English Paper is THE BIG ONE!
Here's my exam guide:
You can find a past paper and mark scheme here.
I have a series of powerpoints dealing with each question in turn. You can find these here, here and here.
Question 4 is the really tricky one, as you can see from this graph:
The key to standing out from the crowd on this paper is by being one of the 21% of students who answer Q4 well. The only way to do it is practise, practise, practise!
Tips for Q4:
1) Memorise this... and practise searching for these techniques (esp. the ones in bold):
2) Remember the keys words in the question: language and its effects.
3) In order to make the most of your comparisons, be prepared to use both of these key words as starting points for comparison:
4) Using language as a starting point for comparison
eg:
- Both writer's start with long, list-like sentences in order to....
- In both articles, the writers use metaphor to illustrate their points...
- In Source 3, there is a lexical chain of words which remind us of movie monsters...
- Whereas in Ssource 2, the writer uses a string of powerful verbs to...
- Both writers use alliteration to good effect...
- The language in Source 3 is often colloquial...
- In comparison, the language of Source 1 is fairly formal. However, there are exceptions...
eg:
- At the start of Source 3, the writer builds tension before revealing the subject of the article...
- Similarly, the writer of Source 1 is trying to build interest...
- Both texts have a humorous tone in places...
- Both writers use hyperbole in order to persuade the reader...
- Source 3 ends with a feeling of triumph...
- In contrast, Source 2 ends with a sense of resignation...
6) Follow up your quotes by analysing (ZOOM IN):
I'm always a little wary of giving students a set structure. This is because it entirely depends on the combination of texts in front of you. A structure like DAFOREST is limiting in that it just picks out a few arbitrary techniques in a weird order - and some of them aren't language. It's a structure to scrape you a C.
If I was pushed to recommend a structure, it's probably be this:
1) Start by comparing the effect of the openings of the extracts and how they suit the purpose of the text (eg. building tension/interest, shock, persuasion, describing etc)
2) Write about word choices in the two sources
3) Write about imagery (similes/metaphors/personification) or comparisons used to illustrate.
4) Write about sound effects such as alliteration and assonance in the two texts.
5) Comment on the use of sentence structures (long, short, lists, repetition etc.)
6) If there's time, end by commenting on how the endings of the texts are effective.
It's very likely that you won't have time to do all this, but you don't have to. This structure will give you plenty to write about and will keep you on task. Starting with effects gives you a nice way in to any combination of texts.
Finally, a very useful resource can be found here: a past paper (your mock?) with example Band 4 answers (with examiners comments).
I hope this helps. Feel free to send me stuff to mark! And get in touch if you are unsure about anything.
Mr M
- The word ___________ has connotations of...
- The word __________ has the effect of...
- This suggests...
- This use of imagery has the effect of...
- The use of the short sentence at this point is particularly effective because...
- The writer's use of assonance has the effect of...
- This has an impact on the reader because...
I'm always a little wary of giving students a set structure. This is because it entirely depends on the combination of texts in front of you. A structure like DAFOREST is limiting in that it just picks out a few arbitrary techniques in a weird order - and some of them aren't language. It's a structure to scrape you a C.
If I was pushed to recommend a structure, it's probably be this:
1) Start by comparing the effect of the openings of the extracts and how they suit the purpose of the text (eg. building tension/interest, shock, persuasion, describing etc)
2) Write about word choices in the two sources
3) Write about imagery (similes/metaphors/personification) or comparisons used to illustrate.
4) Write about sound effects such as alliteration and assonance in the two texts.
5) Comment on the use of sentence structures (long, short, lists, repetition etc.)
6) If there's time, end by commenting on how the endings of the texts are effective.
It's very likely that you won't have time to do all this, but you don't have to. This structure will give you plenty to write about and will keep you on task. Starting with effects gives you a nice way in to any combination of texts.
Finally, a very useful resource can be found here: a past paper (your mock?) with example Band 4 answers (with examiners comments).
