1. English II: World Literature
Day 1: Caribbean Poetry
English II: World Literature

2. Agenda 1. Warm-up 2. Review literary terms vocabulary
3. Caribbean history: Pre- Columbus and the transatlantic slave trade
4. Read, annotate, and discuss 2 poems by Derek Walcott
5. Exit Ticket

3. Warm-Up
On a scrap piece of paper or in your warm-up journal, answer the following question:
How can history influence literature? Think of at least one example to support your ideas.

4. Literary Terms: ReviewDirections: Record the following notes on your “Literary Terms Dictionary” handout.
Literary Term Definition Example
1. diction word choice __________
2. metaphor comparison of two unlike “Time is money” things; a direct comparison
3. simile comparison of two unlike “Life is like a things using “like” or “as;” box of an indirect comparison chocolates…”

5. Literary Terms: Review
Literary Term Definition Example
4. imagery descriptive words or phrases __________ that appeal to the 5 senses
5. allusion reference to someone or “Is he good at something famous science?” “He’s basically an Einstein.”

6. Caribbean History: Pre-Columbus
indigenous tribes populated the islands before the arrival of Christopher Columbus & other European explorers
Most if not all of these tribes were killed from lack of immunity to disease, overwork, or massacre by explorers

7. A. North America B. Caribbean C. Brazil D. Europe
Quiz: What part of the world received the most slaves from Africa during the slave trade?
A. North America
B. Caribbean
C. Brazil
D. Europe

8. The (unexpected) Result
Source: The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database

9. Caribbean History: Pre-Columbus
Example of Haiti
Christopher Columbus arrived 1492
In 1492: estimated indigenous population was between 500,000 and 750,000
In 1514: estimated 29,000 remained
By mid-sixteenth century, almost all had vanished

10. Caribbean History: Transatlantic Slave Trade
early 1500s -- establishment of sugar plantations in New World
sugar = extremely labor intensive crop
began importing slaves from Central and Western Africa
transatlantic slave trade - the capture, selling, and transport of Africans from Central and Western Africa to European colonies in the Caribbean and North and South America
The Middle Passage - name given to the traumatic event of slaves being transported across the Atlantic in slave ships

11. Diagram of the Layout of a Slave Hold: The Middle Passage

12. The Middle Passage, cont.
death
trauma
disorientation
suffering
change
The Journey
people in 1 vessel
Most ships held people
potentially lasted for months
“... a slaughterhouse. Blood, filth, misery, and disease.” (James Stanfield, sailor)
“The living were in constant and immediate proximity to the dead.” (Vincent Brown, The Reaper’s Garden)
Reconstructed interior of the Zong

13. Derek Walcott (1930- ) Caribbean writer/poet Nobel Prize Winner
From St. Lucia, island in West Indies
former colony of France and England

14. Exit Ticket
On a half sheet of paper, answer 1 of the following questions:
1. What is the “Middle Passage?” Describe it.
2. Define the literary term imagery and give 1 example from one of the poems we read today.

15. Bibliography
Brown, Vincent. The Reaper’s Garden. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, Print.
Dubois, Laurent. Avengers of the New World. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, Print.
The AP Vertical Teams Guide for English. New York: College Entrance Examination Board, Print.