Lesson note on Literature in English SS2 First Term

Senior Secondary School free First Term Lesson note on Literature in English SS2. Senior High School Lit in English Plan Lesson Notes for SSS2- Edudelight.com

SCHEME OF WORK LESSON NOTES FOR LITERATURE IN ENGLISH SS2 FIRST TERM

SUBJECT: LITERATURE IN ENGLISH                        

CLASS: SS 2

SSS2 LITERATURE IN ENGLISH SCHEME OF WORK FIRST TERM

WEEK 1

Revision: Literary Appreciation and Drama

1. List the components parts of the question; 
2. Discuss the Component parts sequentially;
3. Correct errors made during the examination;
4.   Answer questions on each component better.

WEEK 2

STUDY AND ANALYSIS OF POETRY: ONCE UPON A TIME’ BY GABRIEL OKARA.

1. Explain the subject matter of the poem.
2. Discuss the themes of the poem.
3. Analyze the structure of the poem.
4. Identify and explain poetic devices used.

WEEK 3

New Tongue” by Elizabeth L. A. Kamara : Analysis of Content and Themes 

i.      Identify and explain the subject matter and themes of the poem. Poem.

ii.   Identify and explain the poetic devices used by the poet in the poem.

iii.    Analyze the structure of the poem.

iv.    Answer questions on the poem by examiner. 

WEEK 4

Night” by Wole Soyinka : Analysis of Content and Themes 

i.    Identify and explain the subject matter and themes of the poem. Poem.

 ii.   Identify and explain the poetic devices used by the poet in the poem

iii.  Analyze the structure of the poem.

iv. Answer questions on the poem by examiner. 

WEEK 5

Not my Business” by Niyi Osundare : Analysis of Content and Themes 

1. Identify and explain the subject matter and themes of the poem. Poem.
2. Identify and explain the poetic devices used by the poet in the poem.
3. Analyze the structure of the poem.
4. iv. Answer questions on the poem by examiner. 

WEEK 6

Hearty Garlands” by S.O.H. Afriyie-Vidza : Analysis of Content and Themes 

1. Identify and explain the subject matter and themes of the poem. 
2. Identify and explain the poetic devices used by the poet in the poem.
3. Analyze the structure of the poem
4. Answer questions on the poem by examiner. 

WEEK 7

Mid Term

WEEK 8

The Breast of the Sea” by Syl Cheney-Coker: Analysis of Content and Themes 

1. Explain the background, summary and themes of the poem. 
2. Identify and explain the poetic devices used in the poem.
3. Analyze the structure of the poem.
4. iv. Answer questions on the poem by examiner. 

WEEK 9

 ‘She Walks in Beauty’ by Lord Bryo: Analysis of Content and Themes

1. Analyse the subject matter of the poem.
2. Discuss the themes of the poem. 
3. Identify the poetic devices used by the poet in the poem.   
4. Analyze the structure of the poem.   
5. Answer questions on the poem by examiner. 

WEEK 10

The Nun’s Priest’s Tale” by Geoffrey Chaucer: Analysis of Content and Themes 

1. explain the background, summary and themes of the poem;
2. Identify and explain the poetic devices used in the poem;
3. analyze the structure of the poem;
4. Answer questions on the poem by examiner. 

WEEK 11

 “Digging” by Seamus Heaney: Analysis of Content and Themes 

1. explain the background, summary and themes of the poem; 
2. identify and explain the poetic devices used in the poem; 
3. analyze the structure of the poem;
4.  Answer questions on the poem by examiner.

WEEK 12

Revision and Examination

WEEK: One

DATE:

CLASS: SS 2

SUBJECT: Literature in English

LESSON TITLE: Revision 

SUBTITLE (IF ANY): Literary Appreciation and Drama

PERIOD: 1st and 2nd

DURATION: 80 Minutes

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Students will be able to

• List the components parts of the question; 
• Discuss the Component parts sequentially;
• Correct errors made during the examination;
• Answer questions on each component better.

KEY VOCABULARY WORDS: genre, drama, prose, poetry, plot, setting,

Flashback, climax, conflict, picaresque, tragic flaw, prologue and epilogue

RESOURCES & MATERIALS: whiteboard, marker, flip-chart, the last term examination questions, the marking guide and students’ answer scripts.

BUILDING BACKGROUND/CONNECTION TO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE:

Students are asked these questions:

1. What is Literature?
2. State three functions of Literature.
3. List and define the three genres of Literature.

CONTENT: The examinations comprise questions on General Literary Knowledge, Drama and Prose.

