Literature Class - Epitaph, Dreaming Black Boy, Theme For English B

1/6/2017
LITERATURECLASS:EPITAPH,DREAMINGBLACKBOY,THEMEforENGLISHB
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LITERATURECLASS
Themajorityofthesepostingsarefromtheinternet.Someofthemareuneditedwhilesomeofthem
are.IjustscouredtheinternetformaterialthatIthoughtwouldbeofbenefittomystudentswhoare
sittingtheEnglishBCSECexam.Iapologisefornotcitingthesitesasreferences.Someofthe
materialcomesfromCliffordNarinesinghcoauthorofAComprehensiveEnglishCourse,Books13
andCXCEnglishA.
Friday,6January2012
EPITAPH,DREAMINGBLACKBOY,THEMEfor
ENGLISHB
EPITAPH,DREAMINGBLACKBOY,THEMEforENGLISHB.
ThepoemsEpitaph,DreamingBlackBoyandThemeforEnglishBhave
similarthemes.
Theyexpressdiscriminationandintoleranceinhumanrelationshipsandreect
thedenialofthebasichumanrightsofrecognition,justice,equalityand
freedom.
Thethreepoemsaretreateddierently.
YouwillobservethatinthepoemEpitaphtheimageisvivid,starkand
gruesome.Amidstthebeautyofthefallingsunlightandtheswayingcane,
thedeadbodyoftheslavehung.Theimageevokesinthereaderangeragainst
humanbrutalityandcompassionforthefateoftheslave.Throughthesadtale,
thepoetachieveshisintentionofgivingthereaderinsightsintothebrutality
metedouttoslavesintheirdaysofenslavement.
Followers
Followers(57)Next
Thepoemisatributetothedeadslave,andismelancholicinmoodandtone.
Follow
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2012(19)
May(1)
Theyhangedhimonaclementmorning,swung
betweenthefallingsunlightandthewomens
breathing,likeablackapostrophetopain.
Thepoembeginswithanindenitepronountheywhichdoesnothaveaclear
antecedent.Onemayassumetheyreferstothemasterswhohavehangedthe
slave on a clement morning which implies justice (clemency) but is also an
ironicdetailabouttheweather.Thespeakeralsousesthewordapostropheto
introduce the diculty of writing about slavery (an obvious trope), and the
hanged slave (imagine his body curled in pain) becomes a black apostrophe.
Anapostropheisnotonlyasymbolofpunctuation,butisalsotheaddressing
of a usually absent person or a usually personied thing rhetorically
(Websters)
February(2)
January(16)
SonnetComposedUpon
WestminsterBridge
WestIndies,U.S.A.
ToanAthleteDyingYoung
ItistheConstantImageofYour
Face
ForgivemyGuilt
OnceuponaTime
OlHigueandLeLoupgarou
Allmorningwhilethechildrenhushed
theirhopscotchjoyandthecanekeptgrowing
hehungtheresweetandlow.
The emotional impact of the hanging results in the childrens hushed
hopscotch joy. Added to the previous statement of the womens breathing,
the speaker highlights the physical/emotional eects of the hanging balanced
against natures indierence, the cane kept growing and the slave becomes
http://ourliteratureclass.blogspot.com/2012/01/epitaphdreamingblackboythemefor.html
TestMatchSabinaPark
EPITAPH,DREAMINGBLACK
BOY,THEMEforENGLISHB
SOUTH
ORCHIDS
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against natures indierence, the cane kept growing and the slave becomes
partoftheoralhistoriesofsocalledNegrospirituals,swingingsweetandlow.
Atleastthatshow
theytellit.Itwaslongago
andwhatcanwerecallofadeadslaveortwo
Thespeakerreinforcestheideaofthemastersversionofhistory,atleastthats
howtheytellit,whichimpliesemotionaldistanceanddoubt,itwaslongago
andindierence,andwhatcanwerecallofadeadslaveortwo.
exceptthatwhenwepunctuateourislandtale
theyswinglikesighsacrossthebrutal
sentences,andangerpauses
tilltheypassaway.
