Brooklyn Cop Norman MacCaig

Brooklyn Cop Set in Brooklyn, New York – famous for violence The cop is a stereotype – he is almost a cartoon character of a police officer. He is everything we expect a “Brooklyn Cop” to be.

Brooklyn Cop

Notes on BC Norman MacCaig the character of a corrupt, thuggish American cop. A policeman is meant to inspire trust and is employed to 'serve and protect'. Instead the, "Gorilla with a nightstick", is insensitive, violent and appears to enjoy the murderous nature of his occupation. However, despite his brutal nature and tough exterior, there is a gentler side to the cop, who loves his wife and fears for his life. The poem asks us to consider the violence that takes place within a city like New York, and whether the cop is partly responsible.

Example P.E.A.R paragraph Point: The poet uses the image of a gorilla to create a vivid picture of the “Brooklyn Cop”. In the opening line we are told that the cop is: Evidence: “Built like a gorilla”. Analysis This simile creates a vivid picture of the cop as someone who is intimidating, uncivilised, perhaps territorial and violent. Response: This is a strong image because it paints a picture of the cop’s physical appearance and suggests his untamed nature on the streets of Brooklyn.

Quiz What is a stereotype? What is a cliché? Why is the cop anonymous? What is a hieroglyph? Whose motto is “Serve & Protect”? What is a “nightstick”?

Themes Violence (both in cities and within people) Police brutality Life is fragile

Form and structure 4 stanzas in BLANK VERSE Stanza One - builds the cartoon-like image of a stereotypical cop. Stanza two - shows how quickly the cop could be thrust from safety into chaos and how violence is always present in his world. Stanza Three - written as a rhetorical question and is ambiguous. Stanza 4 - It leaves the reader to question his policing, and his "victims". It is important to note the stanzas become shorter and much more condensed. This reflects the poet grasping at different ideas and becoming lost. Norman MacCaig's hope of proper justice is disappearing the more he thinks about it.