I hope this helps. Feel free to send me stuff to mark! And get in touch if you are unsure about anything.
Mr M
Thursday 28 May 2015
English Language Paper Prep
Hi,
Here are some useful links to support your prep for the English Language paper:
http://mrmuraleeenglish.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/the-english-carousel-lesson-33.html
http://mrmuraleeenglish.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/another-practice-paper.html
I'll be updating my advice about question 4 later.
Mr M
Here are some useful links to support your prep for the English Language paper:
http://mrmuraleeenglish.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/another-practice-paper.html
I'll be updating my advice about question 4 later.
Mr M
Thursday 21 May 2015
Revision Session and debrief
Hi all,
A few last messages:
1) Please drop in tomorrow and let me know how it went.
2) Over half-term, remember to have a go at the Q4 (language) question for the final English Language paper I gave you. THIS QUESTION IS THE BIG ONE!
3) If you're available, I can do a revision session at the end of the first day back after half-term to discuss your Q4 response. Let me know.
Mr M
A few last messages:
1) Please drop in tomorrow and let me know how it went.
2) Over half-term, remember to have a go at the Q4 (language) question for the final English Language paper I gave you. THIS QUESTION IS THE BIG ONE!
3) If you're available, I can do a revision session at the end of the first day back after half-term to discuss your Q4 response. Let me know.
Mr M
Portrait vs Alison
Hi,
One more...
Here's the exemplar answer we worked on in class on Tuesday:
Compare the ways in which poets present feelings of loss in 'On a Portrait of a Deaf Man' and one other poem.
In On a Portrait of a Deaf Man, the speaker is mourning the loss of a loved one (probably a father) and is experiencing feelings of anger and horror about death. In contrast, in Casehistory Alison, the speaker is mourning the loss of her own past life and memories following an accident. Her inability to remember means that she 'cannot get over' it, but Alison seems resigned rather than angry.
In Portrait of a Deaf Man, the speaker experiences sharply contrasting emotions. On the one hand, the portrait of his father brings back fond memories. He mentions small details that bring his father to life, from his 'kind old face' and 'egg-shaped head' to his 'discreetly loud' tie. These fond memories use synecdoche to start to put together a sense of who he was. However, each of these details has darker connotations. The egg image implies fragility, and the oxymoron of 'discreetly loud' represents the mixed feelings which run throughout the poem. Each detail from the past links to a morbid thought about the present: his fondness for 'potatoes in their skin' is a reminder of the man's skin now - and his position in the earth. Later, the reference to shaking hands links to a grim thought about how 'his finger bones stick through his finger ends'. The poet's main point seems to be that fond memories have been tainted with the horrid realisation of death.
Similarly, in Casehistory Alison, there is a sense of pride and fondness when focusing on the past contrasted with a sense of shame and despair about her transformation. In fact, the contrast is so sharp that Fanthorpe presents Alice in both the 1st and 3rd person, describing her as 'My husband's wife, my mother's only daughter'. This immediately creates an identity crisis; the old Alison and the new Alison are like different people. This is developed with a series of contrasting descriptions. In the past, Alison had 'delicate angles' and 'airy poise' like a 'Degas dancer.' These descriptions create an image of grace and beauty, like a work of art. The 'autocratic knee' also depicts the old Alison as being powerful and in control. The new Alison couldn' be more different; she is 'enmeshed in ... fat' and that same knee now 'lugs' her upstairs. The word 'enmeshed' has connotations of entrapment, suggesting she feels trapped in this new life, mind and body. The use of the heavy sounding 'lug' sharply contrasts to her 'airy poise' in the past. Later in the poem, we learn of other things she has lost: her old 'lack of faith' and her 'smiles' - even after her father's death. Her head injury means she has to suffer grief over and over again, and the 'lack of faith' implies that her old carefree attitude has gone forever.
