Checking Out Me History

• 'Dem tell me

  Dem tell me'

  Repetition: creates a sense of “them” and “us”; it emphasises the distance the speaker feels between himself as the student and his educators - villification(separateness and otherness).

  From the outset, we are in the world of accusation, of a central powerbase inculcating minority ethnics.
• 'Wha dem want to tell me'

  • The use of Creole: Perhaps this is an act of defiance and passive resistance, breaking out of the oppressive regime that the speaker feels he has been confined to.
  • The tone is accusatory and aggressive.
• '//Bandage up me eye with me own history

  Blind me to me own identity'

  • Metaphors: conveys the feeling that ”dem” deliberately hid the speaker’s history from him, keeping him in a state of ignorance.
  • The image of bandage is ironic; bandages should aid healing, but here they’ve caused the speaker’s innocence.
• 'Dem tell me bout 1066 and all dat'

  Tone: the speaker is uninterested and dismissive; this is an act of defiance and protest, as he has taken control and is choosing to reject what he feels he has been indoctrinated by.
• 'dem tell me bout Dick Whittington and he cat'

  The speaker is irritated at being educated about trivial subjects just because they are “British”. He is entirely dismissive of British history.
• 'But Toussaint L’Ouverture /no dem never tell me bout dat'

  he speaker is angry that he is educated on British pantomimes and folklores, but not taught about L’Ouverture and his significant accomplishments.
• 'Toussaint/ a slave/ with vision'

  • Succession of short lines and several end rhymes creates a chant-like reading of the poem. It becomes fast-pace and rhythmic to reflect the freedom (versus a confined stanza).
  • Juxtaposition: Images of light contrast the blindness of the speaker’s formal education; like Toussaint, he will rise above the oppression to achieve his goal.
• 'lick back'

  • The tone changes to become inspirational and confident. When speaking about his own ‘history’, the poetic voice feels liberated and therefore becomes more expressive.
  • AO3: a strong contradiction to the highly respected image of Napoleon that would have been especially prominent in a colonial schooling environment.
• 'Napoleon /battalion /

  and first Black/ Republic born'
• 'Toussaint de thorn /to de French'

  Metaphor: Creates imagery of Toussaint as a protector of Haiti, deterring the French from invading/abusing the land.
• 'Toussaint de beacon/ of de Haitian Revolution'

  Metaphor: Creates imagery of Touissant as a light guiding the rebellion and making Haiti a brighter place; a saviour to those in darkness.