1. To use MITSL to develop a response to the poem
Storm on the Island
Objectives:
To explore the poem Storm on the Island focusing on how Heaney has used poetic devices to portray the theme of power and conflict
To use MITSL to develop a response to the poem

2. STORM ON THE ISLAND Looking at the title
Storm on the Island – listen to the poem once. Then watch with images – can you add to your title?
STORM ON THE ISLAND
What do you notice?

3. Storm on the Island: Content/meaning
Present tense. What effect does this have on the reader?
We are prepared: we build our houses squat, Sink walls in rock and roof them with good slate. The wizened earth has never troubled us With hay, so as you can see, there are no stacks Or stooks that can be lost. Nor are there trees Which might prove company when it blows full Blast: you know what i mean - leaves and branches Can raise a tragic chorus in a gale So that you can listen to the thing you fear Forgetting that it pummels your house too. But there are no trees, no natural shelter. You might think that the sea is company, Exploding comfortably down on the cliffs But no: when it begins, the flung spray hits The very windows, spits like a tame cat Turned savage. We just sit tight while wind dives And strafes invisibly. Space is a salvo. We are bombarded by the empty air. Strange, it is a huge nothing that we fear.
Old and shrivelled. Also experienced.
What is the poet describing. How does he feel about it? 5
Corn sheaves bundled up 10 15
Get students to notice their own poetic devices – MITSL
Rapid, simultaneous firing of artillery H

4. Storm on the Island: Structure and Form
Why is there no article (‘the’ or ‘a’)? What does that suggest about the storm?
Also, the first 8 letters spell Stormont, the seat of Irish rule. Could the storm have a secondary meaning related to the troubles in Northern Ireland?
No rhyming pattern, this is called ______ verse
We are prepared: we build our houses squat, Sink walls in rock and roof them with good slate. The wizened earth has never troubled us With hay, so as you can see, there are no stacks Or stooks that can be lost. Nor are there trees
Leave each slide up for 3 minutes - feedback to class 5
Line 2: what words does the metre stress. What effect do they have?
Iambic metre which mirrors the speech patterns of English and makes the poem feel like a conversation H

5. Storm on the Island: Language
Simple, comforting statement of strength. Sets the tone as secure and safe.
‘We’  togetherness, community
‘squat’ low down, immediate suggestion of the strength of the wind
We are prepared: we build our houses squat, Sink walls in rock and roof them with good slate. The wizened earth has never troubled us With hay, so as you can see, there are no stacks Or stooks that can be lost. Nor are there trees
‘roof’ ‘good’ these words have assonance. Emphasising the connection between the people and nature 5
Leave each slide up for 3 minutes - feedback to class
The earth is like an old friend, saving them the bother of harvesting and the pain of lost crops
Alliteration stresses the solidarity, strength of togetherness H

6. Storm on the Island: Language
Caesura forces the reader to pause in the comfort of this statement
End-stopping forces the reader to dwell on the feeling of safety/solidity
We are prepared: we build our houses squat, Sink walls in rock and roof them with good slate. The wizened earth has never troubled us With hay, so as you can see, there are no stacks Or stooks that can be lost. Nor are there trees Which might prove company when it blows full Blast: you know what i mean - leaves and branches 5
Enjambment: the blast comes at the start of the line, possibly suggesting a sharp, unexpected gust of wind.
Safe and comfortable tone is disrupted and the poem becomes more fearful. Caesura used to ‘break’ the rhythm throughout the rest of the poem.
Leave each slide up for 3 minutes - feedback to class H

7. Storm on the Island: Language
Conversational style (there are other examples). Draws the reader in. Does it emphasise the poet’s isolation?
Chorus is sustained and incessant.
Blast: you know what i mean - leaves and branches Can raise a tragic chorus in a gale So that you can listen to the thing you fear Forgetting that it pummels your house too. 10
‘pummels’ violent, painful image and personifies the wind
Leave each slide up for 3 minutes - feedback to class
End of the line but not end-stopped, the fear hasn’t taken hold yet H

8. Storm on the Island: Language
Therefore, no ‘tragic chorus’. Nature has spared them that.
No shelter, emphasises how barren this place is in contrast to the poet’s earlier, positive view. 10
Forgetting that it pummels your house too. But there are no trees, no natural shelter. You might think that the sea is company, Exploding comfortably down on the cliffs But no:
How can the sea be company? What doesn’t he have if it is?
‘might think’ i.e. you don’t know
Leave each slide up for 3 minutes - feedback to class
Oxymoron: The poet is used to these sounds because the storms are a part of life. It’s familiar therefore comfortable. H