The structure of these two poems is very different and shows the different mindsets of the speakers. On a Portrait of a Deaf Man is fairly regular, with an abcb rhyme scheme and regular stanza lengths. This helps create a sense of order and certainty which fits with the speaker's blunt, direct assessment of the reality of life and death. The rhymes often make this blunt truth all the more horrific as they are completed at the end of each stanza, many of which end with an image of horror. In contrast, the three lines stanzas and enjambment in Casehistory Alison help recreate the irregular, uncertain nature of her new life. The splitting of phrases using enjambment (eg. 'lugs me upstairs/Hardly') suggests that she is always trying to catch up with herself, and that thinks never quite fit together as they should. The short, long, short pattern in terms of stanza lengths creates a sense of a repetitive cycle - much like her existence now that she needs 'reminding every morning.' Although there is little rhyme, clusters of repeated words and phrases help create pathos: 'morning' comes in close proximity with its homophone 'mourning', emphasising the repeated sense of loss. Other repetitions (smiles, faith) emphasise the sense of there being two Alisons.
Finally, Casehistory Alison ends with more repetition as 'a bright girl she was' is repeated. At the end however, there is more pathos as it is juxtaposed with the tragedy of the previous line: 'I am her future'. 'Was' seems like the perfect word to end the poem with, as it suggests that her old life is well and truly consigned to the past and can never be recovered. Portrait of a Deaf Man ends in anger - at God. The address to God and the capitalisation of His name suggests a continuing belief, but the accusation suggests a crisis of faith. The final word emphasises the bleak reality of the constant presence of 'decay' and death. Perhaps the speaker's horror is as much about his own decay as it is about the loss of his father; losing a loved one has made him discover the truth of his own mortality.
As you can see girls, you can't write about everything in 45 minutes. You don't have to. Just use the structure we discussed today and stay focused and you'll be fine.
Best of luck,
Mr M
One more...
Here's the exemplar answer we worked on in class on Tuesday:
Compare the ways in which poets present feelings of loss in 'On a Portrait of a Deaf Man' and one other poem.
In On a Portrait of a Deaf Man, the speaker is mourning the loss of a loved one (probably a father) and is experiencing feelings of anger and horror about death. In contrast, in Casehistory Alison, the speaker is mourning the loss of her own past life and memories following an accident. Her inability to remember means that she 'cannot get over' it, but Alison seems resigned rather than angry.
In Portrait of a Deaf Man, the speaker experiences sharply contrasting emotions. On the one hand, the portrait of his father brings back fond memories. He mentions small details that bring his father to life, from his 'kind old face' and 'egg-shaped head' to his 'discreetly loud' tie. These fond memories use synecdoche to start to put together a sense of who he was. However, each of these details has darker connotations. The egg image implies fragility, and the oxymoron of 'discreetly loud' represents the mixed feelings which run throughout the poem. Each detail from the past links to a morbid thought about the present: his fondness for 'potatoes in their skin' is a reminder of the man's skin now - and his position in the earth. Later, the reference to shaking hands links to a grim thought about how 'his finger bones stick through his finger ends'. The poet's main point seems to be that fond memories have been tainted with the horrid realisation of death.
Similarly, in Casehistory Alison, there is a sense of pride and fondness when focusing on the past contrasted with a sense of shame and despair about her transformation. In fact, the contrast is so sharp that Fanthorpe presents Alice in both the 1st and 3rd person, describing her as 'My husband's wife, my mother's only daughter'. This immediately creates an identity crisis; the old Alison and the new Alison are like different people. This is developed with a series of contrasting descriptions. In the past, Alison had 'delicate angles' and 'airy poise' like a 'Degas dancer.' These descriptions create an image of grace and beauty, like a work of art. The 'autocratic knee' also depicts the old Alison as being powerful and in control. The new Alison couldn' be more different; she is 'enmeshed in ... fat' and that same knee now 'lugs' her upstairs. The word 'enmeshed' has connotations of entrapment, suggesting she feels trapped in this new life, mind and body. The use of the heavy sounding 'lug' sharply contrasts to her 'airy poise' in the past. Later in the poem, we learn of other things she has lost: her old 'lack of faith' and her 'smiles' - even after her father's death. Her head injury means she has to suffer grief over and over again, and the 'lack of faith' implies that her old carefree attitude has gone forever.
