Language Techniques
John Agard's use of spellings like 'yu' and 'wid' are an example of...
Phonetic Spelling / Vernacular Language
BONUS: Which other poem in the set uses a very personal language to communicate an idea about identity?
Why might 'Hide and Seek' have been organised into a single stanza?
To emphasise the speaker's loneliness/isolation.
What is a poem that doesn't use any set rhyme scheme or metre called?
A free verse poem
What is the main idea communicated by Christina Rossetti in her poem "Remember"?
Which American coffee chain features a mythological creature as its logo?
Starbucks
BONUS: What's the mythological creature called?
The phrase "All flesh is grass" is an example of ___________________ in "War Photographer" by Carol Ann Duffy.
Metaphor
OR: Biblical allusion
What is it called when a line of poetry continues on to the next line without any punctuation?
Enjambment.
BONUS: What is it called when punctuation is used to create a pause in the middle of a line? (HINT: Think about the Roman Empire).
'Prayer Before Birth' and 'If' are both dramatic monologues. What does that mean?
They are poems written from a singular viewpoint, with a clear message addressed to a specific audience.
BONUS: Who is the intended audience of the two poems mentioned here? (2 answers)
Why does Carol Ann Duffy list the following cities in "War Photographer"?
"Belfast. Beirut. Phnom Penh."
These are places that have experienced violent conflicts/war.
BONUS: Which language technique(s) are used in this line?
Tim Howard is considered by some to be the greatest American soccer player of all time. What position did he play?
Goalkeeper.
BONUS: Which Premier League club did he make the most appearances at?
Words like "immortal," "heaven," and "Lamb" create _____________________ in William Blake's poem "The Tyger"
A semantic field related to God
How are line breaks (and varying line length) used to develop meaning or specific ideas in 'Blessing'?
The lines have a mimetic effect; when the pipe bursts, lines are made longer to mimic the free flow of water.
What traditional form of poetry is 'Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night' an example of?
Villanelle
BONUS: What rules must a villanelle follow?
How is the speaker's father described in 'Poem At Thirty-Nine'? Give at least TWO specific details to show the type of person/dad he is.
(responses may vary)
Which unconventional starchy filling does a 'California Burrito' include?
Fries/chips
What do compound words used in 'Half-past Two' represent?
A childish understanding of the world, especially the organisation/passage of time.
What is a stanza with three lines called?
A tercet.
The phrase "tingling strings" is an example of this technique (NOT onomatopoeia).
Internal Rhyme
How does Robert Browning explore the theme of power in 'My Last Duchess'?
He depicts the Duke's powerful status and desire to control others (women/his wives especially).
BONUS: What other poem from the anthology would compare well with 'MLD' on the theme of power? How/why?
Which legendary American author wrote 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,' 'The Tragedy of Puddn'head Wilson,' 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,' and other classic works of fiction?
Mark Twain
How is personification used in "Sonnet 116"?
Time is compared to a king, to whom love is not a jester or fool.
OR:
Time is compared to Death (the grim reaper) with a sickle.
Describe the narrative structure of 'La Belle Dame Sans Merci.'
There is a frame narrative whereby an unnamed speaker explains how he discovered a depressed/distressed knight. Then the narrative shifts to the point of view of the knight, who tells his story.
BONUS: What other structural technique does this poem used? What's the effect of that technique?
Which type of sonnet will always include a volta on line 9?
Petrarchan Sonnet
BONUS: What is another type of sonnet?
What is the importance of "symmetry" in William Blake's "The Tyger"? Think beyond the literal!
It represents God's craft and skill in being able to create something as beautiful (but dangerous) as a tiger.
Where does the name 'America' come from?
15th century Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci, who was the first to recognise the Americas as a separate continent.