Personification of Death  Which of the images below is the most effective at capturing Death and all it entails...

Starter  *Conscientious means wishing to do what is right.  When might it be right to object, to say “No” because you believe it is right to do so?

Conscientious Objector...  The first line stands alone... “I shall die, but that is all that I shall do for Death?” Why is this line on it’s own???   What else could you ‘do’ for death?

Conscientious Objector...  The first line stands alone... “I shall die, but that is all that I shall do for Death?” Why is this line on it’s own???

Conscientious Objector... “Breast”“Hoof” How do these two images contrast and tell us more about death and his prey???

Conscientious Objector I shall die, but that is all that I shall do for Death. I hear him leading his horse out of the stall; I hear the clatter on the barn-floor. He is in haste; he has business in Cuba, business in the Balkans, many calls to make this morning. But I will not hold the bridle while he cinches the girth. And he may mount by himself; I will not give him a leg up. The first line stands alone Conscientious – wishing to do what is right First person Objects The poet personifies Death Shall – definitely will

Though he flick my shoulders with his whip, I will not tell him which way the fox ran. With his hoof on my breast, I will not tell him where the black boy hides in the swamp. I shall die, but that is all that I shall do for Death; I am not on his pay-roll. Death appears to be sinister and frightening Again Death is personified Alliteration

I will not tell him the whereabouts of my friends nor of my enemies either. Though he promises me much, I will not map him the route to any man’s door. Edna St. Vincent Millay Uneven lines and little or no rhyme Consonance: Sound effect: repeated consonants Enjambment

  REPEATED IDEAS Death is personified as a horseman, just like the biblical Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.    Make a list of all the things Death is described as doing, or wanting to do.

Peer Assessment...  You are about to see three different paragraphs where students write about Conscientious Objector.  Think about how each student approaches the poem...  What do they do well??  How could they improve??

Student A  The poem shows how difficult it was for conscientious objectors to hold onto their beliefs. Death is describe as very persuasive and powerful. This shows that any individuals who refused to go to war because of their beliefs were really strong and brave. Conscientious objectors were ridiculed by society and imprisoned.

Student B  One of the most effective things about this poem is the use of the first person narrator. The reader can really experience the person’s determination to stand up for their beliefs even though Death is powerful and dangerous. The repeated use of “I” throughout the poems shows the person’s confidence in their own beliefs.

Student C  I think the personification of Death in this poem is unconvincing. In the modern day, we know that death does not exist in this manner and the image of a man on a horse to represent death is outdated. It does not reflect the modern horror of war. I think this poem would make its point more effectively if the war was described more graphically and realistically, rather than by using an outdated symbol of death.

Mock Question  Explain how the author of Exposure presents different ideas about war from an author of a different poem of your choice from the Clashes and Collisions collection.

Comparative Question...  Examiner’s Tips: You should only include points on the first poem that are relevant for making links and comparisons with the second one. You should only include points on the first poem that are relevant for making links and comparisons with the second one. To achieve higher marks, you must give your own evaluation for the similarities and differences in how the two poems say things. This means that you have to make a judgement about what you feel works well the each poem and why. To achieve higher marks, you must give your own evaluation for the similarities and differences in how the two poems say things. This means that you have to make a judgement about what you feel works well the each poem and why.

Poetry Question Types...  Describe: When asked to describe someone’s thoughts or feelings, or the writer’s attitude to something, give a clear account of what you learn about these from reading the poem  Explain: you must make your ideas clear to the reader, saying why you think as you do.  Explore: you need to try and cover the subject in dept and look at it from different angles. You should consider all possible interpretations.