Half-Caste by John Agard

1. Half-Casteby John Agard

2. Half-Casteby John Agard Mini Task 1 Write a few words about a time when someone insulted you. How do you feel? How did you react?

3. Half-Casteby John Agard Learning Objectives As we study this poem you will learn more about Why the title of the poem is considered an offensive term Repetition patterning Dialectical English Complex rhyme schemes Complex metaphors Tone & rhythm

4. explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean tchaikovskysit down at dah pianoan mix a black keywid a white keyis a half-caste symphony? • explain yuselfwhayu meanAh listening to yuwid de keenhalf of mih earAh looking at yuwid de keenhalf of mih eyean when I’m introduced to yuI’m sure you’ll understandwhy I offer yu half-a-hand an when I sleep at nightI close half-a-eyeconsequently when I dreamI dream half-a-dreaman when moon begin to glowI half-caste human beingcast half-a-shadowbut yu must come back tomorrowwid de whole of yu eyean de whole of yu earan de whole of yu mind.an I will tell yude other halfof my story. Half-Casteby John Agard Excuse mestanding on one legI’m half-caste.Explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean when Picassomix red an greenis a half-caste canvas?explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean when light an shadowmix in de skyis a half-caste weather?well in dat caseengland weathernearly always half-castein fact some o dem cloudhalf-caste till dem overcastso spiteful dem don’t want de sun passah rass?

5. Half-Casteby John Agard Mini Task 2 Write down what you think has happened immediately before the poem starts.

6. Half-Casteby John Agard Mini Task 2 Write down what you think has happened immediately before the poem starts. The poem is written in the form of a response to the poet being called ‘half-caste’ so just before the poem starts the poet has been insulted by someone.

7. Half-Casteby John Agard Mini Task 3 Now write down what you think is the ‘story of the poem.’

8. Half-Casteby John Agard Mini Task 3 Now write down what you think is the ‘story of the poem.’ This is a poem about asserting your identity against others who would ‘bring you down’ and is the poet’s ironic response to having been called ‘half-caste’ by someone. In the poem he tries to demonstrate what a nonsense the notion of being ‘half’ anything is by comparing ‘half-caste’ to music, painting and the weather. He finishes the poem by telling his listener to come back without prejudices….with ‘de whole of yu mind.’

9. explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean tchaikovskysit down at dah pianoan mix a black keywid a white keyis a half-caste symphony? • Explain yuselfwhayu meanAh listening to yuwid de keenhalf of mih earAh looking at yuwid de keenhalf of mih eyean when I’m introduced to yuI’m sure you’ll understandwhy I offer yu half-a-hand an when I sleep at nightI close half-a-eyeconsequently when I dreamI dream half-a-dreaman when moon begin to glowI half-caste human beingcast half-a-shadowbut yu must come back tomorrowwid de whole of yu eyean de whole of yu earan de whole of yu mind.an I will tell yude other halfof my story. Half-Casteby John Agard - MT 4 Excuse mestanding on one legI’m half-caste.Explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean when Picassomix red an greenis a half-caste canvas?explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean when light an shadowmix in de skyis a half-caste weather?well in dat caseengland weathernearly always half-castein fact some o dem cloudhalf-caste till dem overcastso spiteful dem don’t want de sun passah rass? What are the Key Features of this poem? Identify Examples with your answer.

10. explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean tchaikovskysit down at dah pianoan mix a black keywid a white keyis a half-caste symphony? • explain yuselfwhayu meanAh listening to yuwid de keenhalf of mih earAh looking at yuwid de keenhalf of mih eyean when I’m introduced to yuI’m sure you’ll understandwhy I offer yu half-a-hand an when I sleep at nightI close half-a-eyeconsequently when I dreamI dream half-a-dreaman when moon begin to glowI half-caste human beingcast half-a-shadowbut yu must come back tomorrowwid de whole of yu eyean de whole of yu earan de whole of yu mind.an I will tell yude other halfof my story. Half-Casteby John Agard - MT 4 Excuse mestanding on one legI’m half-caste.Explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean when Picassomix red an greenis a half-caste canvas?explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean when light an shadowmix in de skyis a half-caste weather?well in dat caseengland weathernearly always half-castein fact some o dem cloudhalf-caste till dem overcastso spiteful dem don’t want de sun passah rass? Imagery Repetition Dialect

11. explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean tchaikovskysit down at dah pianoan mix a black keywid a white keyis a half-caste symphony? • explain yuselfwhayu meanAh listening to yuwid de keenhalf of mih earAh looking at yuwid de keenhalf of mih eyean when I’m introduced to yuI’m sure you’ll understandwhy I offer yuhalf-a-hand an when I sleep at nightI close half-a-eyeconsequently when I dreamI dream half-a-dreaman when moon begin to glowI half-caste human beingcast half-a-shadowbut yu must come back tomorrowwid de whole of yu eyean de whole of yu earan de whole of yu mind.an I will tell yude other halfof my story. Half-Casteby John Agard - MT 4 Excuse mestanding on one legI’m half-caste.Explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean when Picassomix red an greenis a half-caste canvas?explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean when light an shadowmix in de skyis a half-caste weather?well in dat caseengland weathernearly always half-castein fact some o demcloudhalf-caste till demovercastso spiteful dem don’t want de sun passah rass? Imagery

12. explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yusayhalf-casteyu mean tchaikovskysit down at dah pianoan mix a black keywid a white keyis a half-caste symphony? • explain yuselfwhayu meanAh listening to yuwidde keenhalf of mihearAh looking at yuwidde keenhalfof miheyean when I’m introduced to yuI’m sure you’ll understandwhy I offer yuhalf-a-hand an when I sleep at nightI close half-a-eyeconsequently when I dreamIdreamhalf-a-dreaman when moon begin to glowIhalf-caste human beingcasthalf-a-shadowbut yu must come back tomorrowwidde whole of yu eyean de whole ofyuearan de whole of yu mind.an I will tellyude otherhalfof my story. Half-Casteby John Agard - MT 4 Excuse mestanding on one legI’mhalf-caste.Explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean when Picassomix red an greenis a half-caste canvas?explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yusayhalf-casteyu mean when light an shadowmix in de skyis a half-casteweather?well in dat caseenglandweathernearly always half-castein fact some o dem cloudhalf-caste till dem overcastso spiteful demdon’t want de sun passah rass? Repetition – 216 words 130 repetitions That’s over half the poem as reps.

13. explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu sayhalf-casteyu mean tchaikovskysit down at dah pianoan mixa black keywid a whitekeyis a half-caste symphony? • explain yuselfwhayu meanAh listening to yuwid de keenhalf of mihearAh looking at yuwid de keenhalf of miheyean whenI’mintroduced to yuI’m sure you’ll understandwhy I offer yu half- a-hand an when I sleep at nightIclose half- a-eyeconsequently when I dreamIdreamhalf-a-dreaman when moon begin to glowI half-caste human beingcasthalf -a-shadowbut yu must come back tomorrowwidde whole of yueyean de whole ofyuearan de whole of yumind.an Iwill tellyude other halfof my story. Half-Casteby John Agard - MT 4 Excuse mestanding on one legI’mhalf-caste.Explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean when Picassomixred an greenis a half-castecanvas?explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yusay half-casteyu mean when light an shadowmix in de skyis a half-casteweather?well in dat caseenglandweathernearly always half-castein fact some o dem cloudhalf-caste tilldemovercastso spiteful demdon’t want de sun passah rass? Repetition – The unrepeated words

14. explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yusayhalf-casteyu mean tchaikovskysit down at dah pianoan mix a black keywid a white keyis a half-caste symphony? • explain yuselfwhayu meanAh listening to yuwidde keenhalf of mihearAh looking at yuwidde keenhalfof miheyean when I’m introduced to yuI’m sure you’ll understandwhy I offer yuhalf-a-hand an when I sleep at nightI close half-a-eyeconsequently when I dreamIdreamhalf-a-dreaman when moon begin to glowIhalf-caste human beingcasthalf-a-shadowbut yu must come back tomorrowwidde whole of yu eyean de whole ofyuearan de whole of yu mind.an I will tellyude otherhalfof my story. Half-Casteby John Agard - MT 5 Excuse mestanding on one legI’mhalf-caste.Explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean when Picassomix red an greenis a half-caste canvas?explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yusayhalf-casteyu mean when light an shadowmix in de skyis a half-casteweather?well in dat caseenglandweathernearly always half-castein fact some o dem cloudhalf-caste till dem overcastso spiteful demdon’t want de sun passah rass? Write down any patterns you notice in the repletion. What is the effect of all this repetition?

15. explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu sayhalf-casteyu mean tchaikovskysit down at dah pianoan mix a black keywid a white keyis a half-castesymphony? • explain yuselfwhayu meanAh listening to yuwid de keenhalf of mihearAh looking at yuwid de keenhalfof miheyean when I’m introduced to yuI’m sure you’ll understandwhy I offer yuhalf-a-hand an when I sleep at nightI close half-a-eyeconsequently when I dreamIdreamhalf-a-dreaman when moon begin to glowIhalf-caste human beingcasthalf-a shadowbut yu must come back tomorrowwid-de whole of yu eyean de whole ofyuearan de whole of yu mind.an I will tellyude otherhalfof my story. Half-Casteby John Agard - MT 5 & 6 Excuse mestanding on one legI’mhalf-caste.Explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean when Picassomix red an greenis a half-castecanvas?explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yusayhalf-casteyu mean when light an shadowmix in de skyis a half-casteweather?well in dat caseenglandweathernearly always half-castein fact some o dem cloudhalf-castetill dem overcastso spiteful demdon’t want de sun passah rass? Rep. Patterns Write down what you notice about these patterns? Half-caste Explain yuself De whole of

16. explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yusayhalf-casteyu mean tchaikovskysit down at dah pianoan mix a black keywid a white keyis a half-caste symphony? • explain yuselfwhayu meanAhlistening to yuwid de keenhalf of mihearAhlooking at yuwidde keenhalfof miheyean when I’m introduced to yuI’msure you’ll understandwhy I offeryuhalf-a-hand an when I sleep at nightIclose half-a-eyeconsequently whenI dreamIdreamhalf-a-dreaman when moon begin to glowIhalf-caste human beingcasthalf-a-shadowbut yumust come back tomorrowwidde whole of yueyean de whole ofyuearan de whole of yumind.anIwill tellyude other halfof my story. Half-Casteby John Agard - MT 5 & 7 Excuse mestanding on one legI’mhalf-caste.Explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yusay half-casteyu mean when Picassomix red an greenis a half-caste canvas?explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yusay half-casteyu mean when light an shadowmix in de skyis a half-casteweather?well in dat caseenglandweathernearly always half-castein fact some o dem cloudhalf-caste till dem overcastso spiteful demdon’t want de sun passah rass? Yu I & Ah Write down what you notice about these patterns?

17. explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu sayhalf-casteyu mean tchaikovskysit down at dah pianoan mix a black keywid a white keyis a half-caste symphony? • explain yuselfwhayu meanAh listening to yuwidde keenhalf of mihearAh looking at yuwidde keenhalfof miheyean when I’m introduced to yuI’m sure you’ll understandwhy I offer yu half-a-hand an when I sleep at nightI close half-a-eyeconsequently when I dreamIdreamhalf-a-dreaman when moon begin to glowI half-caste human beingcasthalf-a-shadowbut yu must come back tomorrowwidde whole of yu eyean de whole ofyuearan de whole of yu mind.an I will tellyude other halfof my story. Half-Casteby John Agard - MT 5 Excuse mestanding on one legI’mhalf-caste.Explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean when Picassomix red an greenis a half-caste canvas?explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yusay half-casteyu mean when light an shadowmix in de skyis a half-casteweather?well in dat caseenglandweathernearly always half-castein fact some o demcloudhalf-caste till demovercastso spiteful demdon’t want de sun passah rass? ……and the rest Dem An when De keen dream

18. explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean tchaikovskysit down at dah pianoan mix a black keywid a white keyis a half-caste symphony? • explain yuselfwhayu meanAh listening to yuwid de keenhalf of mih earAh looking at yuwid de keenhalf of mih eyean when I’m introduced to yuI’m sure you’ll understandwhy I offer yu half-a-hand an when I sleep at nightI close half-a-eyeconsequently when I dreamI dream half-a-dreaman when moon begin to glowI half-caste human beingcast half-a-shadowbut yu must come back tomorrowwid de whole of yu eyean de whole of yu earan de whole of yu mind.an I will tell yude other halfof my story. Half-Casteby John Agard - MT 8 Excuse mestanding on one legI’m half-caste.Explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean when Picassomix red an greenis a half-caste canvas?explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean when light an shadowmix in de skyis a half-caste weather?well in dat caseengland weathernearly always half-castein fact some o dem cloudhalf-caste till dem overcastso spiteful dem don’t want de sun passah rass? Imagery Repetition Dialect You will be given a section of the poem to translate to standard English. You will then have to read your section to the class.

19. explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean tchaikovskysit down at dah pianoan mix a black keywid a white keyis a half-caste symphony? • explain yuselfwhayu meanAh listening to yuwid de keenhalf of mih earAh looking at yuwid de keenhalf of mih eyean when I’m introduced to yuI’m sure you’ll understandwhy I offer yu half-a-hand an when I sleep at nightI close half-a-eyeconsequently when I dreamI dream half-a-dreaman when moon begin to glowI half-caste human beingcast half-a-shadowbut yu must come back tomorrowwid de whole of yu eyean de whole of yu earan de whole of yu mind.an I will tell yude other halfof my story. Half-Casteby John Agard - MT 9 Excuse mestanding on one legI’m half-caste.Explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean when Picassomix red an greenis a half-caste canvas?explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean when light an shadowmix in de skyis a half-caste weather?well in dat caseengland weathernearly always half-castein fact some o dem cloudhalf-caste till dem overcastso spiteful dem don’t want de sun passah rass? Check the poem for Rhymes….what sort of rhyme scheme is this?

20. explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean tchaikovskysit down at dah pianoan mix a black keywid a white keyis a half-caste symphony? • explain yuselfwhayu meanAh listening to yuwid de keenhalf of mih earAh looking at yuwid de keenhalf of mih eyean when I’m introduced to yuI’m sure you’ll understandwhy I offer yu half-a-hand an when I sleep at nightI close half-a-eyeconsequently when I dreamI dream half-a-dreaman when moon begin to glowI half-caste human beingcast half-a-shadowbut yu must come back tomorrowwid de whole of yu eyean de whole of yu earan de whole of yu mind.an I will tell yude other halfof my story. Half-Casteby John Agard - MT 9 Excuse mestanding on one legI’m half-caste.Explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean when Picassomix red an greenis a half-castecanvas?explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean when light an shadowmix in de skyis a half-caste weather?well in dat caseengland weathernearly always half-castein fact some o dem cloudhalf-caste till dem overcastso spiteful dem don’t want de sun passah rass? Check the poem for Rhymes….what sort of rhyme scheme is this? Complex

21. explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean tchaikovskysit down at dah pianoan mix a black keywid a white keyis a half-caste symphony? • explain yuselfwhayu meanAh listening to yuwid de keenhalf of mih earAh looking at yuwid de keenhalf of mih eyean when I’m introduced to yuI’m sure you’ll understandwhy I offer yu half-a-hand an when I sleep at nightI close half-a-eyeconsequently when I dreamI dream half-a-dreaman when moon begin to glowI half-caste human beingcast half-a-shadowbut yu must come back tomorrowwid de whole of yu eyean de whole of yu earan de whole of yu mind.an I will tell yude other halfof my story. Half-Casteby John Agard - MT 10 Excuse mestanding on one legI’m half-caste.Explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean when Picassomix red an greenis a half-caste canvas?explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean when light an shadowmix in de skyis a half-caste weather?well in dat caseengland weathernearly always half-castein fact some o dem cloudhalf-caste till dem overcastso spiteful dem don’t want de sun passah rass? Metaphor – In the next few slides you are going to be asked to explain the complex use of metaphors in various sections of the poem.

22. Explain the metaphor in the first stanza of the poem. Explain the metaphor in the ‘Picasso’ section of the poem. Explain the metaphor in the ‘weather’ section of the poem. Half-Casteby John Agard - MT 10a Excuse mestanding on one legI’m half-caste.Explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean when Picassomix red an greenis a half-caste canvas?explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean when light an shadowmix in de skyis a half-caste weather?well in dat caseengland weathernearly always half-castein fact some o dem cloudhalf-caste till dem overcastso spiteful dem don’t want de sun passah rass?

23. ‘Half-cast’ like a half made sculpture standing on one leg. A comic image to start the poem. The re is no such thing as half a colour and a mix of two colours becomes a new colour in its own right. Ironically what colour do you get if you mix red & green? Picasso painted distorted faces The English always moan about the weather, so there is a hint of comic irony in this section of the poem. But on a cloudy day you do not have ‘half-caste’ weather, just overcast skies. Half-Casteby John Agard - MT 10a Excuse mestanding on one legI’m half-caste.Explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean when Picassomix red an greenis a half-caste canvas?explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean when light an shadowmix in de skyis a half-caste weather?well in dat caseengland weathernearly always half-castein fact some o dem cloudhalf-caste till dem overcastso spiteful dem don’t want de sun passah rass?

24. explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean tchaikovskysit down at dah pianoan mix a black keywid a white keyis a half-caste symphony? • explain yuselfwhayu meanAh listening to yuwid de keenhalf of mih earAh looking at yuwid de keenhalf of mih eyean when I’m introduced to yuI’m sure you’ll understandwhy I offer yu half-a-hand • an when I sleep at nightI close half-a-eyeconsequently when I dreamI dream half-a-dreaman when moon begin to glowI half-caste human beingcast half-a-shadow Explain the metaphor in the ‘Music’ section of the poem. Explain the metaphor in the ‘Half of me’ section of the poem. Half-Casteby John Agard - MT 10b

25. explain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean tchaikovskysit down at dah pianoan mix a black keywid a white keyis a half-caste symphony? • explain yuselfwhayu meanAh listening to yuwid de keenhalf of mih earAh looking at yuwid de keenhalf of mih eyean when I’m introduced to yuI’m sure you’ll understandwhy I offer yu half-a-hand • an when I sleep at nightI close half-a-eyeconsequently when I dreamI dream half-a-dreaman when moon begin to glowI half-caste human beingcast half-a-shadow You need a combination of black and white notes to play a complex piece of music on a piano. Perhaps there is also the suggestion here that the mix of black and white = harmony. You are a whole person so the ‘half of me’ that are referred to in theses lines is just nonsense. You can’t have half an eye, or ear, or dream, or shadow. There is also a sense of bitter anger or irony in these lines and they help to reinforce the main idea of the poem that being called ‘half-caste’ is not only an insult but impossibly wrong. Half-Casteby John Agard - MT 10b

26. but yu must come back tomorrowwid de whole of yu eyean de whole of yu earan de whole of yu mind.an I will tell yude other halfof my story. Explain the metaphor in the ‘Whole of me’ section of the poem. Explain the metaphor in the final stanza. Half-Casteby John Agard - MT 10c

27. but yu must come back tomorrowwid de whole of yu eyean de whole of yu earan de whole of yu mind.an I will tell yude other halfof my story. Put simply, come back tomorrow without your prejudices….. ….and I will show you my true self. Half-Casteby John Agard - MT 10c

28. Half-Casteby John Agard Mini Task 11 Tone Now write down what you think the overall tone of the poem is and identify points in the poem where the tone may change.

29. explain yuselfanger  whayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean tchaikovskysit down at dah pianoan mix a black keywid a white keyis a half-caste symphony? • explain yuselfanger  whayu meanAh listening to yuwid de keen Sarcasm  half of mih earAh looking at yuwid de keenhalf of mih eyean when I’m introduced to yuI’m sure you’ll understandwhy I offer yu half-a-hand an when I sleep at nightI close half-a-eyeconsequently when I dreamI dream half-a-dreaman when moon begin to glowI half-caste human beingcast half-a-shadowbut yu must come back tomorrowwid de whole of yu eyean de whole of yu earan de whole of yu mind.Very sarcastic an I will tell yude other halfof my story. Half-Casteby John Agard MT 11 Excuse mestanding on one legI’m half-caste. Sarcasm angerExplain yuselfwhayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean when Picassomix red an greenis a half-caste canvas?explain yuself anger whayu meanwhen yu say half-casteyu mean when light an shadowmix in de skyis a half-caste weather?well in dat caseengland weathernearly always half-castein fact some o dem cloudhalf-caste till dem overcastso spiteful dem don’t want de sun passah rass? Very angery The tone shape then is: Sarcasm (irony)  Anger  Sarcasm

30. Half-Casteby John Agard Mini Task 12 Rhythm What is it that gives this poem a strong rhythm?

31. Half-Casteby John Agard Mini Task 12 Rhythm What is it that gives this poem a strong rhythm? Repetition Rhyme/chime Dialetcial English (Jamacian) Short lines

32. Half-Casteby John Agard How the poet does it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KqyVpMJ1gI John Agard was born in Guyana in 1949, with a Caribbean father and a Portuguese mother. In 1977, he moved to Britain, where he became angry with people who referred to him as ‘half-caste’. Realising that most people who say this do so without thinking about what it really means, he wrote this poem a a way of ‘telling off’ people who use this term without thinking. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTt4GAjPh58 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRrYhpiYzaU