essay on half caste poem

By John Agard

John Agard’s poem ‘Half-caste’ is a poem that is, in a majority, filled with the speaker responding to being called half-caste.

He was chosen for the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry in 2012. His collections include Shoot Me With Flowers.

Poem Analyzed by Jamie Jenson

English Teacher, with a B.A. Honors in English and a M.Sc. in Education

The poet is a versatile writer known for his poems, stories, children’s literature, drama , and nonfiction. Agard was born in what is now Guyana in 1949; he is of Afro-Guyanese descent, and his mixed-race upbringing is probably his inspiration for writing this poem. Agard started his writing career as a journalist in Guyana.  ‘Half-Caste’  is his most famous poem.

He moved to England in the late 1970s and became a lecturer on Caribbean culture. He has won various awards for his children’s books and poetry throughout his career, and in 1993, he became the Poet in Residence at the BBC in London. Agard continues to write and publish his works today.

This poem was included in Agard’s 2005 collection of poems called Half-Caste . The anthology dealt with issues those of mixed race were facing in the United Kingdom.

Explore Half-Caste

• 2 Structure and Form
• 3 Literary Devices
• 4 Analysis of Half-Caste
• 5 Similar Poetry

‘Half-caste’ is a derogatory term for a person who is of mixed race. The speaker begins the poem by excusing himself for being half-caste, though it is evident fairly early on that this apology is chock-full of sarcasm . The majority of the poem is filled with the speaker responding to being called half-caste. He provides countless examples of the positive sides to being half-caste, asking himself if being “half-caste” is like Picasso mixing his colors or the dreary English weather that is filled with cloudy skies. The speaker tells the reader that he will soon tell the “other half” of his story, signifying that his mixed race by no means defines who he is as a person—there is so much more.

Structure and Form

‘Half-Caste’ by John Agard is composed of four stanzas of varying length, although there does seem to be some symmetry with these stanzas, as the first and last stanzas contain only three lines, and the second and third stanzas are both fairly long.

Literary Devices

Agard makes use of several literary devices in  ‘Half-Caste.’  These include but are not limited to:

• Enjambment : occurs when the poet cuts off a line before its natural stopping point. For example, the transition between lines one and two of stanza one as well as lines two and three of stanza two.
• Imagery : for example, “ Sit down at dah piano / An mix a black key / Wid a white key / Is a half-caste symphony?”
• Dialect : a form of a language spoken by a group of people. It can be seen throughout the poem.

Analysis of Half-Caste

Excuse me Standing on one leg I’m half-caste

It is important here to touch on Agard’s diction. The word “caste” is associated with the word “purity”; therefore, it is easy to assume that “half-caste” is a derogatory term for someone who is in some way impure, and in this case, that means they are not of one single race. While this term was once accepted, it certainly is insulting and today would be considered to be racist and fueled with ignorance and prejudice.

Agard also employs sarcasm in his first stanza, seemingly apologizing for being of mixed race. It is evident in the stanzas following the first that he is really not apologizing at all. In fact, he is lauding the fact that he is “half-caste.”

After the first stanza, Agard writes the rest of his poem using a Caribbean-English dialect, spelling words out phonetically instead of using proper spelling.

Agard also uses very little punctuation throughout the entire poem, lending a sense of urgency to the speaker’s response. He is obviously very passionate about this topic, and he feels the need to rush in order to fully defend himself as a half-caste.

Stanzas Two and Three

Explain yuself Wha yu mean When yu say half-caste Yu mean when picasso (…) When yu say half-caste? Yu mean tchaikovsky Sit down at dah piano An mix a black key Wid a white key Is a half-caste symphony? Explain yuself Wha yu mean Ah listening to yu wid de keen Half of mih ear Ah looking at u wid de keen Half of mih eye (…) I half-caste human being Cast half-a-shadow But yu come back tomorrow Wid de whole of yu eye An de whole of yu ear And de whole of yu mind

The second and third stanzas are filled with metaphors : Agard compares being half-caste to black and white piano keys making a symphony and Picasso mixing reds and greens to create his masterpieces. He demands to know what the person asking him means when he says “half-caste.” Agard writes:

Agard’s blatant disregard for punctuation and capitalization is curious here, particularly because he does separate each example he gives with not a question mark, but rather a slash, creating an interesting division between each scenario he gives. Again, these slashes add to the confrontational, angry tone of the poem . The speaker is so quick to offer his argument that he has no time for any real pauses.

Agard also utilizes repetition throughout his passages, constantly asking the person to whom he’s speaking to “explain yuself/what yu mean/when yu say half-caste…” before giving his examples of what the term “half-caste” could possibly mean.

Agard’s second example is far longer than his explanation as to why Picasso’s art may be deemed half-caste. Agard compares the English weather to being half-caste, saying the mix of sun and clouds in the sky is always present in England. His anger really shows in this example, using the word spiteful when discussing how the clouds sometimes seem to not want the sun to be visible. The last line, “ah rass,” is especially angry. This phrase is a Creole term that translates to “my ass,” something someone says when they are angrily dismissing another person’s argument.

Agard uses an allusion to further his point in his third example. The speaker asks the person to whom he’s speaking if Tchaikovsky, a famous Russian composer, created half-caste symphonies because he mixed the black and white keys of the piano as he wrote his masterpieces.

In the third stanza, the examples of half-caste cease, and the tone becomes increasingly angry and accusatory. The speaker takes an inward glance at himself, telling the reader that because he’s only “half,” he can only listen with half his ear, offer half a hand when someone needs help, and dream with his eyes only half-closed. It is difficult to separate this stanza by line since it has several ideas strung together. Agard writes:

In the final six lines of the poem, Agard says he is only half a human being who casts only half a shadow, but the other person in the poem can come back tomorrow with his whole self—his eyes, ears, and mind. This poem is brimming with sarcasm; one can almost imagine the speaker spitting these words vehemently at the person who dares to assume someone of mixed race is in some way lesser.

Stanza Four

An I will tell yu De other half Of my story

The fourth stanza is a continuation of the third, with Agard telling the person to whom he is addressing that if were to come back tomorrow, the speaker would tell him the other half of his story. Agard writes, “an I will tell yu/de other half/of my story.” These words are quite powerful: Agard is telling his reader that his race is not his full story—there is so much more to him than what one sees at first glance.

Similar Poetry

Readers who enjoyed  ‘Half-Caste’  should also consider reading some similar poems. For example:

• ‘ Dreams ‘ by Langston Hughes – reflects on the possible death of dreams in an “if” scenario, which indicates “ dreams ” do not have to “die.” Read more Langston Hughes poems .
• ‘ The Importance of Elsewhere ‘  by Philip Larkin – is a poem about Irish culture. The poet describes himself and his life in Ireland as an Englishman. Explore more poetry from Philip Larkin .
• ‘ To Live in the Borderlands ‘  by Gloria Anzaldua  – explores Anzaldua’s own heritage and her mixed-race identity.

