Gr 10-English Home Language-Facilitator's Guide Literature 2

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ENGLISH HOME LANGUAGE FACILITATOR’S GUIDE: LITERATURE Grade 10

A member of the FUTURELEARN group

English Home Language Facilitator’s guide: Literature

1810-E-EHL-FG02

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Grade 10

CAPS aligned

W Pepler

Facilitator’s Guide G10 ~ English Home Language: Literature

CONTENTS

PREFACE............................................................................................................................ 3 YEAR PLAN ........................................................................................................................ 6 LESSON ELEMENTS.......................................................................................................... 9 UNIT 1: Reading and viewing literary texts – poetry .................................................... 10 Lesson 1: Reading and viewing: Literature study ........................................................... 10 ACTIVITY 1: MEMORANDUM .................................................................................... 20 Lesson 2: Reading and viewing: Literature study ........................................................... 23 ACTIVITY 2: MEMORANDUM .................................................................................... 24 Lesson 3: Reading and viewing: Literature study ........................................................... 25 ACTIVITY 3: MEMORANDUM .................................................................................... 26 Lesson 4: Reading and viewing: Literature study ........................................................... 26 ACTIVITY 4: MEMORANDUM .................................................................................... 27 Lesson 5: Reading and viewing: Literature study ........................................................... 28 ACTIVITY 5: MEMORANDUM .................................................................................... 29 UNIT 2: Reading and viewing literary texts – The Great Gatsby .................................. 30 Lesson 6: Reading and viewing: Literature study ........................................................... 32 ACTIVITY 6: MEMORANDUM .................................................................................... 32 Lesson 7: Reading and viewing: Literature study ........................................................... 33 ACTIVITY 7: MEMORANDUM .................................................................................... 33 Lesson 8: Reading and viewing: Literature study ........................................................... 34 ACTIVITY 8: MEMORANDUM .................................................................................... 34 Lesson 9: Reading and viewing: Literature study ........................................................... 35 ACTIVITY 9: MEMORANDUM .................................................................................... 35 Lesson 10: Reading and viewing: Literature study ......................................................... 36 ACTIVITY 10: MEMORANDUM .................................................................................. 36 UNIT 3: Reading and viewing literary texts – poetry .................................................... 38 Lesson 11: Reading and viewing: Literature study ......................................................... 38 ACTIVITY 11: MEMORANDUM .................................................................................. 39 Lesson 12: Reading and viewing: Literature study ......................................................... 40 ACTIVITY 12: MEMORANDUM .................................................................................. 41 UNIT 4: Reading and viewing literary texts – The Great Gatsby .................................. 42 Lesson 13: Reading and viewing: Literature study ......................................................... 42 ACTIVITY 13: MEMORANDUM .................................................................................. 42 Lesson 14: Reading and viewing: Literature study ......................................................... 43 ACTIVITY 14: MEMORANDUM .................................................................................. 43 Lesson 15: Reading and viewing: Literature study ......................................................... 45 ACTIVITY 15: MEMORANDUM .................................................................................. 45 Lesson 16: Reading and viewing: Literature study ......................................................... 45 ACTIVITY 16: MEMORANDUM .................................................................................. 46 Lesson 17: Reading and viewing: Literature study ......................................................... 47 1

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Facilitator’s Guide G10 ~ English Home Language: Literature

