Checking Out Me History

• Who is the poet of "Checking Out Me History"?

  John Agard
• What does "Checking Out Me History" critique?

  Eurocentric education
• When was "Checking Out Me History" written?

  2007
• What is the tone of Agard's voice in "Checking Out Me History"?

  Politically charged and rebellious
• What is the structure of "Checking Out Me History"?

  Dual structure: European vs Black icons
• What do irregular stanza lengths in "Checking Out Me History" reflect?

  Oral storytelling and resistance to conformity
• What does the use of italics for non-European figures in "Checking Out Me History" do?

  Separates and highlights them
• What does phonetic spelling ("dem tell me") assert in "Checking Out Me History"?

  Caribbean identity and resistance to standard English
• What does the repetition of "Dem tell me" convey in "Checking Out Me History"?

  Accusatory tone towards a biased system
• What does the juxtaposition of "1066 and all dat" vs "Toussaint… L’Ouverture" suggest?

  Minimizes one, honours the other
• What does the metaphor "bandage up me eye" imply in "Checking Out Me History"?

  Deliberate blindness through education
• What do the imagery of light and vision represent in "Checking Out Me History"?

  Enlightenment and empowerment
• What themes are explored in "Checking Out Me History"?

  Identity and heritage, power of education
• Who is the poet of "Checking Out Me History"?

  John Agard
• What does John Agard critique in his poetry?

  Eurocentric education
• In what year was "Checking Out Me History" written?

  2007
• What does the poem challenge regarding British education?

  The erasure of Black and Caribbean history
• How is Agard's voice characterized in the poem?

  Politically charged, rebellious, and proud
• What is the structure of "Checking Out Me History"?

  • Dual structure: European figures vs Black icons
  • Irregular stanza lengths
  • Lack of punctuation
  • Use of italics for non-European figures
  • Phonetic spelling to assert Caribbean identity
• What does the irregular stanza length in the poem reflect?

  Oral storytelling and resistance to conformity
• What is the significance of italics in the poem?

  It separates and highlights non-European figures
• What does the phonetic spelling "dem tell me" assert?

  Caribbean identity and resistance to standard English
• What is the tone conveyed by the repetition of "Dem tell me"?

  Accusatory towards a biased system
• How does the juxtaposition of "1066 and all dat" and "Toussaint… L’Ouverture" function in the poem?

  Minimizes one, honors the other
• What does the metaphor "Bandage up me eye" signify?

  Deliberate blindness through education
• What do the images of light and vision symbolize in the poem?

  Enlightenment and empowerment
• What are the main themes of "Checking Out Me History"?

  • Identity and heritage
  • Power of education and history
  • Rebellion against institutional control
  • Rediscovery and pride in cultural roots