The tone of the poem changes with we those who punctuate our island
tale,andtheemotionaldicultybecausethey,thehangedslaves,swinglike
sighsacrossthebrutal/sentences.Brutalcontradictstheideaofclemencyand
sentences is pun not only on the idea of justice, but a clear reference to the
writingtrope.However,thelastlineofthepoemisambiguousbecauseitraises
the question, how will the text be wrien after anger pauses? The speakers
wordchoiceemphasizestheuncertaintybecausethey,couldrefereithertothe
slavesormasters.Bothmastersandslaveshavebecomejoinedinthedetritusof
memory.
GODSGRANDEUR
TheWomanSpeakstotheMan
whohasemployedHerS...
THISISTHEDARKTIME,MY
LOVE
DULCEetDECORUMEST
CONTEMPLATIONUPON
FLOWERS
AboutMe
Mrs.Dunkley
Viewmycomplete
profile
Never a facile polemicist, Dennis Scos Epitaph, explores the complexity of

memory and the emotional diculty that we as inheritors of the islands
history have in writing about the period. In fact, the complexity that marks
much of Scos work is reected in Uncle Time (from which this poem was
taken) winner of Commonwealth Poetry Prize (1972) and an International
PoetryForumAward.
Epitaph
1.Describetheimagepresentedinstanzaoneofthepoem.
2.Whichofthefollowingbestdenesthefeelingsevokedbytheimage?
(a)elationanddespair
(b)compassionandanger
(c)hatredanddefeat
(d)disappointmentanddisbelief
3.Identifywordsandexpressionswhichdescribethemorningsatmosphere.
4.Thepoetcomparestheswingingbodytoablackapostrophetopain,
mostlikelybecausetheswungbody
(a)resembledanapostrophemark.
(b)wasprominentlypositionedasamarksymbolizingpain.
(c)wasattheheartoftwoelements.
(d)wasthecauseofmuchagonyandpain.
5.Explainthemeaningofeachofthefollowingexpressions:
(a)punctuateourislandtale
(b)brutalsentences
(c)angerpausestilltheypassaway
6.Doyouthinkthatthetitleofthepoemisappropriate?
Giveareasontosupportyouranswer.
7.Whichofthefollowingbestexpressesthethemeofthepoem?
(a)asorrowfultale
(b)mansinhumanitytoman
(c)victoryanddefeat
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(d)ablotonourhistory
8.Whatisthemoodexperiencedthroughoutthepoem?
DreamingBlackBoy
InthepoemDreamingBlackBoy,theboyexpresseshisthoughtsandemotions
inabstractimages.Hedreamsandwishesfortherightsthatshouldbeaccorded
toallhumanbeingsrecognitionandlove,andthefreedomofmovementand
speech.Theseimagesappealtotheemotionsandthereaderempathizeswith
theboywhoisbeingdeniedtheserights.
Thepoemiswrieninblankverse.Thismakesthetoneofthepoem
conversational.
AnotherPersonsViews
Thepoemexpressesachildswishtobefreeofphysicalandemotionalpain.Itis
wrienfromtheperspectiveofachildintherstpersonnarrativevoiceofthe
childhimself.
Thetitleofthepoemimmediatelyprovidesthecontextinwhichthechildsdream
orwishesareframed.Thetitlerevealsthatthespeakerisaboy,andheisofthe
blackrace.
Eachverseofthepoembeginswiththerepetitive,Iwish.Intotalthereareve
wishesvaryingfromawishforsometypeofencouragementbyhisteacher,tohis
wishforfreedomfromtheterribleburdensoflife.Allofthechildswishesarefor
goodandpositivethings.Essentiallyhewishesthatlivingwaseasier,orless
problematicthanitreallyis.
Hischildhoodwishesbringsintoquestiontheroleofadultsinthelivesofchildren.
Itisclearthattheroleofadultsinthepoemsabouttheexperienceofgrowing
childrenistolove,care,compliment,protectandencouragethem.