The structure of these two poems is very different and shows the different mindsets of the speakers. On a Portrait of a Deaf Man is fairly regular, with an abcb rhyme scheme and regular stanza lengths. This helps create a sense of order and certainty which fits with the speaker's blunt, direct assessment of the reality of life and death. The rhymes often make this blunt truth all the more horrific as they are completed at the end of each stanza, many of which end with an image of horror. In contrast, the three lines stanzas and enjambment in Casehistory Alison help recreate the irregular, uncertain nature of her new life. The splitting of phrases using enjambment (eg. 'lugs me upstairs/Hardly') suggests that she is always trying to catch up with herself, and that thinks never quite fit together as they should. The short, long, short pattern in terms of stanza lengths creates a sense of a repetitive cycle - much like her existence now that she needs 'reminding every morning.' Although there is little rhyme, clusters of repeated words and phrases help create pathos: 'morning' comes in close proximity with its homophone 'mourning', emphasising the repeated sense of loss. Other repetitions (smiles, faith) emphasise the sense of there being two Alisons.
Finally, Casehistory Alison ends with more repetition as 'a bright girl she was' is repeated. At the end however, there is more pathos as it is juxtaposed with the tragedy of the previous line: 'I am her future'. 'Was' seems like the perfect word to end the poem with, as it suggests that her old life is well and truly consigned to the past and can never be recovered. Portrait of a Deaf Man ends in anger - at God. The address to God and the capitalisation of His name suggests a continuing belief, but the accusation suggests a crisis of faith. The final word emphasises the bleak reality of the constant presence of 'decay' and death. Perhaps the speaker's horror is as much about his own decay as it is about the loss of his father; losing a loved one has made him discover the truth of his own mortality.
As you can see girls, you can't write about everything in 45 minutes. You don't have to. Just use the structure we discussed today and stay focused and you'll be fine.
Best of luck,
Mr M
Final Poetry Advice
Hi,
I'm pretty confident about this one, girls. You are more ready for this paper than any other class that I've sent into this exam in the past.
In this post, I'd like to just focus on some key reminders. See previous posts for past papers, mark schemes, links to blogs about other poems etc.
So, here's a reminder of the structure I described today:
Remember:
I'm pretty confident about this one, girls. You are more ready for this paper than any other class that I've sent into this exam in the past.
In this post, I'd like to just focus on some key reminders. See previous posts for past papers, mark schemes, links to blogs about other poems etc.
So, here's a reminder of the structure I described today:
Remember:
- when comparing ideas/attitudes/feelings, you should still analyse and interpret your quotes
- when comparing the writer's methods, you should still comment on interpretations of meanings (ideas/feelings/poet's message etc.) Perhaps do structure before language to ensure that you don't forget it.
In effect, you are using two different starting points for making comparisons to ensure that you hit the requirements of the marking criteria. You are looking at the comparison from two different angles (I wish I could show you Burrell's illustration here - if you send a photo, I'll put it up!).
Just keep doing what you've been doing through the course. Zoom in and zoom out.
A few last things...
Remind yourself of poetic devices here.
Finally, here's a couple of interpretations of My Last Duchess. There's loads of help on this poem out there, including tutorials on Youtube like this one.
Great work so far, girls. You're nearly there: keep going!
Mr M
Wednesday 20 May 2015
Next up: Poetry
Hello Y11,
So, your next exam is English Literature Paper 2: Poetry Across Time.
Remember, you will get a clean Anthology in the exam.
My hunches for this exam are as follows, but remember that anything could come up - you need to know all of the poems and know plenty of them inside out.