ACTIVITY 17: MEMORANDUM .................................................................................. 48 UNIT 5: Reading and viewing literary texts – poetry .................................................... 51 Lesson 18: Reading and viewing: Literature study ......................................................... 51 ACTIVITY 18: MEMORANDUM .................................................................................. 53 Lesson 19: Reading and viewing: Literature study ......................................................... 54 ACTIVITY 19: MEMORANDUM .................................................................................. 56 Lesson 20: Reading and viewing: Literature study ......................................................... 56 ACTIVITY 20: MEMORANDUM .................................................................................. 58 UNIT 6: Reading and viewing literary texts – The Crucible .......................................... 59 Lesson 21: Reading and viewing: Literature study ......................................................... 59 ACTIVITY 21: MEMORANDUM .................................................................................. 62 Lesson 22: Reading and viewing: Literature study ......................................................... 63 ACTIVITY 22: MEMORANDUM .................................................................................. 64 Lesson 23: Reading and viewing: Literature study ......................................................... 66 ACTIVITY 23: MEMORANDUM .................................................................................. 66 Lesson 24: Reading and viewing: Literature study ......................................................... 67 ACTIVITY 24: MEMORANDUM .................................................................................. 68 UNIT 7: Reading and viewing literary texts – poetry and The Crucible literary essay .................................................................................................................... 69 Lesson 25: Reading and viewing: Literature study ......................................................... 70 ACTIVITY 25: MEMORANDUM .................................................................................. 71 Lesson 26: Reading and viewing: Literature study ......................................................... 71 ACTIVITY 26: MEMORANDUM .................................................................................. 72 UNIT 8: Revision .............................................................................................................. 74 Lesson 27: Poetry revision – Unit 1 ................................................................................ 74 Lesson 28: Novel – Chapter 1 – 5 .................................................................................. 74 Lesson 29: Poetry revision – Unit 3 ................................................................................ 74 Lesson 30: Novel – Chapter 6 – 9 .................................................................................. 74 Lesson 31: Poetry revision - Unit 5 ................................................................................ 74 Lesson 32: Drama – Act 1 – 4 ........................................................................................ 74 Lesson 33: Poetry revision – Unit 7 and Literary essay.................................................. 74 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................... 75 ADDENDUM A: RUBRICS ................................................................................................ 76

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Facilitator’s Guide G10 ~ English Home Language: Literature

PREFACE RECOMMENDED BOOKS Recommended books are used supplementary to this study guide. It is always good to refer to other text books.

The Great Gatsby Literature Guidelines (The Blue Book Series) INTRODUCTION This facilitator’s guide provides notes and exercises on the prescribed poems and texts for the year. The notes provide insight into the author/poet and their time, diction, imagery, themes, structure/versification and rhetorical devices.

Literature, consisting of a novel, a play and 10 poems, requires dedication and is meant to enrich learners’ language skills and deepen their understanding of how language is used.

Learners will be studying the following literature during this year: Novel: Play: Poetry:

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald The Crucible by Arthur Miller • • • • • • • • • •

“Sonnet 104 (To me, fair friend, you never can be old)” (William Shakespeare “Follower” (Seamus Heaney) “Anthem for Doomed Youth” (Wilfred Owen) “Sunstrike” (Douglas Livingstone) “Lament for a Dead Cow” (Francis Carey Slater) The wild doves at Louis Trichardt” (William Plomer) “On the move” (Thom Gunn) “Ode on a Grecian Urn” (John Keats) “Dover Beach” (Matthew Arnold) “An Irish Airman foresees his Death” (William Butler Yeats)

It is very important that learners read the literary texts several times and that they know that the notes and summaries are only an aid and not a substitute for reading the texts.

Read poems aloud – poets make use of sound devices, pace and rhythm, and if they don’t hear the poems, they cannot appreciate these techniques which enrich the experience and enhance meaning.

With the play, learners should not only read it aloud, but stand up and move around the space. In this way they reconstruct the play on stage to some extent. Remember that plays 3

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Facilitator’s Guide G10 ~ English Home Language: Literature

are written to be performed, and they will have a much better understanding of how it all works if they do this.

All literature notes are included in the readers that learners received as well as in the literature study guide. These notes provide detailed analyses of the novel, play and poetry.

Questions are set for each poem and for sections of the novel and play. These are not only to test whether learners have absorbed and understood, but are sometimes aimed at giving them a chance to extend their insight into the text. Learners will benefit by attempting all the questions and justifying their answers, which will help to develop their ability to express their thoughts and opinions and to make these clear to the reader. Use the memoranda in this guide afterwards as an explanation of how they are expected to argue their point.

During both July and November examinations learners will write a Paper 2, which examines literature. These papers will, respectively, consist of the following sections: June examination Section A: Poetry • Prescribed • Unseen Section B: Novel (The Great Gatsby) • Contextual questions • Literary essay

(20) 10) (25) (25) GRAND TOTAL: 80

November examination Section A: Poetry • Prescribed • Unseen Section B: Novel (The Great Gatsby) • Contextual questions OR • Literary essay Section C: Play (The Crucible) • Contextual questions OR • Literary essay

(20) (10) (25) (25) (25) (25) GRAND TOTAL: 80

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Study both the notes and the questions carefully and read general websites on poetry, plays and novels to enrich the understanding of all three sections. In the November examination learners have to answer one literary essay question from Section B or C AND one contextual question from section B or C.