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Um great analysis i dunno how long ago this was posted but um i have a few questions; so um why when the “ speaker tells the reader that he will soon tell the “other half” of his story, signifying that his mixed-race by no means defines who he is as a person—there is so much more” exist. Um so basically how does the last stanza show the AUTHOR THINKS his mixed race doesnt define him as a person

I think the person who wrote this article suggests that their heritage does not define them entirely. Yes, it is part of them, but there is more to them than just the colour of their skin.

Thanks for the great analysis really helped me out w my gcse´s

You’re not the real Lee-James! But you’re welcome.

Mr Jackson got chlamydia and hpv

I’m sorry Miss Jackson…

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Jenson, Jamie. "Half-Caste by John Agard". Poem Analysis , https://poemanalysis.com/john-agard/half-caste/ . Accessed 25 September 2024.

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Half-Caste Summary & Analysis by John Agard

• Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis
• Poetic Devices
• Vocabulary & References
• Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme
• Line-by-Line Explanations

"Half-Caste" is a 2005 poem written by John Agard. Agard was born in Guyana (at the time British Guyana) in 1949 and moved to England in 1977. Contextualized in England, the poem explores the use of the word "half-caste," a derogatory term referring to people of mixed race. This is done through an unidentified speaker who, in response to being deemed "half-caste," provides a very tongue-in-cheek exploration of what this descriptor actually means. In doing so, the poem subverts racist thinking that would distill human identity into a simple matter of black and white. The poem is also notably written using a mixture of standard English and Caribbean Creole, and its form thus reflects the multifaceted identity of the poet himself.

• Read the full text of “Half-Caste”

The Full Text of “Half-Caste”

“half-caste” summary, “half-caste” themes.

The Ignorance and Absurdity of Racism

Line-by-line explanation & analysis of “half-caste”.

Excuse me ... ... I'm half-caste

Explain yuself ... ... yu say half-caste

yu mean when ... ... a half-caste canvas/

Lines 10-12

explain yuself ... ... yu say half-caste

Lines 13-18

yu mean when ... ... nearly always half-caste

Lines 19-23

in fact some ... ... ah rass/

Lines 24-26

explain yuself ... ... yu say half-caste/

Lines 27-32

yu mean when ... ... a half-caste symphony/

Lines 33-41

Explain yuself ... ... offer yu half-a-hand

Lines 42-49

an when I ... ... cast half-a-shadow

Lines 50-53

but yu must ... ... of yu mind

Lines 54-56

an I will ... ... of my story

“Half-Caste” Symbols

Clouds and Sunlight

• Lines 13-22: “yu mean when light an shadow / mix in de sky / is a half-caste weather/ / well in dat case / england weather / nearly always half-caste / in fact some o dem cloud / half-caste till dem overcast / so spiteful dem dont want de /     sun pass”

“Half-Caste” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language

• Line 4: “Explain yuself”
• Lines 5-6: “wha yu mean / when yu say half-caste”
• Lines 7-10: “yu mean when picasso / mix red an green / Is a half-caste canvas/ / explain yuself”
• Lines 11-12: “wha yu mean / when yu say half-caste”
• Lines 13-15: “yu mean when light an shadow / mix in de sky / is a half-caste weather/”
• Lines 24-32: “explain yuself / wha yu mean / when yu say half-caste/ / yu mean when tchaikovsky / sit down at dah /     piano / and mix a black key / wid a white key / is a half-caste symphony/”
• Lines 33-34: “Explain yuself / Wha yu mean”
• Lines 7-9: “yu mean when picasso / mix red an green / Is a half-caste canvas/”
• Lines 27-32: “yu mean when tchaikovsky / sit down at dah /     piano / and mix a black key / wid a white key / is a half-caste symphony/”
• Lines 39-49: “an when I'm introduced to you / I'm sure you'll understand / why I offer yu half-a-hand / an when I sleep at night / I close half-a-eye / consequently when I dream / I dream half-a-dream / an when moon begin /     to glow / I half-caste human being / cast half-a-shadow”
• Lines 7-9: “yu mean when picasso / mix red an green / Is a half-caste canvas”
• Lines 13-15: “yu mean when light an shadow / mix in de sky / is a half-caste weather”
• Lines 27-32: “yu mean when tchaikovsky / sit down at dah /     piano / and mix a black key / wid a white key / is a half-caste symphony”
• Line 7: “picasso”
• Line 27: “tchaikovsky”
• Line 3: “half-caste”
• Lines 4-7: “Explain yuself / wha yu mean / when yu say half-caste / yu mean when”
• Line 9: “Is a half-caste canvas”
• Lines 10-13: “explain yuself / wha yu mean / when yu say half-caste / yu mean when”
• Line 15: “is a half-caste weather”
• Line 18: “half-caste”
• Line 20: “half-caste ”
• Lines 24-27: “explain yuself / wha yu mean / when yu say half-caste/ / yu mean when”
• Line 30: “black key”
• Line 31: “white key”
• Line 32: “is a half-caste symphony”
• Lines 33-38: “Explain yuself / Wha yu mean / Ah listening to yu wid de keen / half of mih ear / Ah looking at u wid de keen / half of mih eye”
• Line 41: “half-a-hand”
• Line 43: “half-a-eye”
• Lines 44-45: “when I dream / I dream half-a-dream”
• Lines 48-49: “half-caste human being / cast half-a-shadow”
• Lines 51-53: “wid de whole of yu eye / an de whole of yu ear / and de whole of yu mind”