Top hunches:
My Last Duchess
Medusa
Others that haven't come up for a while:
Checking Out Me History
The Clown Punk
The Hunchback in the Park
Here's my exam guide:
And here's a couple of past papers:
So, your next exam is English Literature Paper 2: Poetry Across Time.
Remember, you will get a clean Anthology in the exam.
My hunches for this exam are as follows, but remember that anything could come up - you need to know all of the poems and know plenty of them inside out.
Top hunches:
My Last Duchess
Medusa
Others that haven't come up for a while:
Checking Out Me History
The Clown Punk
The Hunchback in the Park
Here's my exam guide:
And here's a couple of past papers:
Here is the top end of the mark schemes for section A and B:
And here are some posts about the poems:
- 'Give' and 'The Clown Punk' - Simon Armitage
- 'Les Grands Seigneurs' by Dorothy Molloy
- 'The Ruined Maid' by Thomas Hardy
- 'My Last Duchess' by Robert Browning
- 'On a Portrait of a Deaf Man' by John Betjeman
- 'Checking Out Me History' by John Agard
- 'The Hunchback in the Park' by Dylan Thomas
- Model answer: 'Ozymandias' and 'The River God'
You can find lots of other poetry resources by clicking on 'Character and Voice' in the browse by topic menu, here --------------------------------->
Finally, some links for poems which are not mentioned above. Here are two essential articles on 'Medusa' and 'Singh Song' by the authors themselves.
I'm also intending to finish another model answer on 'Portait of a Deaf Man' and 'Casehistory: Alison' - the one we started in the lesson the other day.
Good luck!
Mr M
Finally, some links for poems which are not mentioned above. Here are two essential articles on 'Medusa' and 'Singh Song' by the authors themselves.
I'm also intending to finish another model answer on 'Portait of a Deaf Man' and 'Casehistory: Alison' - the one we started in the lesson the other day.
Good luck!
Mr M
Saturday 16 May 2015
A reminder: Crooks
Hi,
Th doc below is particularly useful in showing the ways in which Steinbeck presents Crooks.
Note the similarities with Curley's Wife in that he lives his life under 'layers of protection' - perhaps they all do.
Another key quote is the one about his deep set eyes that 'glittered with intensity'. This represents the light, the hope, the dream that lays buried deep inside of him. However, this innocent dream of the past has been damaged by bitter experience. Now he is sullen and cynical; he knows he has to keep people at arm's length to protect himself.
In this chapter, Steinbeck makes him physically grow - but then shrink again as a result of Curley's Wife's attack. In the end, the circular structure (not that again!) of the chapter shows he's going nowhere.
Anyway, here's the doc:
Th doc below is particularly useful in showing the ways in which Steinbeck presents Crooks.
Note the similarities with Curley's Wife in that he lives his life under 'layers of protection' - perhaps they all do.
Another key quote is the one about his deep set eyes that 'glittered with intensity'. This represents the light, the hope, the dream that lays buried deep inside of him. However, this innocent dream of the past has been damaged by bitter experience. Now he is sullen and cynical; he knows he has to keep people at arm's length to protect himself.
In this chapter, Steinbeck makes him physically grow - but then shrink again as a result of Curley's Wife's attack. In the end, the circular structure (not that again!) of the chapter shows he's going nowhere.
Anyway, here's the doc:
Mr M
English Lit 1: Monday
Hello Y11,
Stay calm - it's English Lit 1 on Monday!
First thing to remember: BRING YOUR COPIES OF THE TEXTS!
Next, double check that you know what to do in the exam. Here's my exam guide:
And a past paper:
Stay calm - it's English Lit 1 on Monday!
First thing to remember: BRING YOUR COPIES OF THE TEXTS!
Next, double check that you know what to do in the exam. Here's my exam guide:
And a past paper:
And here are the top ends of the two mark schemes:
Finally, don't forget the importance of writing about the writer's methods. The words Priestley and Steinbeck must be prominent in your responses. Remind yourself of the writer's methods: Priestley here and Steinbeck here:
Finally, please look at the Browse by topic section on the right on the page for more stuff on the texts.
