Poetry Anthology Student Homework Book
How to use this book: This book is designed to consolidate your understanding of the poems and prepare you for your exam. Complete the tables on each poem to revise the key aspects you will need to write about in the poetry exam. The questions on each poem are designed to push your thinking to A* level and for each poem there are a series of questions for you to have a go at completing. Your teacher will most likely direct you to complete sections of this book for homework but you could also use this booklet to carry out some independent study / revision. To get an A*, your answers should contain: Discriminating comparisons and links showing insight. Perceptive evaluation of the different ways of expressing meaning and achieving effects. The selection of examples is discriminating; fully supports the points being made Discriminating, relevant connection made between the presentation of ideas and the language used.
Key terms to support your analysis of the poems: Alliteration Words close to each other that begin with the same letter or sound Assonance repetition of vowel sounds Caesura a break or pause in a line of poetry, marked with a piece of punctuation like full stop, colon, semi-colon, exclamation mark, question mark. Dialect A form of language particular to regional area or group of people Enjambment The running on of one line of poetry into the next without punctuation Imagery Any description that appeals to the reader s senses especially created using similes, metaphors and personification Lexical field A group of words that link in theme. E.g. words suggesting violence Metaphor A figure of speech that tells you that one thing is something else. E.g. He was a monster. Onomatopoeia Words that sound like what they describe. E.g. the hiss of a snake Personification Giving human characteristics to non-living things. E.g. the trees waved their branches furiously. Repetition Repeating ideas or actual words or phrases Rhyme use of words which have the same sound or which end with the same sound.
Rhythm Pattern or flow of sound created by the arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables. Simile Uses the words as or like to compare two things. E.g. As cold as ice Stanza The separate units of verse within a poem Structure The way the poet has organised her ideas (line length, stanza length, enjambment, caesura, punctuation, rhyme, rhythm, development of ideas) Tone the feeling or mood Half-Caste that the writer creates
What is the poem about? What is the tone of the poem? How do you know? From whose perspective is the poem written and how does this affect the success of the poem? Language devices used and their effect X 4 How is the poem structured and how
does this help the poet achieve his aim? Is the form the poem is written in relevant and if so how does it help the poet to achieve his purpose? Tasks: Parade s End - What is your favourite line / quotation from the poem? Justify your choice. - Do you subscribe to the view that the lack of punctuation gives the poem a (for want of a better word) ranty tone? Can you suggest an alternative interpretation for Agard s deliberate omission of punctuation? - Watch Agard performing his poem on YouTube is it important to hear this poem spoken rather than reading it? What is the difference? Which best enables Agard to achieve his aim in writing the poem? Have a go at answering this question: Explain how Agard uses language and form to put forward his point of view in Half Caste.
What is the poem about? What is the tone of the poem? How do you know? From whose perspective is the poem written and how does this affect the success of the poem? Language devices used and their effect X 4 How is the poem structured and how does this help the
poet achieve his aim? Is the form the poem is written in relevant and if so how does it help the poet to achieve his purpose? Tasks: - Write about the significance of colours in the poem. - A* responses give alternative interpretations: can you give alternative ideas for how the poet uses the symbolism of the car to present conflict? Have a go at answering this question: Explain how Nagra presents the clash between people in his poem Parade s End.
Belfast Confetti What is the poem about? What is the tone of the poem? How do you know? From whose perspective is the poem written and how does this affect the success of the poem? Language devices used and their effect X 4 How is the poem structured and how does this help the
poet achieve his aim? Is the form the poem is written in relevant and if so how does it help the poet to achieve his purpose? Tasks: - Carson himself admits that this poem has the theme of language loss at the core of it what do you think he means by this? - Carson uses an extended metaphor of punctuation throughout the poem, replacing the physical elements of violence with a variety of punctuation marks. Punctuation marks have a variety of connotations in the poem, can you identify what these are? - Have a go at answering this question: How does Ciaran Carson present a personal experience of conflict in Belfast Confetti?
