Singh Song! I run just one ov my daddy’s shops from 9 o’clock to 9 o’ clock and he vunt me not to hav a break but ven nobody in, I do di lock - The narrator is the son – he will inherit the shop. he only has limited accountability; perhaps this is the first time he has been entrusted with responsibility The narrator is the son – he will inherit the shop. he only has limited accountability; perhaps this is the first time he has been entrusted with responsibility Phonetic spellings in places to represent 'Punglish' - English spoken in a Punjabi accent. This increases the number of 'd' and 'v' sounds in the song, and creates an alliterative, rhythmic effect. The name 'Singh' comes from a Sanskrit word meaning 'lion' and it is an essential part of the name of any Sikh male. This poem is a song - it has a strong lyrical voice, and depends on rhyme and rhythm, as well as repetition to create a sense of a refrain or chorus. Highlights the father’s need for the son to take this hard-earned responsibility seriously Learning objective: To annotate and consolidate understanding of a GCSE English Literature poem. Learning objective: To annotate and consolidate understanding of a GCSE English Literature poem.

cos up di stairs is my newly bride vee share in chapatti vee share in di chutney after vee hav made luv like ve rowing through Putney - Play on words: ‘Putney’ is Punjabi for ‘wife’, and also an area of south-west London Play on words: ‘Putney’ is Punjabi for ‘wife’, and also an area of south-west London Repetition of ‘share’ suggests that the couple have an equal partnership Limited knowledge of English –this shows the idiolect of the character.

Ven I return vid my pinnie untied di shoppers always point and cry: Hey Singh, ver yoo bin? Yor lemons are limes yor bananas are plantain, dis dirty little floor need a little bit of mop in di worst Indian shop on di whole Indian road - Italicised refrain to present the perspective of other shoppers, who act like a chorus commentary in classical Greek theatre. All speak with an Indian accent

Above my head high heel tap di ground as my vife on di web is playing wid di mouse ven she netting two cat on her Sikh lover site she book dem for di meat at di cheese ov her price - Imagery to suggest the wife is dangerous and powerful (‘on di web’, ‘netting’ and ‘playing vid di mouse’) the customers are her ‘meat’ and she tempts them with ‘cheese’ − this could also hint at the dynamic in their relationship. She also appears more westernised.

my bride she effing at my mum in all di colours of Punjabi den stumble like a drunk making fun at my daddy my bride tiny eyes ov a gun and di tummy ov a teddy my bride she hav a red crew cut and she wear a Tartan sari a donkey jacket and some pumps on di squeak ov di girls dat are pinching my sweeties - Contrast of ‘gun’ and ‘teddy’ suggests conflicting feelings towards her; she is both comforting and dangerous? Contrast of ‘gun’ and ‘teddy’ suggests conflicting feelings towards her; she is both comforting and dangerous? Metaphors used to describe the narrator's bride are quite unexpected. Neither the "tiny eyes ov a gun" and the "tummy ov a teddy" sound particularly attractive, but it is clear that he loves her. They also tell us a lot about his wife: using the comparison of the gun tells us she's assertive, but "teddy" suggests affection and softness. Sums up the ideas behind the poem: draws on the idea of colourful language, but it also suggests the idea of variety, and that behind the stereotype of the Indian immigrant, there are many different individual lives.

Ven I return from di tickle ov my bride di shoppers always point and cry: Hey Singh,ver yoo bin? Di milk is out ov date and di bread is alvays stale, di tings yoo hav on offer yoo hav never got in stock in di worst Indian shop on di whole Indian road - Repetition of the customers’ complaints works like a chorus in a song

Late in di midnight hour ven yoo shoppers are wrap up quiet ven di precinct is concrete-cool vee cum down whispering stairs and sit on my silver stool, from behind di chocolate bars vee stare past di half-price window signs at di beaches ov di UK in di brightey moon - Change of voice to second person, speaking directly to shoppers ‘Midnight’ gives suggestion of magic; extended metaphor of moon (‘cool’, ‘whispering’ and ‘silver’); moon imagery links to the idea of honeymoon Suggestion of ‘Blighty’ The shop at night becomes a romantic destination. The personification of the "whispering stairs" gives a beautiful sense of secrecy The shopkeeper's stool is elevated with the adjective "silver", They look out past the things which represent their daily life - the "half-price window signs" - to the "brightey moon", a romantic icon.