Colloquialism

• Line 23: “ah rass”
• Lines 5-6: “mean / when”
• Lines 7-8: “picasso / mix”
• Lines 8-9: “green / Is”
• Lines 11-12: “mean / when”
• Lines 13-14: “shadow / mix”
• Lines 14-15: “ sky / is”
• Lines 16-17: “case / england”
• Lines 17-18: “weather / nearly”
• Lines 19-20: “cloud / half-caste”
• Lines 21-22: “de /     sun”
• Lines 25-26: “mean / when”
• Lines 27-28: “tchaikovsky / sit”
• Lines 28-30: “dah /     piano / and”
• Lines 30-31: “ key / wid”
• Lines 31-32: “key / is”
• Lines 35-36: “keen / half”
• Lines 37-38: “keen / half”
• Lines 40-41: “understand / why”
• Lines 42-43: “night / I”
• Lines 44-45: “dream / I”
• Lines 46-47: “begin /     to”
• Lines 47-48: “glow / I”
• Lines 48-49: “ being / cast”
• Lines 50-51: “ tomorrow / wid”
• Lines 54-55: “yu / de”
• Lines 55-56: “half / of”
• Lines 48-49: “I half-caste human being / cast half-a-shadow”
• Line 1: “Excuse”
• Line 3: “caste”
• Line 4: “Explain”
• Line 6: “caste”
• Line 8: “mix”
• Line 9: “caste canvas”
• Line 10: “explain”
• Line 12: “caste”
• Line 14: “mix,” “sky”
• Line 15: “caste”
• Line 16: “case”
• Line 18: “caste”
• Line 19: “cloud”
• Line 20: “caste,” “overcast”
• Line 21: “so spiteful dem dont”
• Lines 21-22: “de /     sun pass”
• Line 23: “rass”
• Line 24: “explain”
• Line 26: “caste”
• Line 30: “mix,” “black key”
• Line 31: “wid,” “white key”
• Line 32: “caste,” “symphony”
• Line 33: “Explain”
• Line 35: “keen”
• Line 37: “keen”
• Line 40: “understand”
• Line 41: “half,” “hand”
• Line 43: “close”
• Line 44: “consequently”
• Line 46: “an when moon begin”
• Line 48: “half-caste human”
• Line 49: “cast half”
• Line 50: “come back”
• Line 6: “half-caste”
• Line 9: “half-caste”
• Line 12: “half-caste”
• Line 15: “half-caste”
• Line 20: “half-caste,” “overcast”
• Line 22: “pass”
• Line 23: “ah,” “rass”
• Line 30: “black,” “key”
• Line 31: “key”
• Line 32: “half-caste symphony”
• Line 34: “mean”
• Line 41: “hand”
• Line 42: “I,” “night”
• Line 43: “I,” “eye”
• Line 44: “consequently,” “dream”
• Line 45: “dream,” “half,” “dream”
• Line 46: “when,” “moon,” “begin”
• Line 47: “glow”
• Line 48: “half-caste,” “being”
• Line 49: “cast half,” “shadow”
• Line 50: “but yu must come,” “back tomorrow”

Juxtaposition

• Lines 35-38: “Ah listening to yu wid de keen / half of mih ear / Ah looking at u wid de keen / half of mih eye”
• Lines 51-56: “wid de whole of yu eye / an de whole of yu ear / and de whole of yu mind / an I will tell yu / de other half / of my story”

“Half-Caste” Vocabulary

Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.

• Tchaikovsky
• (Location in poem: Line 3: “half-caste”; Line 6: “half-caste”; Line 9: “half-caste”; Line 12: “half-caste”; Line 15: “half-caste”; Line 18: “half-caste”; Line 20: “half-caste”; Line 26: “half-caste”; Line 32: “half-caste”; Line 48: “half-caste”)

Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “Half-Caste”

Rhyme scheme, “half-caste” speaker, “half-caste” setting, literary and historical context of “half-caste”, more “half-caste” resources, external resources.

A Biography of John Agard — Learn more about the poem's author.

John Agard Reads "Half-Caste" Aloud — John Agard reads his poem "Half-Caste" and talks about race.

John Agard Reflects on Racism — An interview with John Agard in which he speaks on his own experiences with racism in England.

A Guide to Creole — Learn more about the history of creole languages like that portrayed in the poem.

A Brief History of the Term "Half-Caste" — The abstract of this paper offers a quick overview of the term's development and history as a derogatory slur.

LitCharts on Other Poems by John Agard

Checking Out Me History

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Analysis (Half-Caste)

This is a poem about asserting your identity against others who would ‘bring you down’. John Agard was born in Guyana in 1949, with a Caribbean father and a Portuguese mother (he is of mixed race). In 1977, he moved to Britain, where he became angry with people who referred to him as ‘half-caste’. Realising that most people who say this do so without thinking about what it really means, he tells off people who use this term without thinking.

The poem’s content starts by sarcastically ‘apologising’ for being half-caste – ‘ Excuse me standing on one leg I’m half-caste ’. He is not really apologising. This is satire – although the poem starts by apologising for being half-caste, Agard means exactly the opposite.

The next section of the poem argues that mixing colours in art, weather and symphonies does not make a half-thing. When he says: ‘ Yu mean when Picasso mix red an green is a half-caste canvas ’, he is arguing that mixing colours is a good thing, and makes things better! You could say the same for blood and cultures.

He then writes how he must be able only to listen with half-a-ear, look with half-a-eye, offer us half-a-hand, etc. – a sarcastic, even angry, denunciation of the word ‘ half ’ in ‘half-caste’. He writes: ‘I half-caste human being cast half-a-shadow ’ – here, ‘half-a-shadow’ has a sinister vampire-like tone, and the author seems to be pointing out that by using the word half-caste, people are saying that he is not really human, but inferring that there is something sub-human, even evil about him.

He finishes by saying: ‘ but yu must come back tomorrow wid … de whole of yu mind ’ – here he is pointing out that it is us who have been thinking with only half-a-brain when we thoughtlessly use the word ‘half-caste’. In this way, he challenges the readers to change their thinking, and come up with a better word.

As for the poet’s feelings, in early recordings of the poem, Agard sounds angry and bitter. ‘ Excuse me standing on one leg …’ is said in an aggressive tone.  

He objects to being called half a human being, and asserts that there is much more to him than we realise.  

The words: ‘ I half-caste human being ’ show that he is insulted by the term ‘half-caste’.  

His tone is challenging, even threatening (e.g: ‘ Explain yuself wha yu mean when yu say half-caste ’) as he asserts his identity as a whole human being and demands that readers change their attitudes.

In later recordings, Agard does not sound as angry – he even makes a joke of it, and he brings out the humour of phrases such as: ‘ Excuse me standing on one leg ’. Perhaps this is because fewer people use the term half-caste nowadays. But it may also be that sees the funny side to it himself.

For the poem’s structure, the poet uses short lines (e.g. ‘ Excuse me ’) and almost no punctuation (he uses ‘/’ instead of a full stop) to convey the direct and confrontational nature of the message. It makes the poem go quickly so it feels like someone ‘kicking off’ at you - pouring out his feelings at the reader.

One line is devoted to the Caribbean phrase: ‘ ah rass ’ – an expletive meaning ‘my arse’ – which makes this line of the poem very angry and aggressive, as though Agard has just got so angry explaining his argument that he cannot contain his anger any more.

He repeats key phrases such as ‘ Explain yuself ’ (four times) and ‘ haaaalf-caste ’ to hammer home his message. 