I'll be posting more over the weekend. Also, follow us on Twitter for last minute advice and to fire your panicky last minute questions at us!
Good luck troopers!
Mr M
Thursday 30 April 2015
Video Clips: Singh Song and Checking Out Me History
Hi,
Here are links to the video clips we watched in lesson on these two poems. The first and third links are to readings of the poems, the second and fourth are explanations from the poets, Daljit Nagra and John Agard.
Daljit Nagra reads Singh Song!
Daljit Nagra on Singh Song!
John Agard reads Checking Out Me History
John Agard on Checking Out Me History
Enjoy!
Mr M
Here are links to the video clips we watched in lesson on these two poems. The first and third links are to readings of the poems, the second and fourth are explanations from the poets, Daljit Nagra and John Agard.
Daljit Nagra reads Singh Song!
Daljit Nagra on Singh Song!
John Agard reads Checking Out Me History
John Agard on Checking Out Me History
Enjoy!
Mr M
Daljit Nagra on 'Singh Song'
Click on Daljit for his explanation of the poem...
PS. The ending is not 'cheesy'!
PS. The ending is not 'cheesy'!
Les Grands Seigneurs: Thoughts about structure
Hello,
I don't think I need to blog at great length about Les Grands Seigneurs by Dorothy Molloy. It's pretty straight forward. Although it appeared on the 2014 paper, it compares well with my tips (Medusa and My Last Duchess), so it's definitely worth getting to know it inside out.
I thought it might be useful to focus on an aspect of the writer's craft that is sometimes difficult to comment on convincingly: STRUCTURE.
So what is structure?
Structure refers to:
So, here are some thoughts about the structure of Les Grands Seigneurs:
In your revision guide thingy, you will find an 'A' grade answer to a question comparing this poem with Medusa. It's definitely worth a read. That could be your exam question - who knows?
Please remember: you need to be putting in the extra effort now. It is time. Read and re-read and re-read and re-read the poems. Read your study guide. Look at other revision resources. Fill in comparison grids and your Character and Voice connection chart. Revise!
If you need more help on any aspect of the poems that we're rushing through, please email, comment or just grab me in school.
Mr M
 |
| A typical courtly lover - wounded by Cupid's arrow |
I thought it might be useful to focus on an aspect of the writer's craft that is sometimes difficult to comment on convincingly: STRUCTURE.
So what is structure?
Structure refers to:
- how the poem is put together
- what holds it all together
- all those things that give the poem its shape and make it whole and coherent
- what leads the reader through the poem
So, here are some thoughts about the structure of Les Grands Seigneurs:
- The first half of the poem is a succession of images showing what men were to the speaker. These images are clustered together to develop subtle shades of meaning: first architectural images, then bird images, performing animals, ship images and musical/entertainment images. For example, the first group of images are suggestive of the medieval world of castles, knights, maidens and courtly love. 'Buttresses' suggest support, 'castellated towers' suggest protection (but perhaps isolation? entrapment? - does this foreshadow the ending?) and 'bowers' suggests comfort, relaxation and privacy. Think about why each image is included and what it adds to its cluster of images.
- Men are the subject and focus of stanzas 1 & 2. Note the repetition: Men were... Men were... These stanzas suggest certainty and confidence in the regularity provided by the repetition.
- There are rhymes in stanza 1, as well as a strong rhythm enhanced by assonance (strutting pink flamingos) which add to the confident dynamic voice of the speaker.
- Stanza 3 marks a shift. Now the subject is the all-powerful speaker. The enjambment of 'out of reach' in line 9/10 enacts the idea of her being on a pedestal.
- There are only three lines in stanza 3, and they create a kind of skewed rhyming couplet: reach/peach. However, this shortened stanza suggests that her power is short-lived.
- The final stanza starts with 'But' - marking a bigger shift.
- The 'wedded, bedded' bit slows the poem down and emphasises (through heavy stresses) the shift into the dreary reality of marriage.