Weknow,basedonthetitleofthepoem,thattheboyisoftheblackrace.This
contextualizestheethnicity,and,therefore,theexperiencesthatareparticulartoa
childofthatracialethnicity.Thechildisnotonlyblackbutalsomale.Armedwith
thisinformationoneisforcedtothinkoftheimplicationssuggestedbysuch
awareness,implicationsregardingthespecictypesofproblemsandexperiences
thatareparticulartoaboychildbelongingtotheblackrace.Whatisabsolutely
clearisthatthepoemisaboutachildsfearsofthesueringhecouldpossibly
encounterasaresultofthingshappeningaroundhim.Hisnalwishistoescape
theterribleburdenandofhaving(asaboy)theburdenofpretendingtobebrave,
whichisanexpressionofthefearsandconcernsofachild,particularlyamalechild
inwhatisobviouslyanextremelyunstableandchaoticenvironment.Hedreamsof
abeer,saferlife,andhethinksthateducationwillenablehimtoescapethechaos.
Therearereallynobrightspotsinthepoem,exceptthedreamofthechildwhich
mayormaynotmaterialize.Thetoneisempatheticandheavywith
emotionalpain,psychologicalstressandfears.Weareremindedearlyinthepoem
thathisancestorsalsohadverystrenuouslives.Thepoemremindsusthatchildren
dothinkaboutwhattheywitnessaroundthem,andthattheirfearsandconcerns
arereal.Theywishtobeassured,whetherbytheirteachersortheadultsintheir
livesthatallwillbewell.Thewritersintentionaluseoftherepetitious,Iwishis
aspainfulasthefearsofthechildhimself.
AnotherTake
LITERALMEANING
Thepoemisaboutablackboywhowishesthathecouldhavetheregularthings
inlife:thingssuchasacongratulatoryhug,tobeeducatedtothehighestlevel
andtotravelwithoutharassment.Thepersonayearnstostopghtingforthe
basicrighttobesuccessfulaswellastosuering.
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LITERARYDEVICES
1.REPETITION:
TheconstantrepetitionofthephraseIwishpointstoayearning,adesperation
even,forthebasicthingsthatlifehastooer.Therepetitiongivescredenceto
theideathatthepersonamightbelievethathiswishesareactuallydreamsthat
mightnotcometrue.
2.ALLUSION:
Stanza1,lines6and7,alludestoslavery,thestateoflackingcontroloverones
ownlifeanddestiny.Thefactthatreferenceismadetothishintstohowthe
personafeelsabouthislife.Hedoesnotfeelasifhehascontroloverit.
Stanza3,lines19to20,alludestoPaulRobeson,ablackintellectual,
whoaainedsuccessdespitedicultcircumstances.Thepersona
yearnstobelikethisperson.Hewantsroomtostretchintellectually.
Stanza4,lines22to25,alludestotheklukluxklan.Burninglights
referstotheburningcrossesandthepyjamasalludetotheirwhite
outtsthatlooklikepyjamas.Thepersonawantsthemtoleavehim
alone,ndsomethingelsetodootherthanmakehislifedicult,as
wellascontributingtohiswishesremainingadream.
IMPORTANTWORDS/PHRASES
3.notsinktolickboots:
Thisreferstotheconceptofbeingsubservient.Tohavenochoicebuttobowto
peopleinordertogetahead.
4.Insideeyeasun:
Thisreferstothepersonasmind.Hewantstoshowhowintelligentheis
withoutfear.Hewantshismindtobeasun.Sunrepresentsbrightnessand
light,thatishowhewantshisintelligencetoshine.
TONE
Thetone/moodofthepoemisoneofsadness.Thepersonaisthinkingabout
howheistreatedandhereactstothisinasadway.Hekeepswishingthat
thingsweredierent.
THEME:
Racism,anditseects,isthemajorthemeforthispoem.Thepersonasyearning
forordinarythingshighlightshowcontainedtheboyslifeis.Itisacrytobe
free.
AnswertheseQuestions
1.Whatisthethemeofthepoem?
(a)disappointment(b)relationships(c)alienation(d)injustice
2.Whydoyouthinktheblackboyhasdreamsandwishes?
3.Whatdoestheboywishaccordingtostanzaone(1)ofthepoem?
(a)opportunitytocompete
(b)recognitionandwarmth
(c)freedomtoplay
(d)toforgethisancestors
4.Whydoestheboywishforanopportunitytobeeducated?
