FLAG by John Agard What is a flag? What is it’s function? What are the connotations of flags? What might they symbolise?

FLAG by John Agard What’s that fluttering in a breeze? It’s just a piece of cloth that brings a nation to its knees. What’s that unfurling from a pole? that makes the guts of men grow bold. What’s that rising over a tent? that dares the coward to relent. What’s that flying across a field? that will outlive the blood you bleed. How can I possess such a cloth? Just ask for a flag, my friend. Then blind your conscience to the end. FLAG by John Agard CLICK HERE TO PLAY http://www.poetryarchive.org/poetryarchive/singlePoem.do?poemId=14749

What’s that fluttering in a breeze? It’s just a piece of cloth that brings a nation to its knees.

What’s that fluttering in a breeze? It’s just a piece of cloth Question = poem is like dialogue – question and answer layout (voice/structure) What’s that fluttering in a breeze? It’s just a piece of cloth that brings a nation to its knees. Alliteration draws our attention to the image which emphases the power of the flag. Juxtaposition of simple description with powerful symbolism of a flag – highlights the ridiculous power a flag has. Kneeling = submission? Reverence? Awe?

What’s that unfurling from a pole? It’s just a piece of cloth that makes the guts of men grow bold.

Any other oblique references to the military in this poem? Every stanza starts with a question. – more than one voice? Who is asking or is speaker voicing a general question on behalf of others? Who is answering/the speaker? What’s that unfurling from a pole? It’s just a piece of cloth that makes the guts of men grow bold. Patriotism! Here, 'men' could be metonymic (an army, a nation, or a general term for humanity) Structure: 5x 3-line stanzas. Rhythm: 8-6-8 syllable count – very fixed, rigid form – military?? (conflict!) Any other oblique references to the military in this poem?

What’s that rising over a tent? It’s just a piece of cloth that dares the coward to relent.

What’s that rising over a tent? It’s just a piece of cloth Verbs: what do you notice about the verbs as the poem progresses? (structure/language) What kind of tent? Military campaign tent ? Explorer? Old fashioned image?? Why a tent? What else could a tent represent? What’s that rising over a tent? It’s just a piece of cloth that dares the coward to relent. Nouns: can you see any pattern between the nouns as the poem progresses? Here, flag personifies courage and antagonism. War? Sounds like propaganda? Relent to what? To fight? To surrender? Again this image connotes conflict. Ambiguity.

What’s that flying across a field? It’s just a piece of cloth that will outlive the blood you bleed.

What’s that flying across a field? It’s just a piece of cloth Connotes colonisation – field being claimed? Land! A battlefield? A rural area? Something to be fought over? What’s that flying across a field? It’s just a piece of cloth that will outlive the blood you bleed. Warning: the flag will outlive 'you'. Who is the 'you’? The reader? The absent voice?

How can I possess such a cloth? Just ask for a flag, my friend. Then blind your conscience to the end.

How can I possess such a cloth? Just ask for a flag, my friend. Final stanza stands out from the rest – HOW? Question: from previously unseen speaker? Or a philosophical question from speaker? Anticipating the other person’s question? Repeating their question? (No suggestion there are two speakers) Why wait until the last stanza to name the ‘cloth’ as a ‘flag’? (structure) Controls your sense of justice, fairness and right/wrong. How can I possess such a cloth? Just ask for a flag, my friend. Then blind your conscience to the end. What is ‘the end’? To choose to decide not to see – consequences of this power?? Not let your conscience see what your greed has done? Further warning against possessing a flag. It is dangerous and changes how people see and think.

Flag John Agard What's that fluttering in a breeze? Its just a piece of cloth that brings a nation to its knees. What's that unfurling from a pole? It's just a piece of cloth that makes the guts of men grow bold. What's that rising over a tent? that dares the coward to relent. What's that flying across a field? that will outlive the blood you bleed. How can I possess such a cloth? Just ask for a flag my friend. Then bind your conscience to the end

Flag John Agard What's that fluttering in a breeze? Its just a piece of cloth that brings a nation to its knees. What's that unfurling from a pole? It's just a piece of cloth that makes the guts of men grow bold. What's that rising over a tent? that dares the coward to relent. What's that flying across a field? that will outlive the blood you bleed. How can I possess such a cloth? Just ask for a flag my friend. Then bind your conscience to the end

Noticing patterns of words Fluttering Blowing Flapping Strong Bold Brave Arms Hearts Guns Flee Fear Relent Sacrifice Bleed Shed Blind Hide Ignore What might these groups of words connote? How might grouping words add to your understanding of a text?

PLAY: Agard discusses flags John Agard Born 1949 British Guyana. Moved to UK in 1977. Married to poet Grace Nichols (also from Guyana) Has worked as actor and lecturer. Also writes plays and children’s books. Very much a performance poet – charismatic and entertaining poetry readings. Started writing poems aged 16. Considers British culture both as an insider AND an outsider. PLAY: Agard discusses flags

Assessment objectives: what the examiner is looking for AO1: respond to texts critically and imaginatively; select and evaluate relevant textual detail to illustrate and support interpretations. AO2: explain how language, structure and form contribute to writers’ presentation of ideas, themes and settings. AO3: make comparisons and explain links between texts, evaluating writers’ different ways of expressing meaning and achieving effects.

Assessment Objectives - ‘Flag’ AO1: the attitudes to nationalism in ‘Flag’ the power of nationalism in ‘Flag’ the attitudes to violence and death in ‘Flag’ the attitudes to morality in ‘Flag’ the realities of war shown in ‘Flag’ AO2: the ways that repetition of form is used in ‘Flag’ the ways that question and answer are used in ‘Flag’ the effects of the changes in the last stanza of ‘Flag’ AO3: features dealt with and compared to ‘Flag’, such as: the attitudes to country in ‘Light Brigade’ and ‘next to of course god…’ the attitudes to country in ‘At the Border’ the attitudes to violence and death in ‘Futility’ the effects of repetition of form in ‘Light Brigade’ the language of ‘Futility’ the tone of ‘Falling Leaves’ We’ll return to this at the end when we’ve looked at the other poems!

A final comment on flags from … Eddie Izzard Only up to 00:50 as it gets sweary!!!

Questions for consideration: use PEE to add depth and authority to your point of view where appropriate. Does the poem give a negative view of patriotism or not? Explain your answer. “All’s fair in love and war”: do you think that some things that are usually classed as ‘wrong’ are not wrong if you do them to defend your country or during war? How does the flag gain power? What, for you, is the most important phrase or word in the poem – explain your answer.