Our Sharpeville What is the poem about? What is the tone of the poem? How do you know? From whose perspective is the poem written and how does this affect the success of the poem? Language devices used and their effect X 4 How is the poem structured and how does this help the
poet achieve his aim? Is the form the poem is written in relevant and if so how does it help the poet to achieve his purpose? Tasks: - Looking at language, the poem has several words that have connotations of secrecy and concealment can you identify these and say why they have been used, how do they link to the poem s themes? - Looking at structure, would you agree that the middle stanza is a pivotal stanza in the poem. How does the length of this stanza contrast with stanzas 1 and 2 and why is this? Have a go at answering this question:
Exposure What is the poem about? What is the tone of the poem? How do you know? From whose perspective is the poem written and how does this affect the success of the poem? Language devices used and their effect X 4 How is the poem structured and how does this help the
poet achieve his aim? Is the form the poem is written in relevant and if so how does it help the poet to achieve his purpose? Tasks: - What is the purpose of punctuation in the poem? Find 2 examples and explain Owen s purpose in using it remember to link your ideas to Owen s intentions when writing the poem. - Look at the use of half rhyme at the end of the 1 st and 4 th, 2 rd and 3 rd lines (ABBA rhyme scheme) Why has Owen done this? Does it influence the rhythm? Is it consistent throughout the poem? Have a go at answering this question:
Catrin What is the poem about? What is the tone of the poem? How do you know? From whose perspective is the poem written and how does this affect the success of the poem? Language devices used and their effect X 4 How is the poem
structured and how does this help the poet achieve his aim? Is the form the poem is written in relevant and if so how does it help the poet to achieve his purpose? Tasks: - Underline all of the personal pronouns that are used in the poem. (A personal pronoun is a word such as I, my, you, your, we, our). What do you notice about the way they are used during the poem and do you agree that they are used to show the mother struggling to become an individual again? - Why does the request of the daughter in the final lines of the poem
Your Dad Did What? What is the poem about? What is the tone of the poem? How do you know? From whose perspective is the poem written and how does this affect the success of the poem? Language devices used and their effect X 4 How is the poem structured and how
does this help the poet achieve his aim? Is the form the poem is written in relevant and if so how does it help the poet to achieve his purpose? Tasks: - Some critics have seen the portrayal of the teacher as very negative, do you agree? In your opinion, is the poet unfairly critical of the teacher or does she have a valid point? - Why do you think Hannah uses a simple rhyme scheme (ABAB)? What effect does it create and hoe does it contrast with the subject matter?
The Class Game What is the poem about? What is the tone of the poem? How do you know? From whose perspective is the poem written and how does this affect the success of the poem? Language devices used and their effect X 4 How is the poem structured and how
does this help the poet achieve his aim? Is the form the poem is written in relevant and if so how does it help the poet to achieve his purpose? Tasks: - What do you think of the poem s title? Why does Casey refer to divisions in social class using the word game? - In terms of tone and perspective which other poems in the anthology does this poem have similarities with? Have a go at answering this question: Explore how effectively Casey has used vocabulary and poetic devices to portray differences in social class and her attitudes towards them.
Cousin Kate What is the poem about? What is the tone of the poem? How do you know? From whose perspective is the poem written and how does this affect the success of the poem? Language devices used and their effect X 4 How is the poem structured and how
does this help the poet achieve his aim? Is the form the poem is written in relevant and if so how does it help the poet to achieve his purpose? Tasks: - Is it possible to read Cousin Kate as a pro-women poem? - Much of the lexis in the poem is pastoral e.g flaxen what is the impact of this and how does it help Rossetti to tell her narrative? - There is a strong use of assonance in the poem, particularly o sounds. Why do you think Rossetti has done this? Have a go at answering this question: Explain how Rossetti creates sympathy for the narrator in Cousin Kate.
Hitcher What is the poem about? What is the tone of the poem? How do you know? From whose perspective is the poem written and how does this affect the success of the poem? Language devices used and their effect X 4 How is the poem structured and how does this help the
poet achieve his aim? Is the form the poem is written in relevant and if so how does it help the poet to achieve his purpose? Tasks: - A* = giving alternative interpretations. Choose a line / section of the poem and suggest two ways of interpreting it. Can you offer different ways of interpreting the poem as a whole? - It has been said that the lack of imagery in the poem creates a sense of realism, are there any other aspects of the poem that help create a sense of realism? - There are a lot of personal pronouns in the poem what does this reveal about the speaker? Have a go at answering this question: Explain how Armitage presents conflict and violence in the poem Hitcher
The Drum What is the poem about? What is the tone of the poem? How do you know? From whose perspective is the poem written and how does this affect the success of the poem? Language devices used and their effect X 4 How is the poem structured and how
does this help the poet achieve his aim? Is the form the poem is written in relevant and if so how does it help the poet to achieve his purpose? Tasks: - What is the significance of the personification of Ambition and Misery? - Does it help your understanding of the poem to know that Scott was a Quaker? - What is the effect of the romanticised language in the first verse, for example, fall in foreign lands? How does this link with Scott s overall message in the poem? Have a go at answering this question: Explore how Scott uses negative language to convey his attitude towards War
O What is that Sound What is the poem about? What is the tone of the poem? How do you know? From whose perspective is the poem written and how does this affect the success of the poem? Language devices used and their effect X 4 How is the poem structured and how
does this help the poet achieve his aim? Is the form the poem is written in relevant and if so how does it help the poet to achieve his purpose? Tasks: - Do you think the Ballad form helps Scott to achieve his purpose in writing the poem? Can you comment on the quatrain ABAB rhyme scheme? - Can you explain why Auden describes the soldiers as scarlet? Remember alternative interpretations = A* - Do you agree with the idea that the poem is about the universality of war and that war is always with us? What evidence is there in the poem to support this view? Have a go at answering this question: Explore how Auden builds tension, explores repercussions and expresses emotions connected with war.
Conscientious Objector What is the poem about? What is the tone of the poem? How do you know? From whose perspective is the poem written and how does this affect the success of the poem? Language devices used and their effect X 4 How is the poem structured and how
does this help the poet achieve his aim? Is the form the poem is written in relevant and if so how does it help the poet to achieve his purpose? Tasks: - What does the use of declarative sentences add to the poem; how do they help Millay to convey her message? - Although the poem is anti-war and sees war as immoral it can be argued that it is man s folly that causes all the pain in the poem and not Death; Death just reaps the rewards. Do you agree with this idea? - Why does Millay use hunting imagery to help convey her message? What different ways are there of interpreting these lines? Have a go at answering this question: Explore how St Vincent Millay uses personification of Death within the poem to help convey the persona s stance as a conscientious objector.
August 6, 1945 What is the poem about? What is the tone of the poem? How do you know? From whose perspective is the poem written and how does this affect the success of the poem? Language devices used and their effect X 4 How is the poem structured and how
does this help the poet achieve his aim? Is the form the poem is written in relevant and if so how does it help the poet to achieve his purpose? Tasks: - What is the effect of Fell s use of third person narrative? - Can you comment on the lack of punctuation in the poem? What do you think Fell is saying about war once it has started? Interestingly there is only one full stop in the poem. Identify where it is and why she has done this. - What different interpretations are there for the verse One the river bank, /bees drizzle over /hot white rhododendrons? Have a go at answering this question: Explain how Fell uses imagery, vocabulary and form to convey the horror of a nuclear attack.
Invasion What is the poem about? What is the tone of the poem? How do you know? From whose perspective is the poem written and how does this affect the success of the poem? Language devices used and their effect X 4 How is the poem structured and how
does this help the poet achieve his aim? Is the form the poem is written in relevant and if so how does it help the poet to achieve his purpose? Tasks: - The poet s writing is inspired by her sympathies for ordinary people coping in extraordinary times, do you think this is evident in Invasion? Where can this be seen in the poem? - How are personal pronouns used in the poem how do they contribute to the atmosphere created? - How does the language in the poem show the difference between the two armies? Have a go at answering this question: Explain how Hardi uses vocabulary and verb tense to create an ominous sense of impeding conflict.
Other activities: You will have noticed that each poem has an image at the top of its page, for each one can you say what this image represents in the poem how is it symbolic or a metaphor for the poem s message? Choose a poem in which the poet has used direct address, and write a response for example, imagine you are Catrin or imagine you are the listener in The Class Game. In the exam you will have to compare two poems. Make a list of poems which have similar themes, make a separate list of poems that use language in a similar way. In what other ways can we link the poems? Have a go at answering one of the questions below: Compare how The Drum and O What is the Sound present the theme of conflict. Compare how the writers of Cousin Kate and Catrin present the idea of tensions between people. Compare how the writer of Belfast Confetti explores different violent events from those in Our Sharpeville. Compare how the writers of Your Dad Did What? and one poem of your choice reflect on misunderstandings that can occur between people. Compare how Exposure and one poem of your choice comment on the experience of warfare.
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