1. Two Scavengers in a Truck Two Beautiful People in a Mercedes
And the two scavengers up since four a.m grungy from their route on the way home The older of the two with grey iron hair and hunched back looking down like some Gargoyle Quasimodo And the younger of the two also with sunglasses & long hair about the same age as the Mercedes driver And both scavengers gazing down As from a great distance At the cool couple as if they were watching some odourless TV ad in which everything is always possible And the very red light for an instant holding all four close together as if anything at all were possible Between them Across that small gulf in the high seas of this democracy
Two Scavengers in a Truck Two Beautiful People in a Mercedes
(by Lawrence Ferlinghetti) At the stoplight waiting for the light nine a.m. downtown San Francisco a bright yellow garbage truck with two garbagemen in red plastic blazers standing on the back stoop one on each side hanging on and looking down into an elegant open Mercedes with an elegant couple in it
The man In a hip three-piece linen suit with shoulder-length blond hair & sunglasses The young blond woman so casually coifed with a short skirt and colored stockings on the way to his architect’s office

2. Characterisation Analytical writing
English Literature:
Characterisation
Analytical writing

3. How does the poet present the two pairs of characters?
Unseen poetry
How does the poet present the two pairs of characters?
What to do before you write:
Get to know the poem and understand the ideas
Identify methods
Writing:
Moving from Grade 6 to 7

4. Ws (context)
Who is the poem about?
Whose eyes do we see through?
What is the ‘story’?
Where is it set?
When was it written?
When is it set?
WHY was it written? What idea is the poet exploring? (HARD…but often suggested by the exam question)
Remember:
question focus = the two pairs of characters

5. Narrow the focus
How does the poet present the garbage collectors?

6. Structure a paragraph to get the marks
(Name of poet) presents (x) as …………… :
“Quotation”
The use of (method) suggests that ………… because …………………..
Its position in the poem creates impact because…………..
The poet may present the character in this way to encourage the reader to ……………...

7. Structure a paragraph to get the marks
Ferlinghetti presents the garbagemen as unattractive :
“grungy”
The use of the adjective suggests that the garbagemen look dirty and grimy. The adjective connects the men to the rubbish that they collect.
Its position in the poem creates impact because it is placed directly after the description of the wealthy car passengers.
The poet may present the character in this way to encourage the reader to focus on the contrast between the two sets of characters.
This is a level 4 response

8. Raising the grade (Name) presents (x) as …………… : “Quotation”
The use of (method) suggests that ………… because …………………..
Its position in the poem creates impact because…………..
The poet may present the character in this way to encourage the reader to ……………...

9. Structure a paragraph to get more marks
(Name) presents (x) as …………..: “Quotation(s)”. The use of (precise method) suggests that ………… because …………………… It may also suggest that………….. It affects (shocks/entertains/intrigues) the reader because …….The position of this in the poem creates impact because…………..
Earlier / later in the poem on line ….. the poet reinforces / contrasts this: (“quotation”). This suggests that ……………….. because ……………….. . In this way, the poet develops the character by ………………………………….
The poet may present the character in this way to encourage the reader to ………………..
This is a level 5 response structure
PEEZL
SQIDL

10. Structure a paragraph to get the marks
Ferlinghetti initially presents the garbage men as the rubbish of society: “scavengers”.
“The use of the noun “scavengers” suggests that the men live off others’ rubbish because it compares them to animals who feed off carcasses. It may also suggest that they are hungry and desperate.
It shocks the reader because it is so derogatory. The position of this in the title of the poem creates impact because it is the first thing we read.
Later in the poem the poet reinforces this with the adjective “grungy”. This suggests that the garbagemen look dirty and grimy. The adjective connects the men to the rubbish that they collect.
The poet also uses a simile: “like some / Gargoyle Quasimodo”. This comparison to a hunchback suggests the men are deformed outcasts. In this way, the poet develops the character by continually reinforcing negative attitudes.
The poet may present the character in this way to encourage the reader to reflect on how we perceive different groups in our society by shocking us with such negative imagery.
KEY WORDS = thoughtful + developed
This looks like a solid Grade 7-8