- The bracketed phrase (yes, overnight) adds a sense of shock and disbelief to the speaker's voice.
- The poem ends on another skewed rhyming couplet (fluff/bluff). But this time, it seems rushed. Try reading the rhming lines in stanza 3 and then compare to the end of stanza 4: the final line is over quicker than a click of the fingers. The poem's lines have been getting progressively shorter. This recreates the sense of a sudden, shocking transformation from 'queen' to 'bit of fluff'.
In your revision guide thingy, you will find an 'A' grade answer to a question comparing this poem with Medusa. It's definitely worth a read. That could be your exam question - who knows?
Please remember: you need to be putting in the extra effort now. It is time. Read and re-read and re-read and re-read the poems. Read your study guide. Look at other revision resources. Fill in comparison grids and your Character and Voice connection chart. Revise!
If you need more help on any aspect of the poems that we're rushing through, please email, comment or just grab me in school.
Mr M
On a Portrait of a Deaf Man
Hi folks,
We've bashed through a fair few poems recently. Make sure you've got your head around them by reading through the Bitesize notes on Casehistory: Alison, The Horse Whisperer and On a Portrait of a Deaf Man.
It's the last poem I want to blog about because it's a belter. Why do I like this grim little poem about death? Perhaps it's because truly great literature deals with universal themes. The Romantic poet, John Keats said: 'Beauty is truth, truth beauty'. Cormac McCarthy, who wrote a novel about the end of the world ('The Road'), says that writing that is not about 'issues of life and death' is 'not literature'. What I love about this poem is that it presents the harsh truth of the reality of death without a sugary coating. We tend to live in denial about such things; great literature makes us confront these thoughts and deal with them. John Betjeman doesn't shy away from the darkest of thoughts in his grief. And he doesn't water his feelings down with euphemisms. But just like the dead wife in 'My Last Duchess', we are given a picture of the simple pleasures of life too: the food, the walks, the air. Perhaps part of the truth of this poem is that we cannot celebrate the beauty and joy of life without acknowledging the darkness of death. It's a poem of opposites.
There's so much more to this poem than initially meets the eye. It's very carefully constructed, and there's loads to say about structure. Here's a recap of key points about this poem, and perhaps a few things we didn't notice first time around:
I hope this helps. Think about how it connects to:
Mr M
PS. Just had these two new thoughts about The Horse Whisperer:
1) Just like in Les Grands Seigneurs, the poems sudden transformation is shown in the verse form through sudden endings. In Horse, it is provided through a short final stanza; in Seigneurs, through short, skewed rhyming lines.
2) I mentioned how the images we get of horses are like close ups of small details ('shimmering muscles', 'eyes revolved') - I compared this to the early pages of the Gruffalo - before we meet him. This technique has a name: synecdoche (where a part of something is used to represent the whole: here specific parts of the horse are used to stand for the whole horse, effectively focusing the reader's attention.) Good, eh? If the Gruffalo passed you by, here's what I mean:
Now that's a cross-reference!
Mr M
 |
| Beautiful and solemn: Highgate Cemetery |
We've bashed through a fair few poems recently. Make sure you've got your head around them by reading through the Bitesize notes on Casehistory: Alison, The Horse Whisperer and On a Portrait of a Deaf Man.
It's the last poem I want to blog about because it's a belter. Why do I like this grim little poem about death? Perhaps it's because truly great literature deals with universal themes. The Romantic poet, John Keats said: 'Beauty is truth, truth beauty'. Cormac McCarthy, who wrote a novel about the end of the world ('The Road'), says that writing that is not about 'issues of life and death' is 'not literature'. What I love about this poem is that it presents the harsh truth of the reality of death without a sugary coating. We tend to live in denial about such things; great literature makes us confront these thoughts and deal with them. John Betjeman doesn't shy away from the darkest of thoughts in his grief. And he doesn't water his feelings down with euphemisms. But just like the dead wife in 'My Last Duchess', we are given a picture of the simple pleasures of life too: the food, the walks, the air. Perhaps part of the truth of this poem is that we cannot celebrate the beauty and joy of life without acknowledging the darkness of death. It's a poem of opposites.
