Island Man

Slide 1: 

Island Man Grace Nichols Island Beach Holiday Sun Sun bathing Hot Relaxing Summer Quiet Deserted Paradise Calm Palm tree

Slide 2: 

Grace Nichols is an award-winning poet born in Georgetown, Guyana in 1950 After working in Guyana as a teacher and journalist, she emigrated to the UK in 1977 Much of her poetry is characterized by Caribbean rhythms and culture, and influenced by Guyanese and Amerindian folklore

Slide 3: 

Her awards for her outstanding poetry include; 1983 Commonwealth Poetry Prize for the poem ‘I is a long memoried women’ 1986 Arts Council Writer’s Award 1996 Guyana Poetry Prize for the poem ‘Sunris’ 2001 Cholmondeley Award

Slide 4: 

Glossary There are lots of words in the poem that people might not understand such as: Defiantly: in a rebellious manner Wombing: Made up word The way waves hit rock Groggily: Staggering, as from exhaustion or blows Muffling: To dampen the sound

Slide 5: 

Structure of the poem The poem is set out in verses but enjambment is used. This style is used deliberately to make the poem seem flowing like the rhythm of the sea. The lines in the poem vary in length. The verses in the poem also vary in length. There is a large space between a few words in a line, suggesting a pause. “he always comes back groggily groggily”

Slide 6: 

Morning and island man wakes up to the sound of blue surf in his head the steady breaking and wombing wild seabirds and fisherman pushing out to sea the sun surfacing defiantly from the east of his small emerald island he always comes back Groggily Groggily Comes back to sands of a grey metallic soar to surge of wheels to dull North Circular roar muffling muffling his crumpled pillow waves island man heaves himself Another London day Time of day Different senses Calm, tropical Suggests a new start (new life) Probably pigeons This suggests that the sun is being rebellious. Bright/green Emerald –expensive gem Comes home Cars / City life boring Its what you sleep on Suggests it was a dream Repetition, reluctance to have to come back.

Slide 7: 

Exile City Life Contrast The rhythm of the sea is like how the poem is written out Cultures: the split and mixing and cooperating Themes

Slide 8: 

Techniques used Onomatopoeia Fantasy Reality Ambivalence (two minds) Contrast Rhythm Assonance (s sounds in a poem) Imagery Repetition

Slide 9: 

Discussion Questions Is it a dream? Is the man on holiday? Is he just describing London, to make us think? Why do you think the man came to London