The poem does not rhyme, but the words do have a Caribbean rhythm which is reinforced by the repetition of phrases like: ‘ Wha yu mean ’ and: ‘ de whole of ’; this reminds you of Caribbean limbo dancing and sense of rhythm – perhaps Agard is asserting his Caribbean heritage, or perhaps it just comes naturally from his childhood in Guyana.

The language of the poem is a mixture of Caribbean dialect and formal British English – the poet at one point says in Caribbean dialect: ‘ Ah lookin at yu wid de keen half of mih eye ’, but at another in standard English: ‘ Consequently when I dream I dream half-a-dream ’. This very powerfully gets across the fact that Agard is of mixed heritage.

Agard uses direct speech (e.g. ‘ I’/ ‘yu ’) and many commands (such as ‘ Explain yuself ’) to point his thoughts directly at the reader, and to make the poem challenging and confrontational.

Agard makes use of metaphor, comparing ‘half-caste’ to art, the weather and music, which makes the poem a kind of parable – many teachers use analogy in their teaching to get the point across.

He also uses scathing humour – including the joke: ‘ in dat case england weather nearly always half-caste ’ – because humour can also help to give a point more impact.

Key Message

The poem has four sections, each with a different message so that – even though it is funny and angry – the poem gradually builds up its argument, step by step, that ‘half-caste’ is an unacceptable phrase and we ought not to use it.

You can find analysis of all the Edexcel Conflict Poetry Anthology Poems here . 

Watch the video below to help you remember the key poetic terms and the forms and structure of poetry to help you achieve the top grades.

Half-Caste, John Agard Poem Analysis/Annotations

• May 27, 2020
• All Poems / GCSE Edexcel

Half-Caste, John Agard

FULL POEM - SCROLL DOWN FOR LINE-BY-LINE ANALYSIS​

standing on one leg

I’m half-caste

Explain yuself

wha yu mean

when yu say half-caste

yu mean when picasso

mix red an green

is a half-caste canvas/

explain yuself

yu mean when light an shadow

mix in de sky

is a half-caste weather

well in dat case

england weather

nearly always half-caste

in fact some o dem cloud

half-caste till dem overcast

so spiteful dem dont want de sun pass

yu mean tchaikovsky

sit down at dah piano

an mix a black key

wid a white key

is a half-caste symphony

Ah listening to yu wid de keen

half of mih ear

Ah looking at u wid de keen

half of mih eye

and when I’m introduced to yu

I’m sure you’ll understand

why I offer yu half-a-hand

an when I sleep at night

I close half-a-eye

consequently when I dream

I dream half-a-dream

an when moon begin to glow

I half-caste human being

cast half-a-shadow

but yu come back tomorrow

wid de whole of yu eye

an de whole of yu ear

and de whole of yu mind

an I will tell yu

de other half

of my story

SUMMARY AND CONTEXT

John Agard is an Afro-Guyanese poet born in British Guiana in 1949. Agard moved to Britain with his partner in 1977 and his mixed race and resulting experiences upon moving to Britain is what the poem draws inspiration from. Consequently the poem is very personal in nature, however remains light-hearted through Agard’s colloquial, humorous and sarcastic tone and use of the occasional basic rhyme or half-rhyme in the absence of a regular rhyme-scheme.

LINE-BY-LINE ANALYSIS

The first stanza sees Agard directly addressing those that label him as ‘half-caste’ (a derogatory term for a person of mixed racial heritage. It is derived from the Latin Castus, meaning pure, implying that those that are mixed-race are less ‘pure’ compared to those that are not, hence is dehumanising). Agard comments on the absurdity of this dehumanisation by offering the reader a physical interpretation, whereby he compares it to him ‘standing on one leg’ as though he is in some way half a human being.

After the first stanza, the language switches to phonetic Caribbean-English dialect, embodying Agard’s mixed racial heritage and he demands an explanation for the use of the term, like he is seeking an intelligent justification, that he knows the person he is speaking to will be unable to provide.

Agard goes on to utilise a number of metaphorical examples to convey the idiocy of the term to the reader and undermine those that label him in this way:

When painting, Picasso mixes colours to achieve one closer to what he desires in his pieces. Agard comments on how ridiculous it would be to label a piece of art created in this way as a separate, less valuable entity – which contrasts with racial stereotypes.

To label natural phenomena in such a way would seem absurd, hence Agard questions why apply it to humanity – a form of nature like the clouds and sky?

The juxtaposition of ‘half-caste’ and ‘overcast’ is a clever use of wordplay. The words obviously are far-removed in terms of origin and meaning, however not so in this metaphorical case. Just previously, Agard described situations where clouds and sunlight were both present in the sky as ‘half-caste’ (a mix of the two). He compares this to the case when the sky is overcast i.e. where the clouds blanket the sky entirely. Racially, the latter likens to the case of someone who is not mixed race.

Agard once again uses the term in the context of art, like he did previously with Picasso, to relay its irrationality. Interestingly, as is the case for Picasso, Tchaikovsky is not capitalised. It fits the colloquial, unsophisticated tone of the poem. This metaphor also links more directly to mixed-race in humanity, with the image of the black and white keys corresponding to black and white skin tones.

The refrain of this direct address throughout gives the poem a very personal tone, reiterating to the reader the extent to which the derogatory term offends Agard, which may otherwise be overseen due to the poem’s colloquial, sarcastic tone.

Both sarcasm and poignancy are escalated in this section of the poem. Agard, again, undermines the term half-caste by emphasising the absurd way in which it likens him to being half a human being by in some way being less ‘pure’ compared to those of one ethnicity. The imagery of Agard looking with half an eye to shaking hands with half a hand are comical, although saddening upon reflection.

It’s then very sarcastic how, having described himself as half a person, he describes the person he is speaking to as a full or complete person, with a whole eye, ear, and mind. Through this sarcasm, he is mocking the term and those that address him with it by accentuating its absurdity, thereby undermining it.

In the final stanza, Agard dispels the idea that he is half a person (an idea that he created to undermine the term), saying that he does indeed have another half to his story. He will only tell this to the person he is addressing, however, if they see him as their equal, disregarding all stereotypes.

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Half-Caste Lyrics

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This John Agard poem criticises the use of the term “half-caste”, a popular British slur against mixed-race individuals.

The poem demonstrates Agard’s subtle cleverness. He assumes naivety and mock-stupidity, asks the listener to ‘explain’ what is meant by the insulting term ‘half-caste’. Agard then applies the idea of incompleteness to the world around us. So, the insult is converted to a joke when Agard says, for example, ‘…mix a black key/Wid a white key/Is a half-caste symphony?’.