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Facilitator’s Guide G10 ~ English Home Language: Literature

YEAR PLAN UNIT

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LESSON

DATE STARTED

TERM 1 Reading and viewing literary texts: poetry LESSON 1: Notes on poetry ACTIVITY 1: Unseen poetry LESSON 2: “Sonnet 104: To me, fair friend, you never can be old” ACTIVITY 2: Essay question LESSON 3: “The follower” ACTIVITY 3: Contextual questions LESSON 4: “Anthem for Doomed Youth” ACTIVITY 4: Contextual questions LESSON 5: “Sunstrike” ACTIVITY 5: Contextual questions Reading and viewing literary texts: The Great Gatsby LESSON 6: The Great Gatsby Chapter 1 ACTIVITY 6: Contextual questions LESSON 7: The Great Gatsby Chapter 2 ACTIVITY 7: Contextual questions LESSON 8: The Great Gatsby Chapter 3 ACTIVITY 8: Contextual questions LESSON 9: The Great Gatsby Chapter 4 ACTIVITY 9: Contextual questions LESSON 10: The Great Gatsby Chapter 5 ACTIVITY 10: Contextual questions TERM 1 LITERATURE TEST

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Reading and viewing literary texts: poetry LESSON 11: “Lament for a Dead Cow” ACTIVITY 11: Contextual questions LESSON 12: “The wild doves at Louis Trichardt” ACTIVITY 12: Contextual questions Reading and viewing literary texts: The Great Gatsby LESSON 13: The Great Gatsby Chapter 6 ACTIVITY 13: Contextual questions LESSON 14: The Great Gatsby Chapter 7 6

DATE COMPLETED

Facilitator’s Guide G10 ~ English Home Language: Literature

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ACTIVITY 14: Contextual questions LESSON 15: The Great Gatsby Chapter 8 ACTIVITY 15: Contextual questions LESSON 16: The Great Gatsby Chapter 9 ACTIVITY 16: Contextual questions LESSON 17: The Great Gatsby literary essay ACTIVITY 17: Writing a literary essay TERM 2 LITERATURE TEST JUNE EXAMINATION READING AND VIEWING LITERARY TEXTS: POETRY LESSON 18: “On the move” ACTIVITY 18: Contextual questions LESSON 19: “Ode on a Grecian Urn” ACTIVITY 19: Essay question LESSON 20: “Dover Beach” ACTIVITY 20: Contextual questions Reading and viewing literary texts: The Crucible LESSON 21: Introduction to the play The Crucible Act 1 ACTIVITY 21: Contextual questions LESSON 22:The Crucible Act 2 ACTIVITY 22: Contextual questions LESSON 23: The Crucible Act 3 ACTIVITY 23: Contextual questions LESSON 24: The Crucible Act 4 ACTIVITY 24: Contextual questions TERM 3 LITERATURE TEST Reading and viewing literary texts: poetry and literary essay LESSON 25: “An Irish Airman foresees his Death” ACTIVITY 25: Contextual questions LESSON 26: The Crucible literary essay ACTIVITY 26: Writing a literary essay REVISION LESSON 27: Poetry revision – Unit 1 LESSON 28: Novel revision – Unit 2 LESSON 29: Poetry revision – Unit 3

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LESSON 30: Novel revision – Unit 4 LESSON 31: Poetry revision – Unit 5 LESSON 32: Play revision – Unit 6 LESSON 33: Poetry revision and literary essay – Unit 7

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LESSON ELEMENTS LEARNING AIMS What learners should know at the end of the lesson. Taken from CAPS.

IMPORTANT TERMINOLOGY New terminology to extend understanding of the subject as part of the lesson.

DEFINE Definitions of concepts to understand the content.

IMPORTANT Explain misunderstandings; possible confusion regarding existing knowledge.

TIPS Any information other than the content, to guide learners through the learning process.

FOR THE CURIOUS Encouragement to do in-depth research about the content. Expand the activity and exercise to such an extent that learners are encouraged to explore. For gifted learners: expanded exercises. For Learners with Special Educational Needs (LSEN): explain the need to complete the basic questions to achieve a passing mark.

ACTIVITY Questions that must be done to test the knowledge of the completed lesson.

EXERCISE In conclusion of the specific unit. Formative assessment.

