Flag by Agard

Powerpoint Templates


Flagby John Agard


Learning Objectives

We are learning to...

• Use the skills that we have developed on an unseen poem

• Analyse a poem to explore layers of meaning

Skills for Life – Reflection and Initiative


In the exam...

Section A

You’ll have a choice of questions and be asked to compare two poems

• - one that is specified • - one that you can choose

(36 marks 23% of Literature grade)

Section B

Respond to an unseen poem(18 makrs 12% of Literature grade)


For example


How do we use flags?


Celebration


Commemoration


Russian Flag in Arctic sea


Ownership


Protest


Desecration

• des·e·crat·ed, des·e·crat·ing, des·e·crates:

• To violate the sacredness of; profane

A suggested amendment in

America Desecration of Flag


Think – Pair - Share

Why do people take flags so seriously?


FLIRTF

L

I

R

T


Task: dialogue

• In pairs, one person ask the question in the fist line of the poem

• The second say the answer


What you need to include

Skilled annotation will....

1. Identify and comment on the use of poetic features to create layers of meaning

2.Comment show an awareness of how poem links to Conflict

Excellent Writingwill

1.Have a detailed explanation, with appropriate terminology, of how poetic features contribute to meaning

2.Comments begin to develop precise, perceptive identification that link to the theme of Conflict


For example

What’s that fluttering in a breeze?

It’s just a piece of cloth

that brings a nation to its knees.





This form is repeated

throughout the poem. It is rigid. The use of the questions

creates a sort of dialogue.

It is unclear if there is someone asking the question. This makes it seem like the speaker is voicing more general concerns about flags and conflict.

Even though flags are ‘just a piece of cloth’ they provoke powerful and

forceful responses.


What you need to include

Skilled annotation will....

1. Identify and comment on the use of poetic features to create layers of meaning

2.Comment show an awareness of how poem links to Conflict

Excellent Writingwill

1.Have a detailed explanation, with appropriate terminology, of how poetic features contribute to meaning

2.Comments begin to develop precise, perceptive identification that link to the theme of Conflict


The structure is the same throughout. The gentle image of the flag ‘fluttering’ seems innocent and contrasts with the

powerful metaphor at the and of each stanza. It moves from a gentle question to a literal answer followed by a powerful,

often violent, metaphor. The juxtaposition of contrasting images creates a range of images and emotion the reader is

exposed to in a short stanza creates a conflict within the structure.





The metaphor at the end of each line is often ambiguous. Here, does the personification of a ‘nation to its knees’ suggest that the nation has

fallen or that it is kneeling in prayer.





Again, gentle image followed by literal and then metaphorical.

What’s that unfurling from a pole?


that makes the guts of men grow bold.


What’s that rising over a tent?


that dares the coward to relent.

Again, the metaphor is ambiguous. How does a coward relent? Do they surrender or fight?

Military tent?


What’s that flying across a field?


that will outlive the blood you bleed.


How can I possess such a cloth?

Just ask for a flag, my friend.

Then blind your conscience to the end.

Flag by Agard

Education

Transcript of Flag by Agard