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5.Identifytwopiecesofevidencewhichshowtheboysfeelingofrejection.
6.Identifythelinesinwhichtheboyfeelsthathisfreedomofmovementand
speechhavebeensuppressed.
7.Whoarethetorchthrowersandtheploersinpyjamasalludedtoin
stanzafour(4)?
8.Whatdoyouthinkisthetoneofthepoem?
9.(a)Whatterribleburdendoestheboysuer?
(b)Whatishisaitudetosuering?
ThemeforEnglishB
InthepoemThemeforEnglishBthepoetdealswithastudentsfeelingof
frustrationanddisappointmentinthesociety.Thethoughtswhichheexpresses
onthepageechotheissuesthatconfronthiminanenvironmentofwhites.
Themindofthestudentisconfused.Thoughhewasbornandbredinasociety
ofwhitepeople,andeducatedinaschoolamongwhites,yethefeelsasense
ofalienation.
Inthepagethathewrites,heisjustifyinghisrighttoacceptanceandequality,
on
thebasisthatallpeopleshareacommonnaturalheritageofinstincts,emotions
andtastes.Hermlybelievesthateachraceimpactsontheotherandlearns
fromeachother.Perhapsheisquestioningwhetherdiscriminationshouldgive
waytoharmony
amongtheraces.
AnswertheseQuestions
1.Whatdoesthewordtrueinlinefour(4)Then,itwillbetrue,imply?
(a)authenticity(b)reality(c)credibility(d)integrity
2.Identifytheaspectsofthestudentslifewhichseemtomakethe
assignmentdicult.
3.Thestudentspagewouldbebasedon
(a)lifeatthecollege
(b)hisinstinctsandemotions
(c)aresolutionoftheconictsinhismind
(d)theHarlemexperience
4.Whatdoesthestudentwishtosaybylistingthethingshelikes?
5.Whatmakesthestudentandtheinstructorpartofeachother?
6.Accordingtothestudentspage,whichofthefollowingstatementsare
True?
(a)Thepageonwhichthestudentwritesiscoloured.
(b)Feelings,naturalinstinctsandtastesaremanifestedbyallpeople.
(c)Sometimeswhitesandcolouredcannottolerateeachother.
(d)Allpeoplearenotbornequal.
(e)Eachraceimpactsontheotherandlearnsfromeachother.
7.Whichwordsbestdescribethecharacterofthestudent?
impulsive,rational,obstinate,compromising,intelligent,outspoken,
unbalanced.
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8.ThepoemiswrieninBlankVerseform.Whatdoesthislendtothestyle
andtoneofthepoem?
OppresionandRacism
ConsiderthepoemsDreamingBlackBoyandEpitaph.
a)Comparethewaysinwhichthesetwopoemsdealwiththeexperienceof
oppressionandracism.
b)Statewhichofthetwopoemsyoundmoredisturbing,andgivereasonsto
supportyouranswer.
c)IdentifyandcommentonTWOpoeticdevicesusedineachpoemtohighlight
theworkingsofoppressionorracism.
DreamingBlackBoyandEpitapharetwopoemswhichaddresstheissuesof
oppressionandracism.thoughtheybothdealwiththesameproblem,itis
handledanddiscusseddierently.
InDreamingBlackBoy,thepersona,ayoungblackboyinschool,talks
abouthisaspirationsanddreams.Hehopesforanendtoracism.Thepersona
triestousehiseducationtotrytoescapetheharshrealityofracism.Henotonly
mentionswhatisgoingonaroundhimnow,butalsothepastandevenhowhe
wouldlikethingstobeinthefuture.Helongsforacceptance,agoodeducation,
success,totravelandabreakfrommentalslavery.Hefailstograspthatdespite
hisintelligenceandphysicalmaturity,theracisttreatmentwillcontinue.
Thinkingthatwhatheexperiencesasayoungboyistheworst,hehasyetto
ndouthowitisinthefuture.Ontheotherhand,Epitaph,asignicantly
shorterpoem,isaboutablackslavewhowashanged.Peoplestopwhattheyare
doingtowatchthesight,yettherestoftheworldcontinuestogoon.thesugar
canecontinuestogrow.UnlikeinDreamingBlackBoy,thepersonain
Epitaphisanadult,lookingonapastoccurrenceandcommentingonhow
thesetypesofeventshaveimpactedonourlivestoday.
Epitaphappearstobethemostdisturbingasitsuggeststhatmanyofthese
slavesdeathsareforgoen.Theideaornotionthatlifegoesonafteryoudie
andallyouareawardedisapause.TheimagesinEpitapharealsomore
graphic.InDreamingBlackBoy,thepoetuseseuphemismtodownplaythe
harshrealityoftheyoungblackboy.Forexample,ploersinpajamasisused
torefertotheklukluxklan,agroupinfamousfortheterrortheycausedonthe
blackrace.
ThemainliterarydeviceusedinDreamingBlackBoyisallusion.The
personaalludestowhitesupremacygroups,afamoussingeretcetera,toexpress
thethingshewouldliketochangeabouthisreality.Epitaphusesthe
apostrophetogiveavisualimageoftheblackslavehangingandswingingas
heishanged.Thismetaphoriseectiveinshowingalsohowtheslavehastaken
ontheproblemsoftheblackraceashisown.Andhisdeathbelongstothe
blacks.Itistheirhistory.
Racismandslaveryaretwoofthemostcontroversialandoppressiveelements
inhumanhistory.Thoughbothpoemsdierinstyleandtechnique,
bothsuccessfullydescribethephysicalandemotionaleectsofracismand
oppression(slavery).Thissuccessisachievedthroughtheuseofallusions,vivid
images,symboliclanguageandeveneuphemism.
PostedbyMrs.Dunkleyat14:16
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23comments:
Anonymous 7April2013at16:11
thisisgoodhelpmikibrownsehsoo
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6/9
1/6/2017
Anonymous 1May2013at02:36
veryhelpfull
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Replies
Anonymous 26November2016at08:59
iagreeilovethis
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Anonymous 2June2013at16:41
thisisreallygreathelpedalot
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thnxgotatesttmrw
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LeeaDavis 23June2013at13:58
Thanksalot,willsurelydogreatonthetesttomorrow
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Anonymous 9October2013at16:17
KOOL
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T'naReneeAndreaJohnson 21October2013at18:05
nooffensebutijustfoundthisonanotherwebsite......butitstillisveryhelpful
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Replies
T'naReneeAndreaJohnson 21October2013at18:07
anddouhavanythingonfrangipanihouse?
Reply
thanksalottheinformationhelpsmakesensealot.notbecauseyouhavesomething
and another person have the same thing literally means you stole their
informatiom.good minds think alike.so dont worry with what that person say .you
didgreat.believeme.bye..
Reply
trisha 19January2014at10:38
Omgthisisthebestithelpedverymuchthankyou:D
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MoniqueLindsay 13February2014at18:36
7/9
1/6/2017
thiswillbeveryhelpful
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ShivanaTolaram 11March2014at14:11
thiswasveryheplfulfor,igottocompletemyassignmentinnotymthxverymuch
.bye
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kellyseeta 20March2014at17:58
swt..thnkz
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OMGholdthephone...perfthanks
Finalstomorrow
Ms.Rufusisgonnabesoproud
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Unknown 4October2015at19:06
Nice.Couldhavegonemoreindepthofracismandprejudice
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AriannaWilliams 4October2015at19:07
Nice.Couldhavegonemoreindepthofracismandprejudice
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RuthAnnWallace 14April2016at16:51
thisisveryhelpful...thanksalot
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Anonymous 4May2016at15:46
Thanksalot...helpedmealotformyfinaltomorrow...100%helpful
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Unknown 19June2016at11:25
Isawthesameinfoonanothersite...butthisinfowasstillhelpful.Thanku
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Anonymous 21September2016at17:51
Thiscommenthasbeenremovedbyablogadministrator.
Reply
Its all nice and stuff but i still want to know howthe boy in the poem is suffering
injustice
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Anonymous 18December2016at19:53
ilovedthis,itwasveryhelpful
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1/6/2017
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Literature Class - Epitaph, Dreaming Black Boy, Theme For English B

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Never a facile polemicist, Dennis Scos Epitaph, explores the complexity of

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