Oral discussion of the different aspects of the question, questioning and marking guide will serve as the content of the lesson. N.B. [1] Literary appreciation [criticism) is a conscious attempt to see and understand all those things that are put together in a writing and find out whether they are good or bad when they all come together to make a short story, a novel, a poem or a play.

• Drama is a major work of literature that is either acted or read as a play. 
• Prose as a major genre of literature is the art of story telling in a narrative style.

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES: Review, Introduction, Conversational

Approach, Think-Pair-Share

LESSON SEQUENCE AND DELIVERY

ACTIVITY 1 (Review): The teacher guides the class to recap the last academic work through questions under the building background.

ACTIVITY 2 (Introduction): He introduces the lesson by writing the lesson title, learning objectives and key vocabulary words on the white-board and discusses them with the students.

ACTIVITY 3 (Conversational Approach): He guides the class to list sub-sets of the question paper, picks them in sequential order for a whole class discussion while the teacher provides the needed intellectual scaffolding [He offers support when and where necessary]

ACTIVITY 4 (Think-Pair-Share): Teacher asks Students to work in pair with a partner and take turns in quizzing each other on the questions and their answers. Let them swap partners and repeat the activity.

ACTIVITY 5 (Group Work): Teacher prompts students to work in small group of 5 or 6 and brainstorm on a subset of the questions and present their answer orally through a representative for a whole class discussion. The teacher clarifies, corrects or affirms students’ responses. 

ASSESSMENT (EVALUATION): Teacher stops the class five to ten minutes early and asks students randomly to mention orally the most important things they have learned during the lesson.

WRAP-UP (CONCLUSION): Teacher concludes the lesson by guiding the students to sum up the major points discussed. He entertains questions from them to wrap-up the lesson.

ASSIGNMENT: Critically examine the themes and poetic devices used in the poem, “Black Woman” by Leopold Sedar Senghor. 

2. Discuss the poem as a Negritude poem.

HOD/VP’S COMMENTS & ENDORSEMENT:

WEEK 2

DATE:

CLASS: SS2

SUBJECT: LITERATURE IN ENGLISH

LESSON TITLE: STUDY AND ANALYSIS OF POETRY

SUBTITLE: ‘ONCE UPON A TIME’ BY GABRIEL OKARA.

PERIOD: 1&2

DURATION: 80 MINS.

OBJECTIVES: Students should be able to

• Explain the subject matter of the poem.
• Discuss the themes of the poem.
• Analyze the structure of the poem.
• Identify and explain poetic devices used.

KEY VOCABULARY WORDS: “laugh with their hearts, teeth, eyes, Shake hands without hearts, wear many faces,…”., muting, good riddance,

RESOURCES: The poem. Literature : An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry and Drama by X.L Kennedy and Dana Giola. Exam Reflection by S.O Faniyi. Simplified Literature Vol  II by F. Oyelekan . Flex, Pictorials, audio & video clips, Goggle, U-tube, etc

BUILDING BACKGROUND: Students will be encouraged to discuss how the study of poetry can be students will randomly discuss about the poet in answer to their last assignment.

CONTENT: The poem ONCE UPON A TIME is written in a simple, easy to understand form. It is presented in a narrative form. Structure like a mirror through which the poet views his past, compares it with the present and therein concluded to go back to his past because of the benefits he felt he had lost.

The poem is structured into 43lines, broken into 7 stanzas.

The first person narrative perspective is used. It is written in a Free verse form since the language does not follow a set rhyme pattern.

The mood is nostalgic filled with remembrance of a happier and simple past, sadness for the present status quo and a plea to achieve the euphoria of a peaceful past.

The poem recorded a discussion between a father and his son. The father used the storytelling indicator in narrating his observations and experiences. He opened up to the son on how he(the father),has been indoctrinated into the act of falsehood.

At the concluding part, the father registered his need for help soliciting the assistance of the son to revamp himself in order to rediscover the act of purity.

The poet’s use of a child like register contradicts the poem’s morals and views about growing up.

THEMES

1. Loss of Innocence.: The poet mourn the loss of his innocence and the futility of imbibing a destructive culture.
2. Change: The poet made known to the child that although change is natural not all are desirable. Based on the effects of change, one may find himself wishing for old status quo.

DEVICES

1. Repetition: words like ‘face’, ‘laugh’, ‘smile’, ‘search’, ‘shake hands’, ‘show me’ and ‘once upon a time’ are repeated
2. Enjambment.
3. Alliteration: sounds like /f/ in ‘…home faces, office faces, street faces,…’stanza 3. /g/ in stanza 4’… goodbye, …good riddance, …glad…’
4. Imagery: use of visual imagery like laughing with only the teeth, and how his laugh had become like a snake’s bare fangs!.
5. Metaphor: ‘ while their ice- block-cold eyes…’ and others expressions like ‘… shake hands without my heart.’ are metaphorically used.
6. Simile.  … ‘ show only my teeth like a snake’s bare fangs!’

