1. Living Space By Imtiaz Dharker
Would you rather….?
A) Live here – completely ALONE…..
B) LIVE HERE – SURROUNDED BY OTHERS? OR
Provide THREE reasons to JUSTIFY your choice:
I would prefer to inhabit….because I would be able to…
Option A/B appeals to me, as it looks more….
Living in a (mansion/ shanty town) would help me to become a _________, ________ person.

2. A03: Show understanding of the context in which texts were written.
The poet: Imtiaz Dharker
Shantytown definition:
An area on the edge of a city, where poor people live in small, very cheaply built houses.
Imtiaz Dharker is a contemporary poet who was born in Pakistan and grew up in Scotland.
Dharker cares passionately about human rights, and works to raise awareness of social issues surrounding shanty town life through her poetry.
“Into this rough frame,
someone has squeezed
a living space”
In this poem, Dharker celebrates the strength of the people that live in shantytowns, whilst criticising the society that forces them there.

3. Living Space
by Imtiaz Dharker
There are just not enough
straight lines. That
is the problem.
Nothing is flat
or parallel. Beams
balance crookedly on supports
thrust off the vertical.
Nails clutch at open seams.
The whole structure leans dangerously
towards the miraculous.
Into this rough frame,
someone has squeezed
a living space
and even dared to place
these eggs in a wire basket,
fragile curves of white
hung out over the dark edge
of a slanted universe,
gathering the light
into themselves,
as if they were
the bright, thin walls of faith.

4. A) Enjambment B) Rhyme C) Alliteration
AO2 (use terminology to identify techniques)
Form: This is a “shape poem”, as the poem looks like the crooked structure it describes.
Spot: Which of the following poetic devices help to make the poem look uneven?
A) Enjambment B) Rhyme C) Alliteration
“There are just not enough
Straight lines. That
Is the problem.”
AO1 (use accurate quotations to express a personal response)
Explain:
The separation of “enough” and “straight” creates a pause when you read the poem. This immediately creates a sense of….
A) Disjointedness B) Uneasiness C) Abnormality

5. The builders are sloppy. B) People that live there are messy.
AO3 (Link to context)
Why don’t shantytown buildings look “flat”, “straight” or “parallel”?
The builders are sloppy.
B) People that live there are messy.
C)The shantytown homes in India are cheaply built and cramped.
“Nothing is flat
Or parallel. Beams
Balance crookedly on supports”
AO2 (analyse the language used by the writer to create meanings)
Link to the poet’s message.
In using the adverb “crookedly”, Dharker may be suggesting…
The structures are too dangerous for people to live in.
The Indian government needs to invest more money in housing for the poor.
People that live there are crooks and thieves.

6. A01/2 : Identify and Annotate
“Nails clutch at open seams.
The whole structure leans dangerously
towards the miraculous.”
Spot:
Crack the colour code for these techniques:
A)Dynamic verbs
B) Juxtaposition (contrast/opposition)
C)Short minor sentence
Explain:
Match up the technique to the effect.
Creates a sense of desperation and danger; of barely hanging on.
Creates a sense of urgency and tension.
Suggests that dangerous or deprived living conditions can actually reveal the best of humankind.
Challenge: Consider how the word “miraculous” changes the tone of the poem from critical (negative) to celebratory (positive).
What effect does the change in tone have on the reader?
What might Dharker be about explore in the next part of the poem?

7. Spot: What techniques can you identify from this part of the poem ?
OVER TO YOU
Task: Annotate this part of the poem; using the prompts below to guide you if needed.
“Into this rough frame,
someone has squeezed
a living space
and even dared to place
these eggs in a wire basket”
Spot: What techniques can you identify from this part of the poem ?
Remember to identify word types: adjectives/ verbs/ nouns etc.
Explain: What could the eggs symbolise or represent?
Why did Dharker choose eggs as a metaphor?
Link to context: What do the verbs “squeezed” and “dared” imply about the society that has forced people into these “rough” frames?
Link to the poet’s message: What do you think Dharker wants us to think about or feel?

8. “fragile curves of white hung out over the dark edge
OVER TO YOU
Task: Annotate this part of the poem; using the prompts below to guide you if needed.
“fragile curves of white
hung out over the dark edge
of a slanted universe,
gathering the light
into themselves,
as if they were
the bright, thin walls of faith.
“fragile” = adjective
Suggests they are vulnerable.
As shantytown inhabitants are poor/ uncared for.
“Fragile” is emotive; Dharker invites our sympathy.
“white/ dark” =
Conveys/Illustrates/Highlights…
“as if they were the bright, thin walls of faith” =

9. What is the overall message and tone of Living Space?
Decide whether you think the poem is more of a criticism or celebration of shanty-town life
TASK: Highlight and annotate two extra quotes to tip the scales in your favour.
Negative
(Critical)
Positive
(Celebratory)
“bright, thin walls of faith”
“gathering the light into themselves”
“towards the miraculous”
“the whole structure leans dangerously”
“That/ is the problem.”
“nails clutch”
Abstract noun made concrete – suggests the “miraculous” is tangible/ a real place.
Verb implies desperation.
Negative noun in this simple statement creates accusatory/ critical tone.
Verb shows that the people living there can find hope in the darkness.
Adverb makes us think that the building teeters towards collapse.
What types of words are these?
What impression do they create?

10. Think again: Has your perspective changed?
Would you rather….?
A) Live here – completely ALONE…..
B) LIVE HERE – SURROUNDED BY OTHERS? OR
Provide THREE reasons to JUSTIFY your choice, using FULL SENTENCES:
I would prefer to inhabit….because I would be able to…
Option A/B appeals to me, as it looks more….
Living in a (mansion/ shanty town) would help me to become a _________, ________ person.