The overriding tone of this poem is humorous, the most effective way, as Agard is no doubt aware, to achieve understanding. There are, however, mocking, sarcastic undertones. The poem works best when spoken aloud in performance.

Structure The poem comprises four stanzas, two concise three lined stanzas, know as tercets, at the beginning and end, which form an introduction and conclusion. The two longer stanzas contain Agard’s humorous word-play and refrain ‘Explain yuself’. There is no regular rhyme scheme, although occasional rhyme, and line lengths are varied.

This occasional rhyme/half-rhyme, along with the short lines, give the poem a rhythm that belongs to traditional Caribbean street poetry, poems that (like this one) were designed to be heard, not read.

The shape of the poem looks like ‘half’ a picture – the other half is absent. This reflects the fact that this poem is only ‘half of my story’.

Language Agard uses the dialect with which he grew up, with the phonetic spelling that enables it to be universally understood. The voice is that of the poet, challenging another person who uses the derogatory term ‘half-caste’. Agard gently mocks the speaker by himself assuming innocence, asking ‘naive’ questions that highlight the preposterous nature of the language used.

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• “Half-caste” is a poem by John Agard , noted Guyanese poet and playwright.
• The poem is a critique of the term ‘half-caste’ , seen as derogatory through the poet’s perspective.
• Agard invites the reader to contemplate about the complexities and richness of mixed heritage.

Theme: Identity and Prejudices

• Agard uses the poem as a platform to question racial biases and the derogatory term ‘half-caste’, suggesting it implies being half a person.
• Rather than feeling incomplete due to his mixed heritage, the poet asserts that he is enriched.
• The use of musical and artistic analogies illustrates the harmonious co-existence of different cultures within a person.

Theme: Language and Power

• Agard manipulates the English language to convey his point, using Creole dialect to establish his identity and challenge linguistic prejudices.
• He takes phrases associated with being ‘half-caste’ and subverts them to criticise the racial prejudices associated with the term.
• The language and dialect variations play a crucial role in this poem, indicating that language can not only stereotype but also empower.

Devices and Structure:

Device: Repetition

• The repeated phrase, “Explain yuself” , emphasises the poet’s demand for an explanation from those who use the term ‘half-caste’.
• This repetition also ridicules the term, suggesting its underlying absurdity and unfairness.

Device: Metaphor and Simile

• Agard uses vivid metaphors and similes throughout the poem to reject the idea of ‘half-caste’.
• He compares himself to great works of art, weather phenomena, and harmonious music to emphasise the beauty and complexity of a mixed heritage.
• The poem lacks a regular structure. It doesn’t follow traditional forms of poetry which resonates with Agard’s rejection of conventional categorisation of individuals.
• The sporadic and discontinuous nature also mirrors the challenge of defining identity in rigid binary terms.

Interpretation:

• “Half-caste” is an assertion of the mixed-heritage identity and criticises the prejudices it encounters.
• It presents a discourse on how limiting and negligent societal labels can be while celebrating the essence of diversity.
• Above all, it invites the reader to question their own preconceptions and embrace a richer, more comprehensive understanding of identity.

Excuse me standing on one leg I’m half-caste Explain yuself wha yu mean when yu say half-caste yu mean when picasso mix red an green is a half-caste canvas/ explain yuself wha u mean when yu say half-caste yu mean when light an shadow mix in de sky is a half-caste weather/ well in dat case england weather nearly always half-caste in fact some o dem cloud half-caste till dem overcast so spiteful dem dont want de sun pass ah rass/ explain yuself wha yu mean when yu say half-caste yu mean tchaikovsky sit down at dah piano an mix a black key wid a white key is a half-caste symphony/ Explain yuself wha yu mean Ah listening to yu wid de keen half of mih ear Ah looking at u wid de keen half of mih eye and when I’m introduced to yu I’m sure you’ll understand why I offer yu half-a-hand an when I sleep at night I close half-a-eye consequently when I dream I dream half-a-dream an when moon begin to glow I half-caste human being cast half-a-shadow but yu come back tomorrow wid de whole of yu eye an de whole of yu ear and de whole of yu mind an I will tell yu de other half of my story

Summary of Half-Caste

Analysis of literary devices used in half-caste.

an I will tell yu de other half of my story

Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in Half-Caste

Quotes to be used, related posts:, post navigation.

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GCSE: John Agard: Half-Caste

• English Language
• Poems from Different Cultures
• John Agard: Half-Caste

I have chosen Half-Caste and Nothing's Changed because both discuss the issue of racism.

I have chosen Half-Caste and Nothing's Changed because both discuss the issue of racism. Half-Caste is about the subject of treatment against mixed race people being one himself. Likewise Nothing's Changed is based on discrimination, deliberating about non-whites and whites being treated differently. However John Agard comes across in a sarcastic method and Tatamkhulu clearly shows his anger and opinion in an angry mood. Both Tatamkhulu Afrika and John Agard portray racist attitudes as a unlawful punishment because of only their ethnic group. John Agard is a mixed race individual who wrote about the half minded people who think and use the word 'Half-Caste'. On the other hand the poem Nothing's Changed is about the whites and non-whites in the area called District Six in the period of which apartheid was alleged to be over. Both express anger, Nothing's Changed more than the other. John Agard expresses his point across in a humorous characteristic. Each poet is talking about the same issue, racism being the issue in this case but express their ideas and attitudes in different and similar ways. 'yu mean when Picasso mix red an green is a half-caste canvas', and 'yu mean when light an shadow mix in de sky is a half-caste weather'. This being from Half-Caste shows that things that people witness are a mixture of things and aren't looked at as half of something so why are John

• Word count: 1563
• Level: GCSE
• Subject: English

How do poets from other cultures and traditions show suffering because of their identity?

