Caribbean Journal
Caribbean Journal
He stands outside the fencing looking in.
Inside, sunbathers relishing their flesh - some white, some black, and some of other skins - diving and swimming, feign not to notice him, fingers of doubt spread wide, gripping holes of mesh.
Some people on the grass are picnicking.
His pants are torn; he does not have a shirt; his face, a mask of sun-flaked grease and dirt, too young to understand his day’s events, dreams mountain-slide of magic dollars and cents to cancel knowledge of the stomach’s pain; eyes learning what will later reach his brain.
In time they’ll be afraid to hear his curse at god’s unholy Sunday-school arrangement, put him inside wire-mesh or worse, and sunbathe in the same sun on his hearse or perish if his bullet gets them first. [Cecil Gray]
1. In a single word or short phrase, state what you consider to be the most dominant subject or idea that the poem communicates. (1 mark) Classism, rich versus the poor.
2. In a single sentence, state the theme or statement that the poem makes (implies) about the subject you selected. (2 marks)
Classism places the poor at a disadvantage as their future is often dictated based on stereotypical views.
3. Identify and list three effective techniques or devices that help to convey this statement. For each device you identified, write a brief statement (one sentence) explaining its effectiveness (what it contributes to the poem, its function). (6 marks) The speaker made use of metaphors, visual imageries and rhyme to convey the subject of classism.
The metaphor such as ‘his face, a mask of sun-flaked grease and dirt’ was strictly implied by the speaker to describe how the young poor boy looked, in a demeaning way- he was not even compared to, his features were directly grease and dirt, hence the stereotyping, classism.
The visual imageries such as, “Inside, sunbathers relishing their flesh”, provided a vivid description of the
He stands outside the fencing looking in.
Inside, sunbathers relishing their flesh - some white, some black, and some of other skins - diving and swimming, feign not to notice him, fingers of doubt spread wide, gripping holes of mesh.
Some people on the grass are picnicking.
His pants are torn; he does not have a shirt; his face, a mask of sun-flaked grease and dirt, too young to understand his day’s events, dreams mountain-slide of magic dollars and cents to cancel knowledge of the stomach’s pain; eyes learning what will later reach his brain.
In time they’ll be afraid to hear his curse at god’s unholy Sunday-school arrangement, put him inside wire-mesh or worse, and sunbathe in the same sun on his hearse or perish if his bullet gets them first. [Cecil Gray]
1. In a single word or short phrase, state what you consider to be the most dominant subject or idea that the poem communicates. (1 mark) Classism, rich versus the poor.
2. In a single sentence, state the theme or statement that the poem makes (implies) about the subject you selected. (2 marks)
Classism places the poor at a disadvantage as their future is often dictated based on stereotypical views.
3. Identify and list three effective techniques or devices that help to convey this statement. For each device you identified, write a brief statement (one sentence) explaining its effectiveness (what it contributes to the poem, its function). (6 marks) The speaker made use of metaphors, visual imageries and rhyme to convey the subject of classism.
The metaphor such as ‘his face, a mask of sun-flaked grease and dirt’ was strictly implied by the speaker to describe how the young poor boy looked, in a demeaning way- he was not even compared to, his features were directly grease and dirt, hence the stereotyping, classism.
The visual imageries such as, “Inside, sunbathers relishing their flesh”, provided a vivid description of the