CORE CONTENT Emphasise the core content; in-depth explanation of a specific section of the lesson, must be understood.

STUDY/REVISION Time spent to study the content in conclusion of the unit and in preparation for the test or examination.

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Unit

UNIT 1: Reading and viewing literary texts – poetry LEARNING OBJECTIVES After learners have completed this unit, they should be able to: • •

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understand the intended message by being receptive to literal and figurative meaning, mood, theme and imagery. recognise and appreciate poetic techniques such as figures of speech, sound devices, diction, rhetorical devices and how these contribute to and enhance meaning. recognise the form and structure of the poem and how these features contribute to meaning.

LESSON 1: Reading and viewing: Literature study Notes on poetry LEARNING OBJECTIVES • • • • • • • • • • • •

• • •

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forms of poetry speaker versus poet literal and figurative language imagery diction tone rhythm blank verse and free verse metre rhyme stanza and verse figures of speech – alliteration, assonance, apostrophe, metaphor, paradox, personification, simile, synecdoche, transferred epithet, hyperbole, irony, onomatopoeia, antithesis … wit sarcasm symbolism

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The successful study of poetry begins with the WHAT and HOW? The WHAT is the content and meaning of the poem and the HOW are the tools that are used to create the meaning and content.

In this first lesson learners are provided with notes to use on HOW meaning is created in poetry and they must use this knowledge to answer questions on the prescribed and unseen poems.

Forms of poetry The form of poetry simply means what type of poem it is. Below are a few of the more common forms of poetry that you might come across.

Study the following: TYPE OF POEM Ballad

Dramatic monologue

Epic

Elegy

Lyric

Ode

Satirical verse Sonnet

EXPLANATION A poem that tells a story. At one stage it was sung to the accompaniment of a lyre and the listeners joined in the refrain or chorus. The themes usually involve love, death, war, bravery, adventure and action. The rhythm has a strong beat.

The dramatic monologue is spoken in the first person. The speaker addresses an audience. The audience does not speak or reply. From his words, we often learn more about the speaker than was intended and the speaker’s true character is revealed.

A very long, narrative poem, usually telling a story of some heroic deed, great person or significant event. It makes use of many figures of speech, especially the epic simile.

A poem of mourning or lament that expresses sorrow. In such a poem the poet honours someone who has died or something that has ceased to exist. He treats his subject seriously. The tone is always sad and mournful and the rhythm is slow. It may also be called a dirge.

These poems may have their origin in song and sound quite musical. It conveys the personal thoughts of the poet. They deal with a single theme or idea and are more emotive than the ballad.

This is a long lyric poem that commemorates something special. It is written in rhymed stanzas, generally in the form of an address. It is exalted in both feeling and expression and it may honour a person or an event.

Uses ridicule, irony and sarcasm to correct a so-called folly or vice (the speaker makes fun of something to illustrate its faults) A poem of 14 lines. See below for more details.

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Unit

The sonnet • All sonnets have 14 lines – but just because a poem has 14 lines, does not mean it is a sonnet.

• All sonnets have metre. This is because of the fixed arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables.

• All sonnets have a rhyme scheme.

• There are four main types of sonnets.

Italian or Petrarchan sonnet It is named after the Italian poet, Petrarch, who lived in the 14th century at the beginning of the Renaissance. He did not invent this verse form, but was the first poet to use it extensively to express his deep love for his beloved (who was called Laura and to whom he dedicated all his love poetry).

An example is Wordsworth’s “The world is too much with us”.

Read the poem below aloud.

The world is too much with us

William Wordsworth

The world is too much with us; late and soon, Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers: Little we see in Nature that is ours; We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!

This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon; The winds that will be howling at all hours, And are up gathered now like sleeping flowers; For this, for everything, we are out of tune; It moves us not.

Great God! I’d rather be A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn; So might I, standing on this pleasant lea, Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn; Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea; Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn.

The Italian sonnet consists of only two parts: the octave and the sestet.

The first eight lines, called the octave, is where the main theme is presented.

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LINE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

RHYME PATTERN soon; powers; ours; boon; moon; hours; flowers; tune;

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a b b a a b b a

Only two rhyme schemes are used in the octave: • The first line rhymes with the fourth, fifth and eighth lines • The second line rhymes with the third, sixth and seventh lines There is a definite break in the thought or arrangement between the octave and the second part, the sestet.