How do poets from other cultures and traditions show suffering because of their identity? All sorts and types of people suffer through things like racial or cultural identity, because they may be a different colour or come from some where else, or even just because they talk differently. In the poems I have studied Half-Caste, Ogun and Nothing's Changed, the poets put across feelings of hurt and anger mostly because of this discrimination. The main message in the poem of half-caste is that the writer, John Agard, feels as if people only see him as half a person because of this term 'half-caste.' It tells us that he suffers every time people look or talk to him because he assumes they immediately think he is 'half-caste' which is what he believes means half a person. In reality he does not want anyone to look at him any differently from themselves. This is brought across by many techniques. The imagery that John Agard puts into people's mind with the poem is that it is about just half a person: '...I close half-a-eye, consequently when I dream, I dream half-a-dream...' The quote above shows the narrator is using irony to question what the reader thinks of him, by saying he is 'half-caste.' It also shows that he thinks the term 'half-caste' is ridiculous, saying this is what I must do if I'm half a person. The language used in the first and second stanza changes from

• Word count: 1515

Compare How Agard Challenges Particular Values and Ways of Thinking in Listen Mr. Oxford Don and Half Caste

Compare How Agard Challenges Particular Values and Ways of Thinking in 'Listen Mr. Oxford Don' and 'Half Caste' The poems, 'Listen Mr. Oxford Don' and 'Half Caste' were both written by John Agard, and in both of these poems, Agard challenges the status quo. In 'Listen Mr. Oxford Don', he challenges the use of language and in 'Half Caste', he challenges views of ethnicity. In the poem 'Listen Mr. Oxford Don', Agard characterizes Mr. Oxford Don as the 'Guardian of English', and the idea of a person who uses the 'correct' form of English. In this poem, Agard challenges the view that Standard English is the correct form of English, and other forms of English are of a lesser status. In the poem 'Half Caste', Agard challenges the reader prejudices towards people of mixed ethnicity. In 'Listen Mr. Oxford Don', Agard uses repetition of particular words and imagery to help him convey his ideas. He uses the phrase, "is a dangerous one" twice in the poem. He also uses sentence like, "I ent have no gun" to create the image of violence. Words such as, 'bashing' and 'slashing' are also used by Agard which suggest him being very threatening. The reason that Agard creates all these violent images is because he wants us to know that he's a peaceful man, but he can be very dangerous if people think that English has to be spoken in a particular way. Unlike 'Listen Mr. Oxford Don', in 'Half

• Word count: 1289

Comparing John Agard

Nothings changed & Half caste I am going to be pointing out the content and the structure of tatamkhulu afrika Nothings Changed and John Agar's Half Caste. Both poems use different type of text and language. Both writers make you read between the lines to show how they express their feelings. I will also be identifying the purpose, poetic spelling and the image and rhythm Of the poem. Both poems deal with the same issues, which is the way of life. These poems are fantastic as you analyse them. An image is a picture that is imprinted from a book or poem. I am going to analyse the imagery that the writers show in the poem. The two writers show a great deal of imagery because it is an important element that the writer tries to show. Half caste uses an angry image towards the reader.' Explain yuself'. Just those words put an explosive image that the writer is telling an angry poem. Nothings changed use a more calm sense of imagery to explain him in a lower tone. The describes the surroundings very well and puts this image in your mind.' Amiable weeds'. This is a quick summery of the ground because you start to see and build up an image of the surroundings. The language shown in the two poems Nothings changed and half-caste are effective because both poems try to make a point. John agard and tuamkhulu Africa use the same type of language, which is anger and expression.

• Word count: 1227

Difference between poems

Comparing and Contrasting 'Still I Rise' And 'Half-Cast' Both poems are a response to other people's idea of the poet's cultural identities. The poems are written as though the poet is replying to some one directly. 'Half-Cast' is about a multi cultural person who is standing up against racism and against people look down upon them because of their ethnicity. John Agard is arguing with the person who is being racist to him by questioning if 'Half-Cast' means he is half a man. 'Still I rise' is about a woman, Maya Angelou who has had a traumatic personal and cultural history but still she rises above it. She has had to face racial and sexual prejudice, but she still stands strong. In 'Half-Cast' John Agard opens the poem with a polite but angry request. This opening is only an angry one because of the following lines. 'Excuse me; standing on one leg, I am half-cast' This sarcasm is showing that he is trying to be nice but is annoyed about it. The first line is very polite but immediately after the poet is acquiring the 'reader' of suggesting he is half a man by using the words 'half-caste'. He uses informal language throughout the poem, the language is also written in john Agard's dialect. It makes you say the words how it sounds. This could be the poet celebrating his culture. 'Explain yuself, Wha yu mean' This also makes you as the reader feel the anger, annoyance and

• Word count: 865

Halfcast and Unrelated incidents

'Compare and contrast how other cultures are shown in Half-Caste and Unrelated Incidents'. The poems I am comparing are "Half-Caste", written by John Agard possibly during the twentieth century, due to that being the era Agard moved to England, encountering racism and misunderstanding of other cultures. The other poem is "Unrelated Incidents" written by Tom Leonard in 1969, the date is also shown in his poem by mentioning "BBC" which was created 50 years earlier. Both poems share many similarities such as; they make important points about shared identities as well as individual identity, cultures and the use of phonetics. These poems can also be linked as protest poems, poems that raise and to a degree complain about issues related to their cultural origins. "Explain yuself", a repeated phrase throughout "Half-Caste", portrays that Agard is complaining about our closed minds, and our ignorance to judge people on their appearance. However, the phrase may also mean that we do not express ourselves vividly. Moreover, "yoo scruff", also repeated throughout the stanza of "Unrelated Incidents", portrays that Leonard voices his complaints in insults, a different approach from Agard, in turn making this poem least effective from Agard's, because not many take notice in something to which they are being offended. "Half-Caste", in my perspective, is about how differently people are

• Word count: 1662

How are anger and frustration presented in 'Nothing's Changed' and 'Half-Caste'?

How are anger and frustration presented in 'Nothing's Changed' and 'Half-Caste'? In this essay I am going to talk about how anger and frustration is linked between two poems. The two poems are called 'Nothing's Changed' and 'Half-Caste'. I am going to explain four topics about each poem. These are: language, discrimination, culture and racism. Each one I will explain how they link with the poems. For example racism shares a main part in both poems because they are both about inequality and difference. Both Poems are autobiographical so both authors have had their own experience meaning that the anger shown is very descriptive. The first topic I am going to talk about is the racism that is linked between the two poems. First I will look at the poem 'Half-caste' then 'Nothing's changed'. I would say that 'Half-Caste' is quite an angry poem because the poem John Agard has written is about difference. It is about difference because it mentions the word 'half-caste' and the word is used to describe people born of parents of a different colour. This word can be used as an insult against a different race, which shows racism. Here is an example that shows how racism is shown "Yu mean when Picasso mix red and green". He talks about the colours and how they combine together to produce a new whole, which is different. But the whole he talks about is precious and unique. People call him

• Word count: 1410

Half caste. Half-Caste This fantastic poem is mainly about how John Agard feels about people using the phrase half caste.