There's so much more to this poem than initially meets the eye. It's very carefully constructed, and there's loads to say about structure. Here's a recap of key points about this poem, and perhaps a few things we didn't notice first time around:
- The poem is an elegy - a lament for the dead.
- It's written in ballad metre. That means that lines 1 and 3 of each stanza are tetrameters (four stressed syllables); lines 2 and 4 are trimeters (three). This creates the same rhythm that you'll know from all those carol concerts in O Little Town of Bethlehem.
- The regular rhythm and rhyme creates various effects. It creates a sense of order and certainty - like the inevitability of death. It also makes the poem all the more blunt - even darkly comic.
- A key idea in the poem is that the speaker cannot think of the positive memories of his father without being reminded of death. Even the images of food remind us of this: think of the fragile 'egg-shaped head' and the wrinkly 'potatoes in their skin' which reminds us that the father has swapped places with the potato. Later, the 'soil' he loved the smell of is also a reminder of his burial.
- The poem is as much about the speaker's fear of death as it is about the father. Consider the 'loosely fitting shooting clothes' which become a 'closely fitting shroud'. A shroud is a burial cloth. The fact that they are now closely fitting is more a sign of the speaker's claustrophobia at the thought of burial than it is a description of the father's change in size.
- It's a sensual poem - only the sense of sound is missing as the father is deaf (long silent walks/not the song it sung)
- The oxymoronic description of a the tie, 'discreetly loud', reminds us that this poem is one of opposites: life and death, celebration and sorrow, faith and despair, freshness and decay. See the yin-yang symbol above. Perhaps it also tells us about the father's personality - confident, strong but understated.
- Part of the Chinese concept of yin-yang is that opposites are interconnected. This is true of this poem. Within each stanza, the positive memories tie up with sadness and even horror. Eg. 'shake hands' links to 'finger-bones'; eating a potato, eating clay; the rain-washed air he loved and the soaked earth of Highgate Cemetery.
- Remember, Carrara is an Italian town famous for its marble - often used for gravestones.
- The final stanza is full of bitterness, anger and confusion. We don't know how long ago the father died, but the emotions are still raw. The fact that the poem is inspired by a portrait suggests that time has passed but has not healed. 'Thus' and 'thus' may well refer to the father's deafness and his death. There is a sarcastic tone to 'save his soul and pray.' Despite the direct address to God and the respectful capitalisation of 'You', there is no mention of an afterlife: 'I only see decay.' The ending of the poem therefore presents us with ambivalent feelings about God (ambivalent means mixed, conflicting feelings about something). He's questioning his faith - but doing it directly at God. The poem, as we have seen, is full of ambivalence.
I hope this helps. Think about how it connects to:
- Casehistory: Alison (before/after; loss; faith)
- Medusa (bitterness, anger and ambivalence)
- Brendon Gallacher (death, memory, loss)
- Les Grands Seigneurs (sudden, harsh transformations)
- Ozymandias (decay)
- My Last Duchess (life and death)
- The River God (nature, life and death)
Mr M
PS. Just had these two new thoughts about The Horse Whisperer:
1) Just like in Les Grands Seigneurs, the poems sudden transformation is shown in the verse form through sudden endings. In Horse, it is provided through a short final stanza; in Seigneurs, through short, skewed rhyming lines.
2) I mentioned how the images we get of horses are like close ups of small details ('shimmering muscles', 'eyes revolved') - I compared this to the early pages of the Gruffalo - before we meet him. This technique has a name: synecdoche (where a part of something is used to represent the whole: here specific parts of the horse are used to stand for the whole horse, effectively focusing the reader's attention.) Good, eh? If the Gruffalo passed you by, here's what I mean:
Now that's a cross-reference!
Mr M
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