STRATEGY: Recitation. Demonstration. Think pear share.

LESSON SEQUENCE:

STEP1. Students will recite the poetry trying as much as possible to create a n atmosphere of storytelling between a father and a son.

STEP 2. Students will identify and discuss the differences between the father’s observations, experiences and his present desire.

STEP 3. Students will analyze the themes they can identify. Students will be encouraged to think vast and deep on many meanings that can be aligned to the themes.

STEP 4. The structure of the poem will be studied.

The poem will be recited again in order to highlight the devices used and their purposes in the poem.

ASSESSMENT:

Analyze 3 reasons why the poet is willing to learn from his son.

Analyze the poets use of repetitions, Alliteration and Irony.

 CONCLUSION: The poem is a sober, emotional poem with a strong moral message. It is serious throughout.

ASSIGNMENT: Read and study the poem ‘NEW TONGUE’ by Elizabeth Kamara.

HOD/VP’S COMMENT:

WEEK: 3

DATE:

CLASS: SS2

SUBJECT: Literature-in-English 

LESSON TITLE: “New Tongue” by Elizabeth L. A. Kamara 

SUBTITLE: Analysis of Content and Themes 

PERIOD: 1^st and 2^nd 

DURATION: 80 Minutes

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

i.      Identify and explain the subject matter and themes of the poem. Poem.

ii.      Identify and explain the poetic devices used by the poet in the poem.

iii.    Analyze the structure of the poem.

iv.    Answer questions on the poem by examiner. 

KEY VOCABULARY WORDS: “New Tongue”, old tongue, borrowed tongue, a new generation, family, tradition, heritage, minds, culture, impregnable, future

RESOURCES AND MATERIALS: Cardboard or banner showing the lines of the poem. 

REFERENCE BOOKS: Exam Reflection by S.O Faniyi. Simplified Literature Vol  II by F. Oyelekan . Flex, Pictorials, audio & video clips, Goggle, U-tube, etc. 

BUILDING BACKGROUND/CONNECTION TO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE: Teacher asks these probing questions from the Students:

1. What are the themes of “Once Upon a Time” by Gabriel Okara? 
2. Differentiate the time in the past and the time in the present as seen in the poem. 
3. Mention some elements of poetry used by the poet in the poem. 

CONTENT: “New Tongue” by Elizabeth L. A. Kamara is a forty-six-line poem that laments the neglect of African culture and tradition in the embrace of conveniently woke foreign values. The poem mourns the total detachment from tradition by a young generation of Africans as they adopt “borrowed” practices and confine the ashes of their own cultural practices “into the bottomless sea.”

THEMES OF New Tongue” by Elizabeth L. A. Kamara

1. Theme of Cultural shift 

The theme of cultural shift is the primary theme of Elizabeth Kamara’s “New Tongue.”

The theme is depicted by the new generation’s adoption of the “new tongue and their embrace of a different culture, which results in a complete transformation in the way they think, speak and interact. The poet captures this using “impregnable chains” to show the strong and unbreakable attachment to new culture which has profound impact on their identities. The title, “New Tongue” indicates linguistic shift, adoption of new language by this new generation. They adopt now dances and dispose old songs as disregarded dreams, symbolic of a generational change in social and cultural changes. There is also a break in ties within family and friendship. There is shift from collectivism to individualism. In line 4, the poet describes that “Their eyes revel in the wonder of the new.” This mean that they are enthusiastic about the adopted culture, they even celebrate by “Glorying in their newness of a borrowed tongue and culture.”

2. Theme of Generational Conflict 

The poem talks about the strained relationship between generations. No room for elders in the minds of the new generation, whose ears are metaphorically blocked to the “old tongue” and traditional ways. Of doing things.

The poem draws evident line between the younger generation who speak a “new tongue” and dance to “new dances” with no respect for tradition, and older generation, who are symbolized by the “ashes strewn into the bottomless sea” and “disregarded dreams.” The new generation rejects old ways, are indifferent to the wisdom of elders and deliberate distancing from traditional values and practices. 

There is rejection of familial ties and disdain for friendship by the younger generation highlights The generational divide even more. This obviously causes a rupture in the intergenerational relationships that were once considered fundamental in Africa (lines 8-7, 14-16, and 38-41) 

3. Theme of Loss

One obvious loss in the poem is the loss of cultural heritage. The old songs and ties of family and friendship are described as “disregarded dreams” and “loosened, broken, burnt.” This signifies a deliberate departure from established cultural norms and values. Expressions like “ashes strewn into the sea” and “hang the last lock on their culture” emphasize the finality and irreversibility of this loss.