The last six lines, called the sestet, is where the poet presents the conclusion he has drawn from the theme presented in the octave.

LINE 9 10 11 12 13 14 • • •

RHYME PATTERN be; outworn; lea; forlorn; sea; horn;

c d c d c d

Two or three rhyme schemes are used in the sestet.

They can be arranged in different ways.

The last two lines never rhyme with each other.

The English or Shakespearean sonnet During the Renaissance everything Italian was fashionable in England (and in most other European countries) and so, quite naturally Petrarch’s sonnet form was copied (imitated) by many English poets. A few poets, however, found the Italian sonnet form unsuitable and changed it to suit their purpose. This was done before Shakespeare’s time, but because he used this new sonnet form so well, it is sometimes called the Shakespearean sonnet.

In its typical form, the Shakespearean sonnet consists of: • three quatrains (four lines) in which the main theme is presented and developed; • and a rhyming couplet in which the poet shows the conclusion he has drawn from the theme which is presented in the first twelve lines.

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Unit

There are many variations of this form, the most important being the sonnet where the first two quatrains are used as an octave and the last quatrain and the rhyming couplet are used as a sestet. In this variation the break (marked division) between the octave and the sestet is not very clear, although it does have a pause between the two sections. An example of a typical Shakespearean sonnet is Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 65: Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea”.

Sonnet 65

William Shakespeare

Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea, But sad mortality o’er-sways their power, How with this rage shall beauty hold a plea, Whose action is no stronger than a flower?

O, how shall summer’s honey breath hold out Against the wreckful siege of battering days, When rocks impregnable are not so stout, Nor gates of steel so strong, but Time decays?

O fearful meditation! Where alack, Shall Time’s best jewel from Time’s chest lie hid?

Or what strong hand can hold his swift foot back?

Or who his spoil of beauty can forbid?

O, none, unless this miracle have might, That in black ink my love may still shine bright.

The typical Shakespearean sonnet: LINE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

RHYME PATTERN sea; power; plea; flower; out; days; stout; decays;

a b a b c d c d

9 10 11 12 13 14

alack; hid; back; forbid; might; bright;

e f e f g g

The Shakespearean sonnet always ends with a rhyming couplet, which is called the volta.

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The Miltonic sonnet In the century after Shakespeare, another famous English poet, John Milton, found the Petrarchan sonnet (which was originally intended to express tender feelings of love) very suitable for expressing his solemn, sober thoughts on England’s freedom and on his own blindness. His first five sonnets were exact copies of the Italian form, but he made a change in the pattern of the other eighteen sonnets he wrote: instead of dividing the poem into an octave and a sestet, he made the sonnet one whole piece without a break between the eighth and the ninth lines. An example of the Miltonic Sonnet is Milton’s “On his blindness”.

On his blindness

John Milton

When I consider how my light is spent, Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide, And that one talent which is death to hide Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent To serve therewith my Maker, and present My true account, lest he returning chide; “Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?”

I fondly ask; but Patience, to prevent That murmur, soon replies, “God doth not need Either man’s work or his own gifts; who best Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state Is kingly: thousands at his bidding speed And post o’er land and ocean without rest: They also serve who only stand and wait.”

The form of the Miltonic sonnet may differ from that of the Petrarchan sonnet, but the presentation of his theme, as well as the conclusion he draws from it, is the same: • In the first eight lines the poet states his problem – the theme of the sonnet (such as his deep excitement, anger or sorrow) • In the sestet he presents the solution to his problem.

The typical Miltonic sonnet: LINE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

RHYME PATTERN spent; wide; hide; bent; present; chide; denied; prevent;

a b b a a b b a

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Unit

The rhyme scheme is that of the Italian sonnet; two rhymes in the first eight lines. There is no formal break here.

LINE 9 10 11 12 13 14

RHYME PATTERN need; best; state; speed; rest; wait;

c d e c d e

There are two or three rhymes in the last six lines.

Irregular sonnets In addition to sonnets showing differences in rhyme scheme and presentation, from the three forms described here, there are other English sonnets which are highly irregular. Shelley’s “Ozymandias” is an example of an irregular sonnet.

Ozymandias

Percy Bysshe Shelley

I met a traveller from an antique land, Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert … Near them, on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed: And on the pedestal, these words appear: “My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!”

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Analysing poems Theme or main idea Every poem will have a theme or main idea.

• Each poem conveys the messages or intentions of the poet.

