Checking Out Me History (AQA GCSE English Literature)
Revision Note
Written by: Deb Orrock
Reviewed by: Kate Lee
Each poetry anthology in the GCSE contains 15 poems, and in the poetry question in the exam you will be given one poem on the paper - printed in full - and asked to compare this given poem to one other from the anthology. You will not have access to the other poems in the exam, so you will have to know them very well from memory. Fifteen poems is a lot to learn. However, understanding four things will enable you to produce a top-mark response:
The meaning of the poem
The ideas and messages the poet wanted to convey
How the poet conveys these ideas and messages through their methods
How do these ideas compare and contrast with the ideas and themes of other poems in the anthology
Below is a guide to 'Checking Out Me History' by John Agard, from the Power and Conflict anthology. It includes:
Overview: a breakdown of the poem, including its possible meanings and interpretations
Writer’s methods: an exploration of the poet’s techniques and methods
Context: an exploration of the context of the poem, relevant to its themes
What to compare it to: ideas about which poems to compare it to in the exam
Overview
In order to answer an essay question on any poem, it is essential that you understand what it is about. This section includes:
The poem in a nutshell
A ‘translation’ of the poem, section-by-section
A commentary of each of these sections, outlining Agard’s intention and message
Checking Out Me History in a nutshell
Checking Out Me History is a modern poem published in 2007 by the poet John Agard, who was born in British Guiana, now called Guyana, in the Caribbean. The poem uses non-standard phonetic spelling and mixes Guyanese Creole with standard English to represent the voice of a black man who recounts all of the white historical figures he was taught as a child at school and is frustrated that important figures from black history were not mentioned. He, therefore, resolves to discover more about the history and heritage relevant to him. The title of the poem is thus ironic, as it is not “his” history he is “checking out”.
Checking Out Me History breakdown
Lines 1-5
“Dem tell me
Dem tell me
Wha dem want to tell me
Bandage up me eye with me own history
Blind me to me own identity”
Translation
The speaker repeats “Dem” meaning “them” or “they”
“Them” or “they” refers to his white teachers
He says that they teach him what they want to teach him, controlling what people learn
They cover up colonised people’s history from them, blinding people like the speaker to their true history and identity
Agard’s intention
The narrator of this poem is introduced through their voice and the deliberate use of the Guyanese Creole dialect
The poet is referring to the English curriculum taught by British educators, which was written by white people and biased towards white history
The use of non-standard English is used to show his own culture and background, which he feels is not acknowledged by the English curriculum
It also reflects his pride in his own culture and background
Lines 6-9
“Dem tell me bout 1066 and all dat
dem tell me bout Dick Whittington and he cat
But Toussaint L’Ouverture
no dem never tell me bout dat”
Translation
The narrator then references the Battle of Hastings in 1066, and the childhood story of Dick Whittington and his cat
But he was never taught about black historical figures, such as Toussaint L’Ouverture
Agard’s intention
The poet references white historical figures or events in each quatrain and contrasts this with a black historical figure who isn’t included in the curriculum
This is to show that these white historical references were irrelevant to him
Toussaint L’Ouverture was a slave and the leader of the Haitian Revolution
He beat back the (white) French emperor Napoleon, which is how Haiti gained independence from the French and became the first black democracy in the Americas
He transformed the lives of many slaves
Lines 10-21
“Toussaint
a slave
with vision
lick back
Napoleon
battalion
and first Black
Republic born
Toussaint de thorn
to de French
Toussaint de beacon
of de Haitian Revolution”
Translation
The speaker then “teaches” us about Toussaint L’Ouverture
He was a slave who rose up to beat back Napoleon’s battalions leading to Haiti’s independence
He was a thorn in the French’s side, meaning a constant pain, and a figure-head of the Haitian revolution
Agard’s intention
The poet deliberately changes to italics here to contrast the difference between white and black history
Toussaint as a beacon implies he is illuminating the poet’s true historical identity
