apartheid: system of racial segregation and repression of non-white people in pre- democratic south...

apartheidapartheid: : system of racial system of racial segregation and repression of non-segregation and repression of non-white people in pre-democratic South white people in pre-democratic South Africa. Apartheid means 'separate Africa. Apartheid means 'separate development'.development'.

““Small round hardSmall round hard stones stones click click under my heels”under my heels”

Onomatopoeia-a word, which imitates a sound.

The power of three- 3 adjectives describing the stones

““seeding grasses thrust bearded seeding grasses thrust bearded seeds into trouser cuffs”seeds into trouser cuffs”

Creates image of

Abandoned land, no-one lives there, it has been neglected

““cans, trodden on, cans, trodden on, crunchcrunchin in tall, purple-flowering, amiabletall, purple-flowering, amiable weeds.”weeds.”

““District Six.”District Six.”

An area in Johannesburg, which used to be An area in Johannesburg, which used to be vibrant, multicultural and happy place, but was vibrant, multicultural and happy place, but was bulldozed down with the promise to be rebuilt. bulldozed down with the promise to be rebuilt. Unfortunately the promise was not kept so the Unfortunately the promise was not kept so the area was left as a slum.area was left as a slum.

No board says it is:No board says it is: But my feet know,But my feet know, And And my hands,my hands, AndAnd the skin about my bones, the skin about my bones, And And the soft labouring of my lungs,the soft labouring of my lungs, AndAnd the the hot, white, inwards turninghot, white, inwards turning Anger of my eyes.”Anger of my eyes.”

Repetition – use of the same word for effect.

““Brash with glass,Brash with glass,name name flflaring like a aring like a flflag”ag”

Simile- compare one thing to another using as or like

““it squatsit squatsin the grass and weeds,in the grass and weeds,incipient Port Jackson treesincipient Port Jackson trees

““new, up-market, hautenew, up-market, haute cuisine, cuisine,guard at the gatepost,guard at the gatepost,whites only innwhites only inn

Just for rich Just for rich white people white people

““No sign says it is:No sign says it is:but we know where we belong.”but we know where we belong.”

““I press my noseI press my noseon the clear panes, know,on the clear panes, know,

““before I see them, there will bebefore I see them, there will becrushed ice white glass,crushed ice white glass,linen falls,linen falls,the single rosethe single rose

All shouts CLASS, EXPENSIVE,All shouts CLASS, EXPENSIVE, RICH, EXCLUSIVERICH, EXCLUSIVE

““Down the road,”Down the road,”

““working man’s café sellsworking man’s café sellsbunny chows”bunny chows”

Bunny chow is a cheap meal, eaten by the poor people, as it was the thing they could afford

““take it with you, eat,take it with you, eat,at a plastic table’s top.at a plastic table’s top.

Wipe your fingers on your jeans,Wipe your fingers on your jeans,spit a little on the floor:”spit a little on the floor:”

““It’s in the bone.”It’s in the bone.”

““I back from the glass,I back from the glass,boy again,boy again,leaving small, mean Oleaving small, mean Oof small, of small, mean mouthmean mouth.”.”

Alliteration-two or more words starting with the same sound or letter.

The poet is really ANGRY at what has become of the place where he used to live and despite change of laws in the country, nothing has changed really for the black people.

““Hands burnHands burnfor a stone, a bomb,for a stone, a bomb,to shiver down the glass.to shiver down the glass.

There is a unsaid connection between anger and rage and terrorism, sadly some young people turn to it as they feel frustrated with how they have been treated by authorities or individuals.

““Nothing’s changed.”Nothing’s changed.”

Tatamkhulu Afrika ("old Tatamkhulu Afrika ("old man of Africa")man of Africa")

born in Egypt, the family born in Egypt, the family immigrated to South immigrated to South Africa, Africa,

lost his parents very lost his parents very early, he was raised by a early, he was raised by a white family, white family,

took part in WW II, took part in WW II, worked as a copper worked as a copper

miner, miner, lived in District Six, lived in District Six, opposed to Apartheid. opposed to Apartheid.

1920- 2002

What is the poem What is the poem about? about?

Structure Structure

Voice in the Voice in the poem/narratorpoem/narrator

Poetic devices usedPoetic devices used

Tone of poemTone of poem

What is the What is the effect/purpose of the effect/purpose of the poem?poem?