• The poem may be a narrative which tells the story, or a lyric which describes the personal feelings of the poet.

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Form A poem is written in a particular form.

• Poems are usually written in lines.

• These lines may be grouped into stanzas (verses).

• Poems do not necessarily have to be divided into stanzas and may be written as single entities.

• In free verse the poet defines his own form. There are no restrictions as to rhythm, rhyme or pattern.

Literal and figurative language Literal language says exactly what it means. Figurative language relies on simile, metaphors, imagery, connotation and implication to say more than what the actual words themselves mean.

Diction (word choice) The poet’s use of words creates the mood or atmosphere and sets the poem in its correct time and place. Bear in mind that a poem is made from words and that the poet has chosen certain words rather than others – he/she has also placed them in a particular order, to suit his/her purpose. The words then combine with one another to produce a particular effect on the reader. The importance of examining the poet’s diction is vital if we are to understand the way his poem works.

Tone The tone is the writer’s attitude towards his/her subject and towards his/her readers.

• Tone helps to create the desired mood or atmosphere. This is achieved by word choice as well as by the rhythm and sounds of the words.

• The tone may be described as friendly, sharp, sarcastic, ironic, angry, humorous or condescending.

Rhythm As in music, poetry often has a rhythm or a flow. o The rhythm sets the pace of the poem and should match the meaning. o A slow rhythm would reinforce a sombre meaning and a quicker-paced rhythm could reflect a happy mood. o Poetic devices such as onomatopoeia, alliteration and assonance influence the pace and the pause of poetry speaking. o When you read a poem aloud, you can feel the change of pace and how this affects the mood of the poem.

Metre Metre is a unit of rhythm in poetry, the pattern of the beats. It is also called a foot. Each foot has a certain number of syllables in it, usually two or three syllables. The difference in types of metre is which syllables are accented and which not.

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Unit

Rhyme Rhyme refers to the repetition of similar sounds – usually a vowel sound followed by a consonant. It usually occurs at the end of lines in poetry.

Imagery Imagery, often involving the senses, conjures up word pictures. It achieves this through a combination of literal and figurative language. Poetry may use metaphors, similes or personification for comparisons. If the same metaphor is woven throughout the poem, it is called an extended metaphor. The creative use of the sound devices such as alliteration, assonance and onomatopoeia enhances the imagery of the poem.

Figures of speech Images are usually produced by figures of speech. These may be defined as the use of word phrases or expression in a manner other than their literal meaning, in order to produce a special effect.

It is important to have an understanding of the figures of speech that are used in poetry.

Study the following: FIGURE OF SPEECH Alliteration Antithesis Apostrophe Assonance Elision Enjambment

Euphemism Hyperbole Inversion Irony Litotes Metaphor Metonymy

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DEFINITION the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of two or more words a figure of speech in which phrases/sentences/ideas are strongly contrasted or balanced against each other a direct address to a person or thing, either present or abstract the repetition of the same vowel sound, either with the same or different consonants where a word, letter or phrase has been omitted in order for the rhythm of the line to work properly run-on line where there is no punctuation at the end of a line of poetry. The idea/sense of the line continues into the next line a pleasant and indirect word or image to describe something unpleasant deliberate exaggeration the change in normal word order of a line for effect implying the opposite of what is being said. Irony is dependent on the tone of the voice understatement or under exaggeration an indirect comparison of a person, object or thing one name is used with the intention that it is closely linked with another thing e.g. the crown represents the king

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Onomatopoeia Oxymoron Paradox Personification Pun Rhetorical question Satire Simile Synecdoche Tautology

Unit

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the sound made by something is imitated by the use of words a statement with two components which seem contradictory but actually do make a point a statement or opinion which seems to be foolish or impossible but which has some truth when inanimate objects or things are given human qualities a deliberate play on words a question used to attract the attention of the reader but is not intended to be answered a piece that uses humour to highlight the foolishness of something or someone a direct comparison using the words “like” or “as” a part is used for the whole, e.g. Australia won the cricket (it was actually the team and not the country) needless repetition of the same idea in different words; pleonasm on the level of a sentence or sentences

How to approach an unseen poem: Useful tips •

• • •

• • • • • •

Read the titles of the poem for clues as to the poem’s subject matter. For example, the poem “To Autumn” by John Keats is about the season of autumn. On occasion, a poet will use the title of the poem to subvert (undermine) its intended or obvious meaning. Make sure you reflect back on the title after reading the poem.