His history is important to him, as demonstrated by his knowledge of this historical figure more relevant to the speaker and the poet
Lines 22-25
“Dem tell me bout de man who discover de balloon
and de cow who jump over de moon
Dem tell me bout de dish run away with de spoon
but dem never tell me bout Nanny de maroon”
Translation
They are taught about trivial things such as the man who discovered the balloon and the nursery rhyme “Hey Diddle Diddle”
But they didn’t teach him about Nanny de Maroon, a Jamaican slave born to the Asante people in the late 17th century
Agard’s intention
Even nursery rhymes and English inventors are prioritised over such important black historical figures
Lines 26-31
“Nanny
see-far woman
of mountain dream
fire-woman struggle
hopeful stream
to freedom river”
Translation
Nanny was a “see-far” woman, meaning a visionary
She founded her own town for other escaped slaves in the mountains of Jamaica
Today, she is a Jamaican national hero
Agard’s intention
Again, Agard changes into italics to highlight the difference in historical narratives
Nanny de Maroon’s actions were a source of hope for other enslaved people, like a stream that flows into a deeper river of freedom
The reference to “fire” again suggests illuminating the speaker’s true history
The reference to struggle highlights that her journey and fight were not easy
Lines 32-39
“Dem tell me bout Lord Nelson and Waterloo
but dem never tell me bout Shaka de great Zulu
Dem tell me bout Columbus and 1492
but what happen to de Caribs and de Arawaks too
Dem tell be bout Florence Nightingale and she lamp
and how Robin Hood used to camp
Dem tell me bout ole King Cole was a merry ole soul
but dem never tell me bout Mary Seacole”
Translation
The narrator then goes on to list other important figures and events in white history
Admiral Lord Nelson defeated Napoleon in The Battle of Waterloo
Shaka was a Zulu king from Southern Africa, famous for bringing together different nations in order to grow the Zulu kingdom:
The speaker is not taught about him
He is also taught about Christopher Columbus, who came to America in 1492:
However, the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean, the “Caribs” and the “Arawaks”, were mostly killed and displaced after Columbus’s arrival
The British taught the speaker about Florence Nightingale, who famously nursed injured soldiers by the light of her lamp during the Crimean War
They were even taught about mythological figures like Robin Hood, and another nursery rhyme, “Old King Cole”
But the British never taught the speaker about Mary Seacole
Agard’s intention
Shaka is a historical figure who never made any contact with European people
He is a historic figure who revolutionised African communities alone, and not someone one would expect to learn about in an English school
Agard is indicating that the narrator is very knowledgeable about the type of history that matters to him
Lines 40-49
“From Jamaica
she travel far
to the Crimean War
she volunteer to go
and even when de British said no
she still brave the Russian snow
a healing star
among the wounded
a yellow sunrise
to the dying”
Translation
Mary Seacole was from Jamaica and had to travel far to get to the Crimean War
She volunteered to help but initially was denied by the British War Office
She then travelled independently to Russia to help heal the wounded
She gave hope, like a healing star and a bright sunrise, to sick and dying men
Agard’s intention
Again, Agard deliberately changes the font to teach us about the history that matters more to him
He once again uses the image of illumination to highlight this aspect of history
Lines 50-53
“Dem tell me
Dem tell me wha dem want to tell me
But now I checking out me own history
I carving out me identity”
Translation
The speaker repeats the opening line of the poem, that the British only taught colonised students their version of history
However, the speaker is learning the history of his own people
By doing so, the speaker is creating his own identity
Agard’s intention
This marks a turning point in the poem, from “dem” to “I”
This shows the speaker taking ownership of his own identity
The poem is now about him, rather than them
Writer’s Methods
Although this section is organised into three separate sections - form, structure and language - it is important to take an integrated approach to AO2, focusing on the main themes and ideas of the poem and then evaluating how Agard’s choices of language, structure and form contribute to these ideas. In essence, how and why the poet has made the choices they have, in relation to their intentions and message.