Heiman A. 09.10.2008 Half-Caste This fantastic poem is mainly about how John Agard feels about people using the phrase "half caste". The poet uses several clever examples to show the way he feels, like "yu mean when Picasso mix red and green" and "well in dat case England weather nearly always half caste" John Agard obviously feels strongly about this because he is sick and tired of people using that word to de grade people and also of the way he questions about the phrase "half caste" . He also makes us think about what it must be like to be a half caste in a culture like ours today. There are two means by which the poet helps to create a shape or structure in this poem. Most obviously he uses the term half caste to make the poem appear to be like a speck, saying to everyone that the term half caste can be insulting. John Agard uses some very cleaver images to make his point about the use of the word half caste. There are several in the poem, but I will concentrate on the images of the weather "yu mean when light and shadow mix in the sky is a half caste weather" I think that this is the most successful because the words "light" and "shadow" are completely different, and are perfect for what John Agard is trying to say. The poet also uses the

• Word count: 341

Comparing poems 'halfe cast' and 'nothings changed'

In this essay I am going to compare the way the theme of racism is dealt with in the poems 'Half caste' and 'nothings changed'. I will analyse the poems and then compare them. The things I will be comparing are the similarities and differences, the layout and also the use of language. I will be looking at both of the authors Tatamkhula Africa (Nothings Changed) and John Agard (Half caste) intentions and then decide which one of the poems I think is most effective. I am going to begin with a comparison of the purposes of the two poems. Nothings changed is about a black man looking back at his childhood and realising that 'nothings changed', he is upset about this as although segregation is said to have gone, he feels as if it is the same as before. Half-caste is about a mixed race man who is asking for an explanation for why they are treated like half a person. He refuses to be called half-caste as he finds it offensive. In both of these poems, the writer is dealing with the issues of racism. The two writers are expressing their anger and want the readers to take notice of how they feel. The two writers both use repetition throughout the poem. Tatamkhula used the phrase 'nothings changed' as both the title and the ending of the poem, this emphasises the fact that his whole poem is based on the fact that he feels that nothing has changed in his life, mainly on the aspect of

• Word count: 1101

Poems from different cultures - Half Caste, by John Agard.

Poems from Different Cultures Poetry is used by writers' world wide to express them. Many of these poems are very negative and show it in the use, and misuse, of language. Other poems are more positive. Poets often use their work to express difficult situations. 'Half Caste' is a good example of this because it portrays the writer in a negative situation that the writer expresses his opinions about. 'Unrelated incidents' is a similar type of poem with a varying, but overall alike problem. The poem 'Not my business' is a more literal poem. The poem is similar because it shows the poet in a difficult situation but the way the poet expresses himself is completely different. In Half Caste, by John Agard, the difficult situation is one of prejudice. The writer is expressing his dislike of the prejudice he suffers because he is of mixed race or, in his words, 'half caste'. The word half-caste is shown to be the culprit in this poem and the entire poem ridicules the word and those who use it. The writer uses various strategies to achieve this goal. In the first paragraph the writer immediately draws the reader's attention with an apology, "excuse me," he says. This draws the reader's attention because it is a very abrupt way of starting a poem and the reader continues to read to see what he is fact sorry for. Immediately, Agard shows that he was in fact being sarcastic. He uses

• Word count: 747

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Excuse me Standing on one leg I'm half-caste

Explain yuself Wha yu mean When yu say half-caste Yu mean when picasso Mix red an green Is a half-caste canvas? Explain yuself Wha u mean When yu say half-caste Yu mean when light an shadow Mix in de sky Is a half-caste weather?? Well in dat case England weather Nearly always half-caste In fact some o dem cloud Half-caste till dem overcast So spiteful dem dont want de sun pass Ah rass Explain yuself Wha yu mean When yu say half-caste? Yu mean tchaikovsky Sit down at dah piano An mix a black key Wid a white key Is a half-caste symphony?

Explain yuself Wha yu mean Ah listening to yu wid de keen Half of mih ear Ah looking at u wid de keen Half of mih eye And when I'm introduced to yu I'm sure you'll understand Why I offer yu half-a-hand An when I sleep at night I close half-a-eye Consequently when I dream I dream half-a-dream An when moon begin to glow I half-caste human being Cast half-a-shadow But yu come back tomorrow Wid de whole of yu eye An de whole of yu ear And de whole of yu mind

An I will tell yu De other half Of my story

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IGCSE English Lit: Poetry Comparison – Bhatt’s Search for My Tongue and Agard’s Half-caste

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Question:  Search for my Tongue  and  Half-caste are both poems about cultural identity. Compare the ways the poets present their own experiences of cultural identity making reference to their attitude and use of language.

Both poems ‘Search for my tongue’ by Sujata Bhatt and ‘Half-caste’ by John Agard have the ongoing and underlying theme of dealing with cultural identity. Bhatt and Agard effectively use language, structure and form to describe and convey their experience to the reader. However, they present contrasting attitudes which in turn evoke an array of various different emotions for the reader. In this essay, I will discuss how the poets use language to present their experiences.

While both poems talk of the poets’ experience of being from a different cultural background to the one that they live in, there are stark contrasts in both poems bringing to surface various cultural differences to the attention of the reader. Agard conveys his frustration with the demeaning label ‘Half-caste’, being associated with his mixed racial heritage ‘wha yu mean when you say half-caste’. Throughout the poem his anger only boils until the end where he puts the onus on the audience to become whole in order to fully appreciate his wholeness.

Bhatt talks of the internal struggle of losing and consequently not being able to converse in her ‘mother tongue’, Gujerati. Therefore losing a ‘part of herself and her cultural identity’. This shows how the ‘foreign tongue’ has almost taken over. ‘Search for my tongue’ contrasts ‘Half-caste’ in the sense that, while Agard’s cultural identity ties in with the colour of his skin, Bhatt’s struggle is much more embedded within her as she writes of the loss of a language.

In this poem, Bhatt directly addresses the reader using second person in a crisp, clear tone. This makes them directly engage with the dilemma, and even more so stresses the difficulty and discomfort of having ‘two tongues in your mouth’. Bhatt clearly writes this piece intending it to be read, phonetically writing out the Gujerati in the third section of the poem. She abandons conventional language as well not capitalising the first letter of each line, making it a continuous sentence, symbolising the growing tongue.

Agard, however addresses and takes on the audience in an accusatory and confrontational stance effectively describing and conveying his frustrations in a somewhat roundabout manner. He also addresses the reader directly, much like Bhatt, but he approaches the audience in a much more conversational manner. Where Bhatt’s poem is intended to be read, Agard’s poem is written to be performed ‘Excuse me, standing on one leg’.

Agard mixes creole and traditional English ‘yu mean’ and ‘explain yuself’ to convey and further confirm his struggle of facing racial discrimination for being ‘half-caste’. This allows him to physically show the audience what he struggles with.

Bhatt on the other hand sympathises with the reader and tries to make the reader understand her situation by writing in an almost story-like fashion. The section in Gujerati describes the deep embedded soul of the language, allowing it to flow back to her. This contrasts and emphasises Agards dexterity in both languages.