Make sure you read the poem at least twice. This will ensure you grasp ideas thoroughly.

Take note of what is happening in each stanza of the poem. This enables you to map out what is going on from the beginning to the end.

Take note of any words or phrases that are repeated throughout the poem.

Repetition indicates importance and may give you the central theme or message of the poem.

Think about the tone, mood and atmosphere of the poem. Do the poet’s words and images have positive or negative connotations?

Think about the purpose of the poem. What is the message the poet is trying to convey?

Take note of the type of poem.

Read all the questions for the poem. Sometimes what one question is looking for will help you to answer other questions.

Study all your poetry notes! Know your figures of speech, sound devices, comparative devices, etc.

There is no substitute for learning.

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Unit

Activity 1: MEMORANDUM Learners must answer both questions.

The Marble Eye

Mbuyiseni Oswald Mtshali

The marble eye is an ornament coldly carved by a craftsman to fill an empty socket as a corpse fills a coffin.

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It sheds no tear, it warms to no love, it glowers with no anger, it burns with no hate.

Blind it is to all colours.

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Around it there is no evil to be whisked away with the tail of a horse like a pestering fly.

Oh! The marble eye – if only my eyes were made of marble!

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(Source: http://bloodlust-prince.thoughts.com/posts/the-marble-eye)

Question 1: Essay question Use the following as a guide to marking this question. Consider other valid ideas too. Responses may differ, depending on the learner’s sensitivity to and understanding of the poem. Refer to the rubric at the back of the guide to assess this question.

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The world of the speaker encompasses tears, anger, vulnerability, prejudice and hatred, as well as a lack of love.

The speaker uses an extended metaphor to portray his desire for a marble eye which will enable him to escape the reality of his life.

The simile in lines 4 – 5 suggests that the marble eye will fill the void within him in the same way that a corpse fills a coffin. This implies that the marble 20

Facilitator’s Guide G10 ~ English Home Language: Literature

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Unit

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eye is a metaphor for a complete lack of sensitivity – a kind of deathlessness.

In stanza 2, his descriptions of an emotionless eye serve as a contrast to real eyes, emphasising the attraction of a marble eye because it allows a person to escape the harsh reality of life.

The repetition of “it” and “no” in stanza 2 drives home the idea that the marble eye is without any receptivity or sensitivity to any human emotion.

He covets a marble eye because it will have no real vision and prejudice and will not see the differences between people (it is “Blind … to all colours”).

In reality, he is able to see the evil that surrounds him and he wishes for the marble eye to whisk away the vision. He uses the image of a horse’s tail whisking away a fly.

He longs for peace, which is unattainable with his real eyes.

The exclamation “Oh!” in the final stanza emphasises his unattainable desire to possess a marble eye and escape from the reality of his pain.

This emphasises the hopelessness of his desires.

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Question 2: Contextual questions 2.1 The word “coldly” suggests that the craftsman shows no emotion during the carving process. The speaker conveys a desire to escape emotion.

Cold is associated with death.

(2) 2.2 The repetition of “no” before each word denoting emotion emphatically indicates negation of such emotion. The speaker is aspiring towards complete insensitivity/blindness to all feeling because, in his eyes, it provides escape from the listed everyday emotions.

OR The repetition of “it” implies cold and impersonal quality.

(2) 2.3 The marble eye does not have the ability to see – colour will have no impact whatsoever on it. It will not be able to appreciate beauty or even judge good and evil. The person with the marble eye will not see racial differences and their accompanying prejudice. All people are equal in the eyes of the marble eye. It is therefore desirable.

(3) 2.4 Learner’s own response, e.g. Yes. It would free him from the reality of the pain, suffering, prejudice that his real eyes see on a daily basis. He will escape into a painless world. In his eyes, the ideal world would be that in which he has a marble eye. If perception is cancelled, so is hurt.

OR No. An eye is a tool for seeing things (literally). It is not necessary to experience emotion. One can feel greatly even if one is literally blind.

Even if the “eye” is seen as a metaphor for all

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© Impaq

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Facilitator’s Guide G10 ~ English Home Language: Literature

Unit

forms of perception/sensitivity, no one can escape sensation.

(A well-justified mixed response is acceptable)

Š Impaq

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(3) [10]