Jackie Kay – Divorce 15/9/15

Learning Intentions I can read and understand a poem, commenting on the meaning of the poem I can analyse different features of the poem I can respond to the poem in a personal way through writing

Jackie Kay Jackie Kay was born in Edinburgh to a Scottish mother and Nigerian father. She was adopted at birth and raised by a white couple in Glasgow. Many of Kay’s poems deal with the relationship between parents and children (whether the children are young or grown).

Divorce Whilst reading, be thinking about the meaning of the poem.

Divorce Who is the speaker here? Do you think he/she is justified in her complaints? Why/why not?

Narrator Underline any examples where the narrator speaks about herself. Write a PEE paragraph explaining her personality, and how you know this. If you finish this, reflect on a time you fell out with your parents. What happened? How did you feel?

The speaker is a melodramatic teenager, complaining about her unfair parents. Throughout the poem, the speaker uses pompous, high-brow language to make her point seem serious – which in fact only makes her seem more ridiculous.

Hot Seating Three volunteers will be the mum, dad and speaker. The rest of the class will think of questions to ask about this family’s life: what do the parents think of their daughter’s behaviour, etc etc.

Poetic Techniques Match the poetic technique to its definition.

Annotating a Poem Use a BLUE highlighter. In pairs, read the poem again, and highlight any examples of interesting or unusual word choice. (eg suffer)

‘I cannot suffer…’ The poet’s word choice of ‘suffer’ suggests how over-dramatic the speaker is being. We normally associate suffering with extreme hardship or pain, whereas she is only being asked to do chores. This shows how ridiculous, over-the-top and unreliable the speaker is.

Imagery Now, use a GREEN highlighter. Highlight any examples of imagery you can find.

Imagery ‘…who speak in the soft murmur of rivers’ In this metaphor, the speaker compares parents speaking to gently running rivers. This has connotations of a soothing, calming sound, rather than the shouting she accuses her parents of. Again, her immature beliefs about parents highlights her melodrama and naïvety.

Theme What is the overall issue/message/point of the poem?

Theme The main themes are those of child-parent relationships, and conflict between generations. We see a negative side through the eyes of a teenager, who feels unloved and unjustly treated. (However, it is meant to be a humorous take on a (stereo)typically teenage reaction.)

Irony There are examples of irony throughout the poem. ‘…you never ever said a kind word….’ Usually a parent’s complaint to a child.

Irony Find any other examples where the narrator is saying something that an adult would typically say. Annotate this on your poem.

Enjambment Use a yellow highlighter. Highlight any examples of enjambment.

‘Father, your breath smells like a camel’s…’ The use of enjambment emphasises the unpleasant aroma of her father’s breath. The emphatic, childish insult shows that the speaker is not as grown up as she believes.

Structure The poem is ‘split’ into two stanzas, echoing the subject of divorce. Each stanza is fourteen lines long, and ends with a rhyming couplet. This is an ironic echo of typical romantic sonnets.

Formal and Informal Register Watch the following clip. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOGXSFK3Xsw Does the way they speak differ? Is their language or delivery different?

Register Throughout, the speaker uses both formal and informal registers. You could generalise that the longer sentences tend to be formal, whereas shorter phrases or sentences are informal.

‘I did not promise to stay with you till death do us part, or anything like that…’ The first part of that sentence is long, flowing and grand, using the adult language of a wedding ceremony. The use of PARENTHESIS betrays her age: it is casual, youthful, and informal.

Register Using two different highlighters, highlight any examples which seem particularly formal or informal. Answer these questions in your jotters: How does the mixture of registers make the speaker sound? Do you think this poem accurately shows teenage outrage? Why/why not?

Short Sentences ‘I want a divorce.’ This short sentence is very blunt and serious. However, it also reveals immaturity, as it is said in the manner of a demanding child, rather than a serious adult.

Structure (Punctuation, Sentencing etc) The use of short and long sentences also mirror the contrast (theme of conflict between generations) between parent and child: her short sentences often sound immature and naïve.

Learning Review What aspect are you most confident with? Which do you think you need to revise, or ask for help with?