Both poems open strongly, showing a pride for their culture and language. ‘Search for my tongue’ directly addresses the reader in a firm and authoritative, almost commanding manner using strong language, you can immediately tell the poet is in search for her identity.

Agard’s poem opens strongly, however, rather politely, this contrasts with the authoritative manner used by Bhatt ‘excuse me I am standing on one leg’. Here is presents the absurd image and opens with a comical stance, later going on to take a confrontational one which continues throughout the poem. Agard using irony and humour in this poem though the subject is of utmost important. ‘cast half a shadow’, this is an absurd but most creative idea used by Agard.

Instead of humour Bhatt in ‘Search for my tongue’ uses metaphorical language to shock the reader with graphic imagery of death. ‘Rot and die in your mouth’. The graphic and emphatic description coupled with the harsh constant ‘spit it out’ directly mirrors the struggle she faces.

Agard uses reference to Picasso and Tchaikovsky ‘mix red an green’ and a ‘half-caste symphony’. Having compared the works of Picasso and Tchaikovsky, he goes on to compare it to ‘England weather’ going on to further convey the unkindness of the remark ‘half-caste’. Unlike Agard, Bhatt uses beautiful floral imagery ‘grows back, a stump of a shoot’ this contrasts the imagery of death earlier on in the poem and Agard’s approach as a man using examples such as ‘half-a hand’ and ‘half-a-shadow’.

Bhatt uses one single stanza that wavers in line length, much like a tongue. The section in Gujerati symbolises the loss of her ‘mother tongue’ and the return and turning point of hope. She visualises the ‘mother tongue’ as it floats back.

Agard uses free verse, but the use of repetition, lack of punctuation and occasional rhyme gives the poem an emphatic rhythm and fast pace. The free verse symbolises the much wanted acceptance by the public of him being of mixed racial heritage.

Unlike ‘Search for my tongue’ the opening and closing stanzas stand apart from the rest. This gives an added impact on the audience to understand his situation ‘standing on one leg’ and his forceful request for the reader to return again. Where Bhatt’s poem ends with her getting back her ‘mother tongue’, Agard’s poem finishes open-endedly asking the reader to return.

In conclusion, both poems are contrasting in their perspectives and descriptions of their cultural identity. They both prove that cultural identity is deep within and sometimes hard to find and conquer.

26 June 2020

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John Agard Half Caste Poem Analysis

In the poem “half-caste” John Agard uses a variety of metaphors. He refers to things that are multicoloured to get his point across “yu mean when Picasso mix red an green is a half-caste canvas” John Agard is trying to tell his audience that Picasso doesn’t just use one colour in his paintings, he uses a variety of colours, which makes the painting more interesting.

This relates to John Agard because he is a mixture of two colours, which makes him something beautiful.

Another metaphor John Agard uses is “yu mean Tchaikovsky sit down at da piano and mix black key wid white” Again John Agard is saying that mixing two colours is a wonderful thing. John Agard repeats “half” 17 times. He is telling the audience that being half-caste doesn’t mean that he is half a person. However he refers him self as half when he says “I dream half a dream”.

No one can dream half a dream.

He is being ironic. John Agard is making the audience feel sorry for him. This is because dreaming half a dream is kind of sad, as if his multicoloured background prevents him from fulfilling his dream. The language he uses is Caribbean dialect which is patois. But at the beginning and the end of the poem he uses Standard English.

In the poem “search for my tongue” Sujata Bhatt uses a plant as imagery, and as a metaphor. The plant is dying out. She uses the plant to show her mother tongue is dying out of her mouth just like a plant would.

Proficient in: Communication

“ Ok, let me say I’m extremely satisfy with the result while it was a last minute thing. I really enjoy the effort put in. ”

“Your mother tongue would rot, rot and die in your mouth”. If you don’t do anything to the plant, the plant would die. This is the same thing for Sujata Bhatt.

If she doesn’t do anything to do with Gujarati, her mother tongue would be forgotten. However the plant grows back to life, which means her mother tongue, is doing the same. Sujata Bhatt repeats, “tongue” and “you” several times. She is trying to get the audience thinking about what they would do if had they had to learn two languages, and how hard it is. Sujata Bhatt starts off with a rhetorical question “you ask me what I mean” she is trying to get the audience involved at the beginning of the poem.

In “half-caste” John Agard’s structure is different to Sujata Bhatt’s structure. John Agard’s poem is set out in four stanzas. The first stanza and last stanza are the shortest stanzas with only three lines in. These two stanzas are the only lines that are written in Standard English, as the rest is written in Caribbean dialect.

The Caribbean dialect is more like slang and they miss some letters out. For example “explain yuself wha yu mean when yu say half-caste” John Agard has purposely missed out letters to add to the effect that he is not from England. In Standard English we would say these words “yuself” and “wha” and “yu” with added in letters. We would say “yourself” and “what” and “you” this adds to John Agard’s style of the poem. John Agard also used a lack of punctuation. But John Agard reads the poem slow.

However Sujata Bhatt has just spaced her poem on the page in a line. In verse 17 – 30 she speaks Gujarati which makes the poem eye catching because there is a different language in the poem. It says in the poem “munay thoonky kay aakhee jeebh aakhee bhasha” she is telling us that her mother tongue is coming back to life in her dream. Towards the end after she speaks Gujarati and she uses a lot of commas.

The use of commas she uses is to build the effect of the plant growing back step by step and the commas help create that image. He says “it grows back, a stump of a shoot, grows longer, grows moist, grows strong veins” the use of commas helps slow down the atmosphere and creates an image that stage by stage its all coming back to her. The plant which was her mother tongue is growing back.

John Agard and Sujata Bhatt feel very strongly about there multicultural backgrounds. If someone tries to insult John Agard about being “half-caste” he would be very questioning. Like in the poem, its like someone had called him half-caste and John Agard takes it the wrong way and thinks he is half a person.

I think that John Agard makes his point very clearly in his poem about how he feels about being multicultural. Sujata Bhatt feels sad that she is loosing her mother tongue and wouldn’t want anything or anyone to take that away from her.

When she feels like she is loosing that language she makes her point how hard it is speaking two different languages. But when the Gujarati comes back I think she still finds it difficult to learn both languages. Sujata Bhatt helps you to feel that confusion when she puts some Gujarati in her poem. Out of those two poems “half-caste” and “search for my tongue” I found “search for my tongue” a better poem. Sujata Bhatt helps you understand how she feels and because I know how hard it is to speak different languages, that poem interested me more.

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GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE poetry analysis "Half Caste"

Subject: English

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Assessment and revision

Last updated

25 September 2024

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GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE

poetry analysis “Half Caste”

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