POETIC DEVICES

Elizabeth Kamara employs various poetic devices to convey cogent messages, emotions and ideas to the readers. Here are some poetic devices used in the poem:

1. Imagery

The use of auditory imagery – “Their ears blocked to the old tongue”  Tactile imagery – “or like bathing… 

Sensory imagery of food 

(as fishes swim by); music (song, dance); clothing (Like the insides of clothes, Tugging of skirts). 

Visual imagery – “Their eyes revel in the wonder of the new,”” And swirling debris in the air; The gusts of wind falling trees” “… parted the red sea long ago.

ii. Metaphor

Language is compared to a” new tongue” to emphasize its transformative power. Another metaphor is “…impregnable chains” to show how the new generation is bound to the new culture. The word, “old”, is another metaphor to compare everything related to old generation and ways of doing things, it also stands for elderly ones. Another one is “… bound hearts and minds” for the entirety of humanity in slavery to new culture.

iii. Symbolism

The use of “new tongue” or “old tongue” represents cultural identity, language and belonging. 

Songs, clothes, dreams, family, friendships are representations of cultural heritage.  

iv. Alliteration

The repetition of initial consonant sounds in the poem shows the level of musicality. This can be seen in the following lines l2 and l6 – dance new; disregarded dreams  l8 – family and friendship l9 – broken sent burnt

l44 – last lock

v. Enjambment (run on lines)  

Sentences or phrases continue into the next line without punctuation. This creates a sense of flow, reflecting the personae’s stream-of-consciousness

vi. Personification

The poet personified “new tongue” and “old tongue” these are personification of language.  

vii. Repetition

There are some words and phrases that are repeated for emphasis: new (4 times from l1-4 and 14) and newness I  line 30); old (2 times); himself (3 times), borrowed (2 times); culture (2 times).  

viii. Alliteration 

There is  Biblical allusion in the poem – “Their borrowed minds parted the read sea long ago,” this is a reference to the Israelites’ journey from Egypt to Cannan Land going through the red sea after it was parted, they actually borrowed actually some things from the

Egyptians before they left and that event occurred a time in the past” … long ago.” 

ix. Simile

In line 23, the poet compares how the minds of the younger generation have turned away totally to the culture, tradition and heritage of the elders “…like the insides of clothes” A strange coldness descending. like snow covered mountain/Or like bathing at the back of the house This shows how the borrowed tongue and culture have made the younger generation to be unresponsive to their old native culture and language.

STRATEGY AND ACTIVITIES: Review, Introduction, Conversational Approach, Recitation, Demonstration, Think-Pair Share.

LESSON SEQUENCE:

ACTIVITY 1: The teacher inspires the students to recapitulate the content of the previous lesson.  ACTIVITY 2: Teacher writes and shares with the students the lesson topic, learning objectives and key vocabulary words. 

ACTIVITY 3: Teacher guides the students to recite the poem and interpret the poem line by line and  stanza by stanza. 

ACTIVITY 4: Students, in small groups brainstorm on the subject matter of the poem. 

ACTIVITY 5: Students, in pairs, share thoughts on the themes of the poem. The representatives of the pairs share their discussion. The teacher guides against errors. 

ACTIVITY 6: The teacher guides the students to recite the poem again in order to highlight the devices used and their significance in the poem. They also discuss the structure of the poem. 

ASSESSMENT: Teacher asks these questions from the students:

1) Discuss 3 themes of the poem.  

2) Analyzethe poet’s use of repetition, alliteration and simile.

WRAP UP/CONCLUSION: Teacher reviews the lesson content with the students and asks if the objectives of the lesson is achieved. The teacher emphasizes the fact that poet is emotionally troubled about how the younger generation quickly wanders away with the new culture in all forms and forgetting their previous rich culture, norms and values. 

ASSIGNMENT: Study the poem  ‘Night’ by Wole Soyinka and write out the themes poetic devices of the poem.

VP/HOD’S ENDORSEMENT AND COMMENT:

WEEK: 4

DATE:

CLASS: SS 2

SUBJECT: Literature-in-English 

LESSON TITLE: “Night” by Wole Soyinka 

SUBTITLE: Analysis of Content and Themes 

PERIOD: 1^st and 2^nd 

DURATION: 80 Minutes

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

i.    Identify and explain the subject matter and themes of the poem. Poem.

ii.       Identify and explain the poetic devices used by the poet in the poem.

iii.       Analyze the structure of the poem.

iv. Answer questions on the poem by examiner. 

KEY VOCABULARY WORDS: “Night”, mercuric, exacerbation, jealous, fluorescence, dappled cells, haunt, misted cells, suffusion, plough, unbidden

RESOURCES AND MATERIALS: Cardboard or banner showing the lines of the poem. 

REFERENCE BOOKS: Exam Reflection by S.O Faniyi. Simplified Literature Vol  II by F. Oyelekan . Flex, Pictorials, audio & video clips, Goggle, U-tube, etc. 

BUILDING BACKGROUND/CONNECTION TO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE: Teacher asks these probing questions from the Students:

1. What are the themes of “New Tongue” by Elizabeth L. A. Kamara? 
2. Explain what the poet mean by “new tongue” and “old tongue” in the poem. 
3. Mention some elements of poetry used by the poet in the poem. 

CONTENT: “Night” – Wole Soyinka 

Background of the Poem “Night” by Wole Soyinka 

The nighttime is believed to be, mostly in Africa, that time when manipulative engagements occur. It’s that time when humanity submits their egos to rest. It’s an inevitable time of transition to daybreak and characteristic things of fear, creepy and sneaky Soyinka in as a period appraisal of Nature, presents Night to be feared. He pleads to Night for protection from the evil that rules the Night. 

Summary of the poem “Night” by Wole Soyinka 

The poem is a reflection of the effect of nightfall on the poet and humanity at large. The first Stanza addresses Night as om intruder accompanied by horror and fear. Night moves, paving way for day to manifest, just like human moves.

Night is regarded as jealous woman, it is jealous of light captured as fluorescence’. This Suggest humanity’s preference for light to darkness

The poet succumbs to the inevitable time of the night and the irresistible darkness and shadows that accompany the night. In the last two stanzas, the surrender is evident, hence, the poet’s plea for protection from evil. 

In conclusion, “Night” is a thought-provoking and deeply moving poem that explores the complex relationship between darkness and the human experience. It suggests that darkness can serve both as a sanctuary and a source of fear, and that ultimately we must

face our fears and embrace the light in order to find true peace and healing 

Themes of the poem “Night” by Wole Soyinka 

1. Inevitable dominance of Night 

The poet portrays Night as inevitable, it is a time that must come, it also has dominant force, the persona feels the weight, “Your hand is heavy, Night, upon my brow!” This inevitable dominance makes the persona to submit, “I stood drained/Submitting like the sands”. The power of Night, though not really physical, but it is felt. 

2. Submission to the Night

Naturally, every creature submits to the power of Night, by this hour, most creatures find a place to rest. Also, the power of Night is irresistible, hence the submission to it. The poet persona says, “…And, I stood, drained/Submitting like the sands, blood and brine.” The poet succumbs to the inevitable time of the night and the irresistible darkness and shadows that accompany the night.

3. Plea for protection

The poet obviously give account of the heavy hand of Night, how jealous it is of the fluorescence, and other dangers attributed to Night, there is request for protection by saying, “Hide me now, when night children haunt the earth” This is a plea for protection from the dangers that pervade the hour of night.

Poetic Devices “Night” by Wole Soyinka 

The following are some of the poetic devices used by the poet to appraise Night:

1. Personification: This is when the attributes of a living thing are given to the nonliving. Night is personified throughout the poem. The poet says, “Your hand is heavy, Night…”, Night is personified to be human that has hand and the hand is heavy. The Night also has jealous eye, “I saw your jealous eye quench the sea’s / Fluorescence…..” The poet talks about Night as having “cells”. The use of personal pronoun like “your” and “you” gives credence to the use of personification in the poem.
2. Simile:There is the use of Simile in line 2 where the poet compares himself with the clouds. In line 4 where he compares Night with a clam. Also, in line 8, where he expresses his fears and compares his submission to that of the sand.
3.  Alliteration: There is the use of alliteration in Line: Line 1: “Your hand is heavy”, line 8: “… blood and brine”, line 10: “serrated shadows…”
4. Imagery: The use of imagery in this poem makes it possible for the poet to create pictures of fear in the minds of the readers. He creates images of fearful nights in people. Words such as “heavy, exacerbation, blood, serrated shadows, dark, sensations pained, night thieves, night children” are expressions of fear.
5. Metaphor: Metaphor is used in the poem to establish the power of Night. In line 6, “fluorescence” means the shining surface of the sea. In line 13, the devilish people of the Night are referred to as the “night children.”
6. Apostrophe: This device addresses an entity as though it is present. Throughout the poem, the poet addresses Night as an entity that can relate to humanity.
7. Symbolism The poet’s use of “Night children” points to the wicked perpetrators who operate in the dead of the Night. 
8. Enjambment (Run-on-line)

The fear that runs through the poem makes it imperative for the poet to write the poem thus. The lines run into each other.

STRATEGY AND ACTIVITIES: Review, Introduction, Conversational Approach, Recitation, Demonstration, Think-Pair Share.

LESSON SEQUENCE AND DELIVERY

ACTIVITY 1: The teacher inspires the students to recapitulate the content of the previous lesson. 

ACTIVITY 2: Teacher writes and shares with the students the lesson topic, learning objectives and key vocabulary words. 

ACTIVITY 3: Teacher guides the students to recite the poem and interpret the poem line by line and  stanza by stanza. 

ACTIVITY 4: Students, in small groups brainstorm on the subject matter of the poem. 

ACTIVITY 5: Students, in pairs, share thoughts on the themes of the poem. The representatives of the pairs share their discussion. The teacher guides against errors. 

ACTIVITY 6: The teacher guides the students to recite the poem again in order to highlight the devices used and their significance in the poem. They also discuss the structure of the poem. 

ASSESSMENT: Teacher asks these questions from the students:

1) Discuss 3 themes of the poem. 

2) Analyze the poet’s use of personification, alliteration and simile. 

WRAP UP/CONCLUSION: Teacher reviews the lesson content with the students and asks if the objectives of the lesson is achieved. The teacher emphasizes the fact that poet is emotionally troubled about how the younger generation quickly wanders away with the new culture in all forms and forgetting their previous rich culture, norms and values. 

ASSIGNMENT: Study the poem  ‘Not my Business’ by Niyi Osundare and write out the themes and poetic devices of the poem.

HOD’S/VP ENDORSEMENT AND COMMENT:

WEEK: 5

DATE:

CLASS: SS 2

SUBJECT: Literature-in-English 

LESSON TITLE: “Not my Business” by Niyi Osundare 

SUBTITLE: Analysis of Content and Themes 

PERIOD: 1^st and 2^nd 

DURATION: 80 Minutes

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. Identify and explain the subject matter and themes of the poem. Poem.
2. Identify and explain the poetic devices used by the poet in the poem.
3.  Analyze the structure of the poem.
4. iv. Answer questions on the poem by examiner. 

KEY VOCABULARY WORDS: “Not My Business”, clay, stuffed, savouring, booted, lengthy absence, query, probe, stainless, bewildered,. 

RESOURCES AND MATERIALS: Cardboard or banner showing the lines of the poem. 

REFERENCE BOOKS: Exam Reflection by S.O Faniyi. Simplified Literature Vol  II by F. Oyelekan; Flex, Pictorials, audio & video clips, Goggle, U-tube, etc. 

BUILDING BACKGROUND/CONNECTION TO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE: Teacher asks these probing questions from the Students:

1. What are the themes of “New Tongue” by Elizabeth L. A. Kamara? 
2. Explain what the poet mean by “new tongue” and “old tongue” in the poem. 
3. Mention some elements of poetry used by the poet in the poem. 

CONTENT: “Not my Business” – Niyi Osundare 

Background of the poem “Not my Business” by Niyi Osundare 

The poem was written in defiance of the brutal dictator General Sani Abacha, who reigned from 1993-1998, and his rule saw multiple cases of human rights abuse. Still, Osundare felt a duty to express his grievances and the injustices he saw happening around him. He emphasizes the importance of this duty for every human being, through his satirical portrayal of a selfish, ignorant speaker… 

Summary of the poem “Not my Business” by Niyi Osundare 

“Not My Business” is about the spread of oppression in the world and the consequences of staying silent in the face of injustice.

Themes “Not my Business” by Niyi Osundare 

This satirical poem discusses these cogent, subject- matter:

1. Suppression: This theme is very dominant in the poem. The beating, arrest, sack, maiming and detention are all scare tactics meant to intimidate dissent voices into silence. Suppression manifests in the maltreatment of Akanni, Danladi, Chinwe and unexpectedly, the indifferent persona. Suppression is an oppressor’s potent tool to shush murmurs of discontent, and hard dissenting voices into submission.
2. Tyranny: The footprints of tyranny is everywhere in the poem. The tyrannical rule is dominated by violence, threat of punishment orchestrated by the dictator using the machinery of the state. Citizens are arrested, brutalized and illegally detained. We have in the poem the portrait of a ruler who is an absolute dictator. He is neither constrained by the constitution nor tolerant of dissenting views. The ruler unjustly arrests Akanni, Dianladi and the poetic persona and subjects them to inhumane conditions.  In the case of Chinwe, he simply relieves some of his subjects of their jobs. Anything short of hundred percent conformism attract his wrath
3. Indifference: This manifests in the poetic persona’s indifference to the brutalities around him.