from di stool each night she say, How much do yoo charge for dat moon baby? from di stool each night I say, Is half di cost ov yoo baby, from di stool each night she say, How much does dat come to baby? from di stool each night I say, Is priceless baby - Series of couplets with repeated refrains, giving the impression that the couple are ‘in tune’ with each other Their love is ‘priceless’, contrasting directly with the ‘priced’ items in the shop

Form and structure (Copy this…) As it says in the title, this poem is a song - it has a strong lyrical voice, and depends on rhyme and rhythm, as well as repetition to create a sense of a refrain or chorus. The structure does not stay the same throughout, but cycles through a number of different stanza patterns, finishing in four two-line stanzas that follow a conversation between the narrator and his bride. The structure is highly repetitive, creating a sense of closeness between the two speakers.

Task The poem has a strong visual quality. Create a storyboard of the ‘events’ in the poem. Your storyboard must have suitable captions (a quotation from the poem) for each image.

L/O: I can respond and comment on the language and ideas in the poem ‘Singh Song!’? Starter (10 mins) Answer the following questions on the passage in full sentences: 1.How many guests are we told can attend Indian weddings? 2.Are all Indian marriages arranged? 3.What are we told is the real emphasis of Indian weddings? Starter (10 mins) Answer the following questions on the passage in full sentences: 1.How many guests are we told can attend Indian weddings? 2.Are all Indian marriages arranged? 3.What are we told is the real emphasis of Indian weddings? Analysing the poetic devices in Singh Song Indian weddings are very bright events, filled with ritual and celebration, that continue for several days. They are generally not small affairs, with anywhere between 100 to 10,000 people attending. Oftentimes it is possible that many of the attendees are unknown to the bride and groom themselves. Though most Indian marriages are arranged, some couples in urban areas have what are known as "love marriages", where the partners decide to marry each other without family involvement or assistance. The traditional Indian wedding is more about two families being brought together socially, with much less emphasis on the individuals involved. Many of the wedding customs are common among Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and even Muslims. They are a combination of local, religious and family traditions.

Task (5/ 10 mins) Copy out these words from the poem: ‘Chapatti’- an Indian Flat bread ‘Plantain’- a fruit that resembles a small banana ‘Punjabi’- One of India’s languages, derived from the Punjab mountains ‘Sikh’- It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world. Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded in the fifteenth century Punjab on the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Task (5/ 10 mins) Copy out these words from the poem: ‘Chapatti’- an Indian Flat bread ‘Plantain’- a fruit that resembles a small banana ‘Punjabi’- One of India’s languages, derived from the Punjab mountains ‘Sikh’- It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world. Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded in the fifteenth century Punjab on the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Monotheism is the belief in a single all-powerful god, as opposed to religions that believe in multiple gods.

Task (5 mins) Write 2/3 sentences about your impressions of Singh’s wife. Think about what you are told about her in the text. Task (5 mins) Write 2/3 sentences about your impressions of Singh’s wife. Think about what you are told about her in the text.

Use of adjectives Line 5‘newly bride’ Line 31‘red crew cut’ Line 32‘tartan sari’ Line 45‘ven di precinct is concrete-cool’ Line 46‘whispering stairs’ Line 47‘silver stool’ Line 50‘brightey moon’ Task (5 mins) Pick two examples of adjectives and explain their effect on the reader, e.g. ‘The whispering stairs’ suggests that the stairs can give away the secrets of the people walking down them. Task (5 mins) Pick two examples of adjectives and explain their effect on the reader, e.g. ‘The whispering stairs’ suggests that the stairs can give away the secrets of the people walking down them.

Similes and metaphors: which is which? ‘like vee rowing through Putney’ Task (5 mins) Copy and complete this: This is an example of a __________. Nagra uses this simile to describe: ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ____________

‘all di colours of Punjabi’ Task (5 mins) Copy and complete this: This is an example of a ________________. This suggests the language the wife uses to speak to the narrator’s mum is _________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________. This tells us that the narrator’s wife is___________ _________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________.

‘Den stumble like a drunk’ Task (5 mins) Copy and complete this: This is an example of a ________________. This suggests the narrator’s wife is ______________________________________ _____________________________________________________

‘tiny eyes ov a gun’ Task (5 mins) Copy and complete this: This is an example of a ____________________. The wife’s eyes are _______________________________ ________________________________. She has a __________________________character.

‘tummy ov a teddy’ Task (5 mins) Copy and complete this: This is an example of a ____________________. This suggests that the stomach of the narrator’s wife is_____________________________________________ ______________________________.