9. Storm on the Island: Language
Caesura: The pause makes the reader consider the absence of safety and comfort
But there are no trees, no natural shelter. You might think that the sea is company, Exploding comfortably down on the cliffs But no: when it begins, the flung spray hits The very windows, spits like a tame cat Turned savage. We just sit tight while wind dives And strafes invisibly. Space is a salvo. We are bombarded by the empty air. Strange, it is a huge nothing that we fear. 15
Violent language runs throughout the final 6 lines emphasising the danger and fear. Military language (“salvo”, “strafe”, “bombardment”) personifies the weather as attacking them.
Leave each slide up for 3 minutes - feedback to class H

10. Storm on the Island: Language
Enjambment: suggests surprise at the sudden change in the ‘cat’/sea
Simile: ‘like a tame cat’ a pet, friend, something the poet is comfortable with
But there are no trees, no natural shelter. You might think that the sea is company, Exploding comfortably down on the cliffs But no: when it begins, the flung spray hits The very windows, spits like a tame cat Turned savage. We just sit tight while wind dives And strafes invisibly. Space is a salvo. We are bombarded by the empty air. Strange, it is a huge nothing that we fear. 15
Caesura: forces the reader to dwell on the savage nature of the weather
Leave each slide up for 3 minutes - feedback to class
There’s nothing they can do. Nature has all of the power H

11. Storm on the Island: Language
Their fear is not of anything they can see or fight. Emphasises their powerlessness.
“fear.” is a repetition of the end of line 9 only this time it is end-stopped. Fear has taken hold and the reader is left to consider this at the end
But there are no trees, no natural shelter. You might think that the sea is company, Exploding comfortably down on the cliffs But no: when it begins, the flung spray hits The very windows, spits like a tame cat Turned savage. We just sit tight while wind dives And strafes invisibly. Space is a salvo. We are bombarded by the empty air. Strange, it is a huge nothing that we fear. 15
Leave each slide up for 3 minutes - feedback to class
“nothing”, could also suggest a fear of losing everything; having it destroyed by the storm H

12. Storm on the Island: Structure and Form
“like a tame cat/ Turned savage” this line mirrors the whole poem.
Starts safe, comfortable, known  frightening, violent.
Use this to compare the first and last lines
like a tame cat/ Turned savage
We are prepared: we build our houses squat
Leave each slide up for 3 minutes - feedback to class
Strange, it is a huge nothing that we fear H

13. Looking at tone How does Heaney feel about the storm? Calm? Confident?
Scared?
Quotation
Commentary
We are prepared: we build our houses squat...
The opening words of the poem suggests a community readying itself to endure wartime bombing or bombardment - an idea which Heaney returns to at the end of the poem.
But there are no trees, no natural shelter.
We just sit tight while wind dives And strafes invisibly
Strange...
Get the students to engage with the author’s tone by explaining some of these quotes

14. Looking at tone How does Heaney feel about the storm? Calm? Confident?
Scared?
Quotation
Commentary
We are prepared: we build our houses squat...
The opening words of the poem suggests a community readying itself to endure wartime bombing or bombardment - an idea which Heaney returns to at the end of the poem.
But there are no trees, no natural shelter.
Heaney seems affectionate towards the island at first, wryly admitting it has never troubled them, yet here the But is significant: it is as if the island has let them down. They are at the mercy of the storm with no natural shelter.
We just sit tight while wind dives And strafes invisibly
Heaney recognises that he is powerless in the storm. There is nothing that man can do but sit tight while the wind attacks. It's like being under enemy fire.
Strange...
Heaney finds their fears strange because the object of fear is not tangible - it's 'a huge nothing'. So are the fears imaginary or real? Is he afraid of the wind, or doesn't he know what to be afraid of?

15. So where does the theme fit in?
What is the ‘power’ in the poem? What is Heaney suggesting? What type of conflict is shown and who is it between?

17. Get students to work on MITSL on their own today.

18. Your 50 word summary
Answer the question in exactly 50 words: To explore the poem Storm on the Island focusing on how Heaney has used poetic devices to portray the theme of power and conflict?

19. Compare the ways poets present ideas about violence in ‘Storm on the Island’ and in one other poem from ‘Power and Conflict’
Storm on the Island
Meaning (title)
Imagery
Tone
Structure
Language

20. Compare the ways poets present ideas about violence in ‘Storm on the Island’ and in one other poem from ‘Power and Conflict’

21. Success criteria Is there:
An introduction which includes both poems outlining their meaning and their titles?
A section on imagery which compares both poems in relation to violence using quotes?
A section on tone which compares both poems in relation to violence using quotes?
A section on structure which compares both poems in relation to violence using quotes?
A section on language which compares both poems in relation to violence using quotes?