THE POOL PLAYERS. SEVEN AT A GOLDEN SHOVEL

1. THE POOL PLAYERS. SEVEN AT A GOLDEN SHOVEL BY GWENDOLYN BROOKES

2. GWENDOLYN BROOKES

3. AMERICAN GHETTO

4. THE POOL PLAYERS. SEVEN AT THE GOLDEN SHOVEL • Luck number seven • Seven pool players • IRONY • Good fortune (digging for gold) • Digging their graves IRONY 7 is a lucky number but it is ironic because the players die in the end of the poem, thus they are not lucky. • CONTRAST • Golden = no hard labour • Shovel = labour

5. The pool players think they are very ‘cool’ by leaving school and to do bad things WE REAL COOL. WE LEFT SCHOOL. WE EMPHASIS Tells us what the pool players are doing.

6. To wait, sometimes hiding in order to frighten, annoy or attack someone LURK LATE. WE STRIKE STRAIGHT. WE • ALLITERATION • “L” sound • “S” sound • Hit the snooker ball • Argue or say something straight out • Hit against or crash into someone or something • argue

7. The pool players regard sin as morally fitting and good. SING SIN. WE THIN GIN. WE ALLITERATION “S” sound RHYME • Pool players drink gin with a mix e.g. gin &tonic • Pool players (kids) drink hard liquor

8. Have a good time (sex) with a girl named June • May listen or play Jazz music JAZZ JUNE. WE DIE SOON. ALLITERATION “J” SOUND All their actions lead to death. Either from violence or abuse of alcohol and drugs

9. 1. Though it’s written from the perspective of seven people we never really feel like the pool players are talking. Rather, the speaker is trying to imagine their thoughts. 2. The word “golden” is symbolic is summer, youth, daytime and riches. This is ironic because the aimless lives of the pool players seem anything but golden Number 7 implies a lucky number but these boys are unlucky seeing that they foresee their own deaths.

10. 3. Tell us what the pool players are doing and it creates enjambment and speeds up the flow of the poem. Can imply that the pool players actions speeds up their own death. 4. The author’s tone is neither angry or judgemental. The word choice rather describes the way things are and uses straightforward, matter-of-fact language and allows the reader to draw his own conclusion.

11. 5. Open ended 6. From the outside – criticise but in a sarcastic manner From the pool players – romanticised, they see sin a morally fitting and good 7. Dig for fortune or dig your own grave 8. “We left school” 9. “We sing sin We thin gin”