Island Man by Grace Nichols. Lesson Objective: To understand the use of structure, language and imagery in Island Man Lesson outcome: A fully annotated.

Island ManIsland Manby Grace Nicholsby Grace Nichols

• Lesson Objective: To understand the use of structure, language and imagery in Island Man

• Lesson outcome: A fully annotated poem

What are the similarities and differences? List them in your

books. Aim for 5.

Reading the poem

• What is the “surface meaning”, the STORY, of the poem?

SURFACE MEANINGSURFACE MEANING

•A man who used to live on a A man who used to live on a Caribbean island still dreams Caribbean island still dreams of this place although he of this place although he now lives in London. As he now lives in London. As he wakes up his dream of the wakes up his dream of the Caribbean is replaced by the Caribbean is replaced by the reality of London.reality of London.

Group workGroup work

• 1. Structure – sentence length, position on 1. Structure – sentence length, position on the page. Why has the poet done this?the page. Why has the poet done this?

• 2. Word choices – anything look out of 2. Word choices – anything look out of place? Why has she done this?place? Why has she done this?

• 3. Imagery – what language techniques 3. Imagery – what language techniques are used (metaphor, simile, are used (metaphor, simile, personification). What is the effect?personification). What is the effect?

Theme….. Your thoughts?Theme….. Your thoughts?

• Grace Nichols was born in Georgetown, Guyana, in 1950 and grew up in a Grace Nichols was born in Georgetown, Guyana, in 1950 and grew up in a small country village on the Guyanese coast. She moved to the city with small country village on the Guyanese coast. She moved to the city with her family when she was eight, an experience central to her first novel, her family when she was eight, an experience central to her first novel, Whole of a Morning SkyWhole of a Morning Sky (1986), set in 1960s Guyana in the middle of the (1986), set in 1960s Guyana in the middle of the country's struggle for independence. country's struggle for independence.

She worked as a teacher and journalist and, as part of a Diploma in She worked as a teacher and journalist and, as part of a Diploma in Communications at the University of Guyana, spent time in some of the Communications at the University of Guyana, spent time in some of the most remote areas of Guyana, a period that influenced her writings and most remote areas of Guyana, a period that influenced her writings and initiated a strong interest in Guyanese folk tales, Amerindian myths and initiated a strong interest in Guyanese folk tales, Amerindian myths and the South American civilisations of the Aztec and Inca. She has lived in the the South American civilisations of the Aztec and Inca. She has lived in the UK since 1977.UK since 1977.

• She said: ‘I feel at home now both in Guyana and in England. When I’m in She said: ‘I feel at home now both in Guyana and in England. When I’m in Guyana…I feel like I belong there because I spring from that landscape. But Guyana…I feel like I belong there because I spring from that landscape. But partly because I have children in England, I also feel at home in this partly because I have children in England, I also feel at home in this culture, with their dreams and aspirations. So I embrace both. England is culture, with their dreams and aspirations. So I embrace both. England is where I live, where I make my living, but when I’m in England I’m always where I live, where I make my living, but when I’m in England I’m always looking back. Both as a writer and as an individual, I’m always looking at looking back. Both as a writer and as an individual, I’m always looking at both worlds.’both worlds.’

Answer these questions in your Answer these questions in your books.books.

• How do Grace Nichols’ own experiences How do Grace Nichols’ own experiences tie in with what happens in the poem?tie in with what happens in the poem?

• What do you think the tone of the poem What do you think the tone of the poem ( mood) and message of the poem is?( mood) and message of the poem is?

Is the poem a:Is the poem a:• A criticism of life in LondonA criticism of life in London• A criticism of the 3A criticism of the 3rdrd world poverty world poverty

that forced people to become that forced people to become economic migrants?economic migrants?

• A criticism of those migrants who A criticism of those migrants who hold an idealised view of their hold an idealised view of their homeland……………something homeland……………something else?else?

In the exams you will need to In the exams you will need to compare poems……compare poems……

• Identify 5 similarities and differences Identify 5 similarities and differences between Island Man and Blessing.between Island Man and Blessing.

• Consider: Poet’s background, use of Consider: Poet’s background, use of structure, use of similes/metaphor structure, use of similes/metaphor e.g comparison of their subject e.g comparison of their subject matter to something valuable?matter to something valuable?

PEE Practise:PEE Practise:• 1. How is the sun described and why do you think 1. How is the sun described and why do you think

Grace Nichols has chosen to do this?Grace Nichols has chosen to do this?

• 2. The first line is a single word. What is it and why 2. The first line is a single word. What is it and why has the poet chosen to use this?has the poet chosen to use this?

• 3. It is an effort for the island man to come back to 3. It is an effort for the island man to come back to reality. How is that effort conveyed?reality. How is that effort conveyed?

• 4. Look carefully at the last line. What do you 4. Look carefully at the last line. What do you notice about it structurally? Why does it have notice about it structurally? Why does it have capital letters? Why has the poet chosen to do this?capital letters? Why has the poet chosen to do this?

Homework: Due WednesdayHomework: Due Wednesday

• Identify 5 similarities and differences Identify 5 similarities and differences between Island Man and Blessing.between Island Man and Blessing.

• Consider: Poet’s background, use of Consider: Poet’s background, use of structure, use of similes/metaphor structure, use of similes/metaphor e.g comparison of their subject e.g comparison of their subject matter to something valuable?matter to something valuable?

Performance poetryPerformance poetry

• Using what you know of the poem and the Using what you know of the poem and the poet’s background, create a performance poet’s background, create a performance of the poem.of the poem.

• What makes a good group performance?What makes a good group performance?

• I will assess this task for speaking and I will assess this task for speaking and listening – both how you perform in the listening – both how you perform in the group, and during you performance.group, and during you performance.

How do the poems “Nothing’s Changed” and How do the poems “Nothing’s Changed” and “Two Scavengers” deal with inequality?“Two Scavengers” deal with inequality?

• What are the links and similarities What are the links and similarities between the two poems?between the two poems?

A spider diagramA spider diagram

• In circles round the page write the In circles round the page write the names of all the poems we have names of all the poems we have studied.studied.

• Keep them spread out, you will need Keep them spread out, you will need to write in the spaces betweento write in the spaces between

Using the cultural ideas listed Using the cultural ideas listed below, what links can you find?below, what links can you find?• IdentityIdentity

• Political belief/comment ( injustice/inequality)Political belief/comment ( injustice/inequality)

• Sense of placeSense of place

• Human attitudes/relationshipsHuman attitudes/relationships

• Cultural differencesCultural differences

Using the cultural ideas listed Using the cultural ideas listed below, what links can you find?below, what links can you find?• Identity – Limbo, Island Man, Identity – Limbo, Island Man,

• Political belief/comment ( injustice/inequality)Political belief/comment ( injustice/inequality)

• Sense of placeSense of place

• Human attitudes/relationshipsHuman attitudes/relationships

• Cultural differencesCultural differences

With your partner, brainstorm some ideas to With your partner, brainstorm some ideas to include in one of these essaysinclude in one of these essays

• How do the poets use particular How do the poets use particular details to bring out their ideas in details to bring out their ideas in Vultures and one other poem?Vultures and one other poem?

• Compare the ways in which the poets Compare the ways in which the poets present ideas about rich and poor present ideas about rich and poor people in “Two Scavengers in a people in “Two Scavengers in a Truck..” and one other poemTruck..” and one other poem

Island Man

(for a Caribbean island man in London who still wakes up to the sound of the sea)

MorningAnd island man wakes upTo the sound of blue surfIn his headThe steady breaking and wombing

wild seabirdsand fisherman pushing out to seathe sun surfacing defiantlyfrom the eastof his small emerald islandhe always comes back groggily

groggily

Clear link with other traditions

Alliteration with the letter 's'

This word has many associations, but the predominant image is one of comfort and security

personification

Repetition, as if he cannot believe it, or is reluctant to acknowledge

Note the vibrant colours

Free verse and lack of punctuation suggest a dream like quality

Written in 3rd person

Comes back to sandsof a grey metallic soar

to surge of wheelsto dull North Circular road muffling muffling

his crumpled pillow waves

island man heaves himself

Another London day

Grace Nichols

Repetition, as if he cannot believe it, or is reluctant to acknowledge

Stark last line, physically isolated, with no preposition or verb

Suggest comparison of a man heaving himself on to an island

Capital letters suggest formality

a busy road around London

Change of perspective here

Colour contrast, not vibrant but drab

Pun

Unusual word choice

Link with dream

Metaphor Metaphor • sands / of a grey metallic sands / of a grey metallic soar (London as an soar (London as an unpleasant beach)unpleasant beach)

PersonificatiPersonificationon

• • the sun surfacing defiantlythe sun surfacing defiantly

• • to dull North Circular roarto dull North Circular roar

AlliterationAlliteration • • sun surfacingsun surfacing

• • Stanza 3 = Sands, soar, Stanza 3 = Sands, soar, surge (like the sounds of the surge (like the sounds of the sea)sea)

RepetitionRepetition • • groggily groggilygroggily groggily

• • muffling mufflingmuffling muffling

LanguageLanguage

ThemesThemes

Is the poem a:Is the poem a:

• A criticism of life in LondonA criticism of life in London

• A criticism of the 3A criticism of the 3rdrd world poverty world poverty that forced people to become that forced people to become economic migrants?economic migrants?

• A criticism of those migrants who A criticism of those migrants who hold an idealised view of their hold an idealised view of their homelandhomeland

• Interpretation (the theme of the Interpretation (the theme of the poem)poem)

• What comment is Nichols making What comment is Nichols making about the importance of culture and about the importance of culture and cultural background?cultural background?

• Language (how the poem is told Language (how the poem is told eg. register, tense, poetic voice, eg. register, tense, poetic voice, 1st or 3rd person)1st or 3rd person)

• The poem is told in the third person The poem is told in the third person but is clearly about a very personal but is clearly about a very personal experience. Why is this? experience. Why is this?

• Imagery (the pictures created in Imagery (the pictures created in the reader’s mind eg. simile, the reader’s mind eg. simile, metaphor, personification, metaphor, personification, symbols)symbols)

• How has Nichols used colour in her How has Nichols used colour in her poem?poem?