1. ‘Even Tho’ by Grace Nichols LO) To explore how Nichols conveys the nature of relationship through language and structure.

2. What impression of the poem do you get from these images?

3. Grace Nichols – creating a ‘voice’
Grace Nichols grew up in Guyana, on the northern coast of South America, facing onto the Caribbean. This poem explores the nature of relationship in this type of environment.
Grace Nichols – creating a ‘voice’
Keywords: Creole, standard English, poet's voice, language choice, relationships, carnival, succulent
Web link!

4. First, read the poem
Animation

5. Shows convergence of both cultures
Standard English
Creole dialect
Even Tho
Sounds primitive
Shows love + togetherness
Man I love but won’t let you devour even tho I’m all watermelon and starapple and plum when you touch me
1st 2 lines show contrasting feelings
With contrasting feelings
To consume greedily, she sees herself as fruit for him to eat,
Gives impression that he has fairly dominant role
4 line stanza shows togetherness of the two
Exotic fruits-succulent, juicy. A metaphor for herself. Suggests she’s soft, exotic for him
Extended metaphor for him eating her – image suggests physically involved.

6. Slightly less appealing
image + more orientated
towards taste/ texture rather
than food.
Juxtaposition of these items
is unusual but continues
Caribbean theme.
4 line stanza continues
breaks with 1st + last stanza
reinforces their separate
Identities.
even tho I’m all seamoss and jellyfish and tongue Come leh we go to de carnival You be banana I be avocado
Links to primal language.
celebration
Creole dialect used to convey convergence with Guyana culture
Metaphors – idea of more
balanced relationship as
they are both portrayed as
fruit + go to carnival together
Primal language used, suggests instinctiveness

7. Creole dialect helps to reinforce Caribbean atmosphere
Come leh we hug up and brace-up and sweet one another up But then leh we break free yes, leh we break free
Repetition and rhyme
helps to reinforce their
physical connection
Enjoyable, indulgent
Continued enjambment reinforces sense of ‘breaking free’ throughout the poem
Contrasting feeling returns
Suggests forcefully disconnect, repetition of ‘break’ suggests it’s difficult to do

8. And keep to de motion of we own person/ality
Links back to line 8/9 of sea
And keep to de motion of we own person/ality
Oxymoron – reinforces contrast of individuals together
individual
They stay true
+ strong to themselves
Possibly expressing the
need for individuals to
maintain their own
Identities.
Language: the combination of standard English and Creole link colonial roots. Moves seamlessly from one to the other, like Nichols’ own comments on her feeling at home in both cultures.
Guyana enriched by Caribbean, myths + landscape + culture. This poem embraces both

9. How does the poet use language, form and punctuation to convey the nature of the relationship in the poem ‘Even tho’.
show an understanding of the use of language, form and punctuation
demonstrate the ability to make relevant connections between the techniques used and the presentation of the nature of the relationship;
use the ‘PEEE’ technique to show the link between form and point of view.

10. Plenary
Have you:
understood the ways Nichols has used language and structure to convey the nature of her relationship;
connected with the different attitudes presented.
Discuss how successfully the poet conveys the balance of being close and yet still needing freedom within a relationship.
For English Literature, find another poem in Relationships that explores a relationship between a woman and a man through one (or more) strong personal voice. Compare the impact that the relationship has on them as readers.