1. Poetry from Different Cultures
Island Man
Grace Nichols

2. Social & Historical Context Examination Preparation
Slide Contents
Author
Social & Historical Context
What is it About?
Structure
Language
Examination Preparation
Links

3. The Author

4. Grace Nichols
Grace Nichols was born in Guyana in a small village by the sea. In 1977 at the age of twenty seven she came to live in Britain with her partner.
She describes herself as belonging to two cultures. Born and brought up in the Caribbean yet living and working most of her adult life in England she has absorbed both ways of life.
She says, ‘England is where I live…but when I’m in England I’m always looking back,’ Just like the island man in the poem she is ‘always looking at both worlds.’

5. Social & Historical Context

6. Between Two Worlds
This poem is about living in exile. The Caribbean man dreams about his island home, then slowly wakes to the reality of London life.
Island Man explores what it is like to belong to two different cultures. After the Second World War thousands of people emigrated to Britain to begin a new life. The 1948 British Nationality Act gave British citizenship to all people living in Commonwealth countries with full rights of entry and settlement in Britain. At the same time, the call went out that Britain needed skilled men to help post-war reconstruction.
The promise of work, better wages and an improved standard of living persuaded thousands of people to leave their homes and start a new life in Britain.

7. Living In Exile
In the 1950s the continuing labour shortage following the war led the National Health Service and London Transport to actively recruit in the West Indian islands. Many men and women came, planning to find work on their arrival.
The London boroughs of Brixton and Notting Hill Gate became the new home of many West Indians, particularly people from Trinidad and Barbados. However, housing problems in this already poor area, coupled with racial prejudice, meant that many of the new arrivals found it difficult to find somewhere decent to live. In 1958, serious attacks on West Indian residents by white youths culminated in riots that shocked public opinion. The Notting Hill Carnival sprang from the riots as a way of asserting community pride.

8. Check Your Understanding
From what you have discovered so far try to answer one or both of the following questions:
Why would a man from the Caribbean come to live in London? How does he feel about life in England and why may he feel this way?
2. What does the poem suggest about culture and its significance?

9. What is it About?

10. Leaving Home
Imagine you were to leave the place where you live. What would you miss? What would you not miss?
Record your thoughts and your reasons in a chart like the one below:
Things I would miss
Reasons
Things I would not miss

11. A Postcard Home Imagine you are the Caribbean island man in the poem.
Write a postcard back home to the Caribbean from London.
Use the images in the poem to describe life in London and the images of the Caribbean to express what you miss about the Caribbean.

12. Structure

13. Storyboard
Island Man is a poem of two halves just as the man in the poem finds himself caught between two cultures. Create a storyboard and pick out three images of life in the Caribbean and three images of life in London. Illustrate and colour your work according to the images in the poem.
The sound of blue surf
Surge of wheels

14. Sequencing
It is argued that the poem is split into six stages. List the six stages.

15. Structure Which line separates the two distinct parts of the poem?
What is strange about the shape of the poem?
Why do you think the poet has used this specific layout?
How are the first three lines and the last three lines similar yet different?
The line lengths and number of lines in each verse fluctuate giving the poem a confused feel. Explain why this is appropriate.
What do you notice about the poet’s use of punctuation? Explain the reason for this.

16. Structure
Consider the pace of the poem. Look at the first ten lines. How would you describe the pace of the first half of the poem?
Now read from line 11 to the end. How has the pace of the poem changed?
What is Nichols trying to achieve by altering the pace of the poem? What does this tell us about the man’s feelings towards his life in London?

17. Language

18. Caribbean Wild seabirds London North Circular roar
Contrast
Read the poem then list the things that the island man associates with each place.
Caribbean Wild seabirds
London North Circular roar

19. Contrast
Look carefully at the contrasting descriptions of the Caribbean and London.
What type of images describe the Caribbean?
What type of images describe London?
Which words suggest sleep or dreams?
Which words have double meanings. Why does Grace Nichol use such confused images?
List the verbs in lines 1 to 10 then list the verbs used in lines 11 to 19. How do the verbs contrast? Explain why the poet has chosen such verbs.

20. Imagery Steady breaking and wombing Wild seabirds
Think about the words the poet uses. Copy down the chart below. Make notes on what the poet’s words suggest to you.
The Images
Notes on the images
Steady breaking and wombing
Conveys a natural rhythm like the waves of the sea. ’Wombing’ suggests comfort, security – the place of his birth
Wild seabirds
The sun surfacing defiantly
Small emerald island
Grey metallic soar
Surge of wheels
His crumpled pillow waves
Another London Day

21. Poetic Techniques Match the technique with the correct definition.
Technique Definition Metaphor The use of the same sound at the start of words Alliteration A figure of speech not meant literally Onomatopoeia the attribution of human qualities to an object Personification A word which imitates the sound it represents

22. Poetic Techniques Technique Evidence Effect Onomatopoeia roar
Think about the poetic techniques discussed on the last slide. Copy down the chart below. Find examples in the poem and write down the effect created.
Technique
Evidence
Effect
Onomatopoeia
roar
‘Roar’ suggests not only the unpleasant loud volume of the traffic but also that the world outside the window is a hostile, dangerous place.

23. Check Understanding Using the notes you have made
so far answer this question:
Explain how Grace Nichols uses language to show the differences between life in the Caribbean and life in London.

24. Examination Preparation

25. The Examination Paper You will have 45 minutes to answer the question.
You will be asked to compare two poems.
You should begin by annotating the question for the key words. This will help you to understand what you are being asked to do.
E.g. Compare ‘Island Man’ with one other poem, to show how the poets use people to explain the conflict that can exist between and within different cultures.

26. Planning
Spend between 5 and 10 minutes making a plan. This will help you to order your essay logically.
Make a note of any key ideas you are going to include.
Leave at least 5 minutes at the end to read through your work and check for any basic errors.

27. Structure A good answer should: Write in paragraphs.
Don’t forget to P.E.E! Using a range of quotes that are properly embedded within your answer.
Begin with an introduction and end with a conclusion.
The main body of the essay should follow these five steps to make a good answer:
Write a bit about the theme
Compare the structures of each poem
Compare the use of language in each poem
Compare the feelings of the poets
Write about how the poems make you feel.

28. Refer back to the question repeating the key words from it.
Making Connections
Use a series of comparisons, using connectives to link ideas, both within paragraphs and between paragraphs.
Similarity Connectives
Equally
In the same way
Similarly
Likewise
Just as…also
Contrast Connectives
In contrast
However
Whereas (best used in the middle of a sentence)
On the other hand
Refer back to the question repeating the key words from it.

29. gives the impression that
Analysis
Use the following words to link your Point -> Evidence -> Explain sentences. The use of these words will also help to ensure that your response is analytical.
suggests
implies
gives the impression that
shows
highlights
indicates
To make the same point using a different example, try one of these:
furthers
emphasises
reinforces

30. Recap
When you are comparing poems you will be asked to look for the similarities and the differences.
You should comment on the language they use. What poetic devices are present? Imagery, similes, metaphors, alliteration, onomatopoeia, personification, rhyme etc. What effect do they have on the reader?
You will need to comment on the structure of the poems. How are they set out? Does this add to their overall effect/meaning?
Consider the tone of the poems. What mood has the author created?

31. Links

32. Useful Stuff Island man short films:
BBC Bitesize Poems From Other Cultures:

33. More Useful Stuff
Annotated PPT Version of Island man
A copy of Island Man with notes

34. More Useful Stuff
Phil Beadle’s Master class on Island Man as shown on Teachers.TV
(You may need to register to download)