Focusing on the poet’s main ideas, rather than individual poetic techniques, will gain you far more marks. In the below sections, all analysis is arranged by theme, and includes Agard’s intentions behind his choices in terms of:
Form
The poem is written as a form of dramatic monologue, in which the speaker uses oral poetry to teach the reader his history, as opposed to the history imposed upon him
Theme | Evidence | Poet’s intention |
|---|---|---|
Identity and control | Dramatic monologue from the point of view of the speaker, presumably someone who was educated in the British system | The speaker is able to take back “control” over the history that matters most to him |
Structure
Agard deliberately structures the poem into two distinct styles through the use of italics. This shows the separation between the history he was taught and black history, which is more important to his own identity
Theme | Evidence | Poet’s intention |
|---|---|---|
Identity and control | Poem alternates between two structures, marked by two different fonts | Agard juxtaposes sometimes frivolous British and white history taught in colonial schools with powerful black history |
This implies that these people have been ignored or purposefully omitted from British education, as the British chose to glorify their own historical figures | ||
Stanzas dealing with the history the speaker was forced to learn use simple rhyming couplets | The simple, almost child-like rhymes emphasise the superficial nature and lack of relevance of this history to the speaker | |
Each of these stanzas starts with “Dem tell me” | The repetition suggests frustration at the colonial control which has dominated the speaker’s life, and which now dominates these stanzas of the poem | |
Agard seems to believe that if you control what people learn about the past, then you control how people think and what they think about themselves | ||
Each stanza ends with reference to a black historical figure | This suggests the lack of prominence given to these figures | |
These stanzas also repeatedly use the connective “but” | This is used to tie together black and white history. They cannot be separated and one should not be ignored over the other | |
Final stanza links back to the first, and contrasts “Blind me to me own identity” with “I carving out me own identity” | This shows the speaker’s journey to find his own identity | |
The longer verses concentrate on someone important in black history | Agard is using an unconventional form to write about unconventional ideas | |
The lines are shorter and written in free verse, sounding more like a speech | The tone is not mocking, contrasting with the poet’s mocking tone in the stanzas referencing nursery rhymes, as if these were important | |
Agard uses non-standard phonetic spelling | Creole is the native language of an area which has arisen from attempting to speak two different languages | |
This shows how the speaker is resisting the traditions of the English language and the restrictions imposed by colonial rule | ||
Control and oppression | The poem deliberately does not use punctuation | Punctuation can be interpreted as a set of rules used to shape and restrict communication |
By not using it, Agard allows the listener or reader to interpret the poem in their own way and attach their own set of rules, and identity, to it, therefore resisting oppression |
Language
Agard uses his choice of techniques and language to contrast the importance and relevance of the British or white history taught in colonised schools with less prominent black history
Theme | Evidence | Poet’s intention |
|---|---|---|
Identity and control | Agard uses violent metaphors, such as “blind me” and “bandage up me eye” to depict the impact of not learning about history relevant to the speaker’s identity | This emphasises the deliberate nature of the abuse inflicted by colonial control |
Conflict between different histories | Verses about black history are full of positive and nature imagery, such as “mountain dream” and “yellow sunrise” | This suggests the longevity and power of these historical figures, just like the longevity and power of nature |
The rich imagery used in these verses juxtaposes with the childish lexis in the other stanzas | ||
This reflects the beautiful and complex nature of black history | ||
Agard repeatedly uses the motif of light in the black history verses. For example, “Toussaint de beacon”, “fire-woman”, “a healing star” and “a yellow sunrise” | This implies that these figures are a source of guidance and inspiration | |
They illuminate the history that has been hidden or deliberately omitted from the curriculum | ||
At the end of the poem, the poet uses the present continuous tense “I carving” | This suggests that the search for his own identity is an on-going process | |
The deliberate choice of the verb “carving” also suggests that it is a difficult and sometimes painful journey |
Context
Examiners are clear that context should not be written about separately. It is therefore important that you do not write about context separately, or include irrelevant biographical information about John Agard or the historical figures mentioned in the poem. The best way to include context is to start with the key themes and ideas in the poem, and then include an exploration of why the writer may have chosen to address these themes and ideas. This section has therefore been divided into two relevant themes that Agard explores:
Cultural identity
Guyana was a Dutch colony until 1966:
Agard was born there and received a British education
When Guyana became independent, he realised how much of his identity he had been deprived of
The title of the poem reflects the subject matter
The poem written from the perspective of someone from a Caribbean culture, as the title is written in a Creole dialect
The use of the words “Checking Out” implies a less formal way of learning about history, rather than studying it at school
The poem is filled with historic context:
On both “sides” of the British-colonial story are figures whose contributions to their home, culture or people are significant
Agard examines both sides to shed light on some of the most influential historical figures whose names are overshadowed over and over again
Much of colonial society was about being told what one’s place in the world was by someone else:
The poet is suggesting that colonial education cannot be trusted because it does not have the interests of colonised people in mind
The use of historical figures important to black and colonised peoples’ history shows the poet’s passion and pride towards his own history and identity:
These are people the poet can relate to and wants to learn about
They represent freedom from the oppression of the colonised education system
The poet may also be questioning why people don’t know about minority groups from the Caribbean, such as the Caribs and Arawaks
This suggests that people may be ignorant to his cultural identity
Oppression and control
The poem implies that denying people access to their history is a form of oppression:
It stops people from being inspired by history that is relevant to them and establishing a separate identity (to that of their colonisers)
It is possible that British and other colonised powers deliberately omitted Toussaint L’Ouverture from their teachings:
They might have feared that other oppressed peoples might learn from this example and rise up
In order to reclaim that identity, the speaker argues, colonised peoples must reclaim their history
The key to fighting back is for colonised people to investigate and learn about their own history:
If you control what people learn about the past, then you can control how people think and what they think about themselves
Whoever controls the past controls the present
The poet is therefore arguing that, without a history and a voice, we have no identity
The poem is therefore intended to apply to all people living under oppression and being denied their cultural identity
What to Compare it to
The essay you are required to write in your exam should be an integrated comparison of the ideas and themes explored in two of your anthology poems (the one given on the exam paper and one other). It is therefore essential that you revise the poems together, in pairs, to understand how each poet presents key ideas and themes, in comparison to other poets in the anthology. Given that Checking Out Me History explores ideas of identity, oppression and control, the following comparisons would be a good place to start:
For each pair of poems, you will find:
The comparison in a nutshell
Similarities between the ideas presented in each poem
Differences between the ideas presented in each poem
Evidence and analysis of these similarities and differences
Checking Out Me History and London
Comparison in a nutshell:
This comparison provides the opportunity to compare the poets’ attitudes towards the misuse of power by those in authority. However, while Agard gives a solution, Blake does not, demonstrating their differing viewpoints on the potential for cultural and social change.
Similarities:
Topic sentence | Both Agard and Blake challenge the power of humans to control and oppress | |
|---|---|---|
Evidence and analysis | Checking Out Me History | London |
Agard challenges the authority of the English curriculum, and British and other colonial powers, through the deliberate use of phonetic spelling, lack of punctuation and free verse | Blake challenges the “blackening church” for not fulfilling their obligations and helping the poor | |
The repetition of “Dem tell me” suggests the speaker’s frustration and anger at the restrictions imposed on what he is able to learn by the British education system | The monarchy is also criticised as being responsible for the misery and suffering of war | |
Agard uses nature imagery to imply the powerful force of his history and its ability to outlive the history and identity colonised education tried to impose upon him | Blake’s London criticises attempts by authorities to control and own nature, which are ultimately futile | |
He describes Nanny de Maroon as “a healing star” and “a yellow sunrise” to symbolise her power and inspiration | Blake juxtaposes “chartered” and “flow” in the line “Near where the charter’d Thames does flow”, emphasising how impossible it is for humans to ultimately have power over nature | |
The authority he is criticising cannot ultimately control forces of nature such as a star and the sunrise | Despite being mapped and owned (“chartered”), the Thames continues to “flow” naturally. It cannot be controlled | |