What is the poem about?What is the poem about? The poet returns to the wasteland that was once his home, The poet returns to the wasteland that was once his home,

and relives the anger he felt when the area was first and relives the anger he felt when the area was first destroyed.destroyed.

He sees a new restaurant: expensive, stylish, exclusive, He sees a new restaurant: expensive, stylish, exclusive, with a guard at the gatepost.with a guard at the gatepost.

He thinks about the poverty around it, especially the He thinks about the poverty around it, especially the working men's café nearby, where people eat without working men's café nearby, where people eat without plates from a plastic tabletop.plates from a plastic tabletop.

This makes him reflect that despite the changing political This makes him reflect that despite the changing political situation, there are still huge inequalities between blacks situation, there are still huge inequalities between blacks and whites. Even though South Africa is supposed to have and whites. Even though South Africa is supposed to have changed, he knows the new restaurant is really 'whites-changed, he knows the new restaurant is really 'whites-only'. He feels that nothing has really changed.only'. He feels that nothing has really changed.

The deep anger, he feels, makes him want to destroy the The deep anger, he feels, makes him want to destroy the restaurant - to smash the glass with a stone, or a bomb. restaurant - to smash the glass with a stone, or a bomb.

StructureStructure

the poem is set out in six the poem is set out in six stanzasstanzas ((stanzas are stanzas are lines of poetry that make lines of poetry that make up a unit; verses.)up a unit; verses.), each of eight fairly , each of eight fairly short lines. short lines.

Use of poetic devices:Use of poetic devices: Onomatopoeia,Onomatopoeia, SimileSimile RepetitionRepetition Tactile imageryTactile imagery AlliterationAlliteration

work through the poem, answering work through the poem, answering the following questions:the following questions: What happens? What is it that the poet What happens? What is it that the poet

tells us?tells us? What are his feelings?What are his feelings?

write the story of the poem – using write the story of the poem – using one sentence per stanza.one sentence per stanza.

QuotationQuotation Significant features Significant features of languageof language

How it relates to the cultural/ How it relates to the cultural/ social situation in South Africasocial situation in South Africa

‘‘. . . Cans/ trodden on, . . . Cans/ trodden on, crunch/ in tall, purple-crunch/ in tall, purple-flowering,/ amiable weeds.’flowering,/ amiable weeds.’

The cans suggest it is The cans suggest it is littered. The weeds show littered. The weeds show that it is unkempt. The that it is unkempt. The phrase ‘amiable weeds’ phrase ‘amiable weeds’ draws the reader’s attention draws the reader’s attention to it because of the unusual to it because of the unusual combination of friendly & combination of friendly & weedsweeds

District Six has not been fully District Six has not been fully redeveloped. It appears neglected. redeveloped. It appears neglected. The blacks were forced to move out The blacks were forced to move out and the land is now derelict.and the land is now derelict.

‘‘the hot, white, inwards the hot, white, inwards turning/ anger of my eyes’turning/ anger of my eyes’

‘‘new, up-market, haute new, up-market, haute cuisine/ guard at the cuisine/ guard at the gatepost,/ whites only inn.’gatepost,/ whites only inn.’

‘‘crushed ice white glass,/ crushed ice white glass,/ linen falls,/ the single rose.’linen falls,/ the single rose.’

‘‘spit a little on the floor:/ it’s spit a little on the floor:/ it’s in the bone.’in the bone.’

‘‘leaving small mean O/ of leaving small mean O/ of small, mean mouth.’small, mean mouth.’

1.1. Tactile imageryTactile imagery

2.2. RepetitionRepetition

3.3. Harsh soundsHarsh sounds

4.4. AlliterationAlliteration

1.1. Sharp imagesSharp images

2.2. Contrasts Contrasts

1.1. Small hard round stonesSmall hard round stones

2.2. ‘‘and’ and’

3.3. Brash/ glassBrash/ glass

4.4. Flaring flag – Flaring flag – expresses expresses contempt,contempt,

Mean mouthMean mouth

1.1. ‘‘the single rose’the single rose’

2.2. Whites only inn/ Whites only inn/ Working man’s cafWorking man’s caféé