He only cares about how he sustains himself and makes ends meet irrespective of the atrocities meted out by the oppressive government on its citizens.

However, the “waiting jeep” in its usual silence comes for him too while he sits to eat his yam”. The persona also falls victim of the oppression he is so indifferent to. Many of us are indifferent to the happenings around like the persona, so far we are not affected by the trends. Some of us even abstain from voting in elections. However, no matter how much we try to downplay what is required of us in the society, we will all bear the adverse effect when things go sour

Poetic Devices in “Not my Business” by Niyi Osundare 

Niyi Osundare uses several literary devices in “Not my Business”:

1. Anaphora: The repetition of the refrain used to establish The speaker’s selfish, deluded nature. 
2. Personification: The “… belly of a waiting jeep” emphasizes its harsh, antagonistic nature, and the “bewildered lawn” highlights the speaker’s disbelief at falling victim.  
3. Alliteration: “beat” and “ belly”, “hungry hand”, “waiting, waiting…” create a lyrical effect and strengthen The poem’s impact.  
4. Rhetorical question: The indifference of the persona is shown using this device in the refrain, this creates thinking in the reader about the speaker’s character.
5. Simile: There is comparison between the brutality of Akanni with how “Clay” is beaten soft, especially to suppress it to a moldable form just like a potter does to a clay in  molding different vessels.
6. Metaphor:The use of Akanni, Danladi and Chinwe is metaphorical of the three major ethnics in Nigeria – Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo, this is to emphasize that no ethnic group is left out of the oppression from the dictator. The “yam” and “savouring mouth” of the persona are representing the daily bread of the citizen. 
7. Diction: Thoughthe poem is written in a free verse, no rhyme scheme, it thence uses easy-to-read and easy-to-understand words that capture the activities of the oppressor at different times, situations and character of the persona to this events. The poem is written in a narrative form with a refrain that shows the attitude of the persona. 

The ‘morning’, ‘night’, ‘one day’ and ‘one evening’ capture the different times the dictator operates, this shows that there is no time that the tyrant cannot strike the citizens as he wishes. 

STRATEGY AND ACTIVITIES: Review, Introduction, Conversational Approach, Recitation, Demonstration, Think-Pair Share.

LESSON SEQUENCE AND DELIVERY

ACTIVITY 1: The teacher inspires the students to recapitulate the content of the previous lesson. 

ACTIVITY 2: Teacher writes and shares with the students the lesson topic, learning objectives and key vocabulary words. 

ACTIVITY 3: Teacher guides the students to recite the poem and interpret the poem line by line and  stanza by stanza. 

ACTIVITY 4: Students, in small groups brainstorm on the subject matter of the poem. 

ACTIVITY 5: Students, in pairs, share thoughts on the themes of the poem. The representatives of the pairs share their discussion. The teacher guides against errors. 

ACTIVITY 6: The teacher guides the students to recite the poem again in order to highlight the devices used and their significance in the poem. They also discuss the structure of the poem. 

ASSESSMENT: Teacher asks these questions from the students:

1) Discuss 3 themes of the poem. 

2) Analyze the poet’s use of personification, alliteration and simile. 

WRAP UP/CONCLUSION: Teacher reviews the lesson content with the students and asks if the objectives of the lesson is achieved. The teacher emphasizes the fact that poet is emotionally troubled about how the younger generation quickly wanders away with the new culture in all forms and forgetting their previous rich culture, norms and values. 

ASSIGNMENT: Study the poem,  “Hearty Garlands” by S.O.H. Afriyie-Vidza and write out the themes and poetic devices of the poem.

HOD’S/VP ENDORSEMENT AND COMMENT:

WEEK: 6

DATE:

 CLASS: SS 2

SUBJECT: Literature-in-English 

LESSON TITLE: “Hearty Garlands” by S.O.H. Afriyie-Vidza 

SUBTITLE: Analysis of Content and Themes 

PERIOD: 1^st and 2^nd 

DURATION: 80 Minutes

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• Identify and explain the subject matter and themes of the poem. 
• Identify and explain the poetic devices used by the poet in the poem.
• Analyze the structure of the poem.
• Answer questions on the poem by examiner. 

KEY VOCABULARY WORDS: “Night”, mercuric, exacerbation, jealous, fluorescence, dappled cells, haunt, misted cells, suffusion, plough, unbidden

RESOURCES AND MATERIALS: Cardboard or banner showing the lines of the poem. 