topic sentence | Both Agard and Blake use simple language to convey their criticisms of social and cultural inequality | |
|---|---|---|
Evidence and analysis | Checking Out Me History | London |
Agard uses simple stanzas and references to folk tales and nursery rhymes | Poem takes a simple, four stanza form using standard English | |
These contrast with the free verse and rich imagery employed in the stanzas dealing with black history | Blake wanted his poetry to feel accessible to all members of society | |
The poem is also a form of oral poetry, designed to teach by being performed, in order to convey a message | The language is almost conversational in tone | |
Both poets’ message is one of social change, so both poems have tones of frustration and anger | ||
Differences:
Topic sentence | While both poems focus on how the disenfranchised within society have very little power, Agard offers a solution to reclaim control and ownership of one’s own identity. Blake suggests the control and oppression is imposed not only by authority, but also by people themselves not rising up against oppression, and therefore he implies that nothing will change | |
|---|---|---|
Evidence and analysis | Checking Out Me History | London |
Agard focuses on prominent people in black history, using a change of font to italics and a change of style to emphasise them | London has a cyclical structure, as suffering is the focus at the start and at the end of the poem | |
This also suggests he is breaking the confining and controlling structure of the colonised education system | The quatrains and regular ABAB rhyme scheme imply that the suffering is repetitive and never-ending - he does not offer a solution | |
Agard uses imagery of light to show a contrast and hope, emphasising the “them” and “us” and the fact that people can overthrow oppression | Blake uses bleak imagery, such as “mind-forg’d manacles” to illustrate the hopelessness of the situation, and that people are trapped | |
Checking Out Me History and The Émigrée
Comparison in a nutshell:
This would be an interesting comparison because the speaker’s reflections in The Émigrée are on her own sense of identity, in a similar way as Agard does in Checking Out Me History. Both speakers suffer a loss of identity as a result of circumstances, or what they have or have not been told.
Similarities:
Topic sentence | Both Agard and Rumens attach a great deal of emotional significance to their cultural identity | |
|---|---|---|
Evidence and analysis | Checking Out Me History | The Émigrée |
The violent language connotations used by Agard, such as “Blind me” and “Bandage up me eye” imply the conflict between the speaker’s culture and the one being imposed on him by colonial rule | Conflict is shown by Rumens with the aggressive undertones of her choice of language, such as “I am branded by” and “They accuse me” | |
The importance of language to identity is evidence through Agard’s use of Creole to represent the different cultures which have influenced him | In Rumens’s poem, the speaker carried “That child’s vocabulary”, suggesting the strong connection to the language of their childhood and their sense of identity | |
Agard uses light imagery to represent hope, freedom and inspiration | Rumens also uses light imagery to represent a dreamlike, idealised childhood, representing all that was good | |
For example, “Toussaint de beacon”, “A shining star” and “A yellow sunrise” | For example, “an impression of sunlight”, “the graceful slopes glow” and “It tastes of sunlight” | |
The speaker in this poem is longing for a better sense of his history and identity | The speaker in The Émigrée is also longing for a return, but she has “no passport, there’s no way back at all” suggesting that even though she feels a sense of cultural belonging and a desire to return to her childhood home, there is a barrier there | |
In this way, both poems have barriers to identity | ||
Differences:
Topic sentence | Both poets explore conflict and identity in different ways. Rumens’s poem is reflective and suggests one’s identity and strength comes from the past and memory, whereas Agard places emphasis on the relevance of facts and history on the person in order to form a sense of identity | |
|---|---|---|
Evidence and analysis | Checking Out Me History | The Émigrée |
The speaker in Agard’s poem is angry and frustrated about the education imposed on him in his childhood, and what was left out | The speaker reminisces fondly about her childhood - uses light imagery in “an impression of sunlight” “the white streets” and “it tastes of sunlight” | |
He is discussing the historic omittance of a large chunk of history that was never taught to him | The speaker in Rumens’s poem is reflecting on somewhere she has left, but knows her own personal history | |
The speaker in Agard’s poem does not remember the past he was taught fondly | The speaker reflects with fondness and nostalgia on the relationship between where she is now and where she wants to be | |
He wants to forge ahead with “carving out” his own history and identity | Her memory of the past is stronger than where she is now | |
These differences demonstrate that identity is very individual | ||
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