REFERENCE BOOKS: Exam Reflection by S.O Faniyi. Simplified Literature Vol  II by F. Oyelekan . Flex, Pictorials, audio & video clips, Goggle, U-tube, etc. 

BUILDING BACKGROUND/CONNECTION TO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE: Teacher asks these probing questions from the Students:

1. Explain how the  poet describes night in the poem, “Night” by Wole Soyinka’
2. Highlight the themes in the poem. 
3. Mention some elements of poetry used by the poet in the poem. 

CONTENT: “Hearty Garlands” – S.O.H. Afriyie-Vidza 

Background of the Poem “Hearty Garlands” by S.O.H. Afriyie-Vidza 

“Hearty Garlands” is a panegyric that praises an individual who has just reached the ripe age of eighty-five. The poem portrays the celebrant’s accomplishment and his impact on the community. While it asks the celebrant to reminisce on his long fulfilled life, it also clearly says age eighty-five is far from the end for him, which is why it states that “for yon lies mop-up work and higher tasks still/By you/To be accomplished” (l. 27-29). With old age comes a new set of roles and responsibilities in a society that is not eager to dump its old people in a nursing home.

Themes of “Hearty Garlands” by S.O.H. Afriyie-Vidza 

1. Ageing

Old age is revered and celebrated among many African. The old age is synonymous to a wealth of experiences younger people can benefit from.

The poem identifies that the celebrant attains eighty-five years is a time of contentment and fulfilment; a period wen a (restful) Hope nods in contented concert with spent desires” and “neither nags nor raves nor rants” (lines 16 and 17). The poem describes this period as life’s smiley, Cloudless dawn” and a the gainful twilight of fulfilled dreams (Lines 14 and 15). Long life is seen as a testament to the wealth of knowledge and insights he has gained over the years

The poem portrays ageing positively, it is inevitable, natural and a meaningful part of life. There is an acceptance of the passage of time and an appreciation for the experiences it brings. 

2. Celebration

The poem’s entirety is written in celebration of someone who has just become eighty-five years of age. It celebrates this individual’s life and accomplishments. It expresses admiration and respect for the person being honoured. This is seen in expressions like “wondrous mentor (line 11), “mahogany chest” (line 24), and “iroko agama” (line 25).  The poem expresses gratitude for the richness of the celebrant’s life experiences, both past and present. It recognizes the value found in the journey itself, regardless of its challenges: “Life’s whole process bloms into stark beauty/And give no trite, crippling regrets” (lines 5 and 6).

3. Contentment and Fulfillment.  

Age eighty-five is depicted as a time of contentment and fulfilled dreams. The contentment is found in the alignment between hope and desires. The aged does not worry about what he should have done or ought not to have done because the age is the “gainful twilight of fulfilled dreams” (line 15). It is that time of his life when he is recognized for hos age and wealth of experience.

The celebrant is fulfilled with the life he has lived thus far, contented with the things he has achieved, and only looks forward to more years of the feeling of contentment and fulfillment the poem conveys a sense of peace and satisfaction in these later stage of life.

The individual looks forward to the future with optimism and anticipation while he basks in the peace of present moment which his age has accorded him. He looks out “to sea for health delivering vessels” (line 20).

4. The Role of Mentorship

Another important theme in the poem is the role of mentorship and the impact of a mentor on the lives of others. The celebrant is described as a “wondrous mentor of rogues like us,” indicating that the celebrant have played a significant role in guiding, teaching, and influencing others. Rogues’ suggests that the mentees may have been wayward or in need of guidance, it is through the mentor’s influence that they have found direction or purpose. The speaker imagines the mentor “watching us strive and beating your mahogany chest in pride!” This suggests that the mentor takes pride in the achievements of those they have guided, reinforcing the idea that mentorship is

not just about imparting knowledge but also about taking satisfaction in the growth and success of others

Poetic Devices in “Hearty Garlands” by S.O.H. Afriyie-Vidza 

i.      Metaphor

The pact compares life’s progress to the blooming of a process into Stark beauty and failures as Lacking trite, crippling regrets. This suggests that the celebrant has lived a life of significance, where failures are viewed as part of a beautiful journey.

“Age eighty-five is life’s smiley, cloudless dawn,” compares the age of eighty-five to a serene and clear morning, indicating a time of peace and fulfillment in the person’s life.

ii. Personification Hope is personified in the lines “Hope now nods in contented concert with spent desires/Now restful Hope  neither nags not raves nor rants.” Hope is given human characteristics, emphasizing how it has transformed into a gentle, satisfied force rather than a demanding or anxious presence.

“Your heart sits on garlanded satis shores” personifies the heart as sitting on shores, suggesting a state of contentment and peace after a life well-lived.

iii. Alliteration

The poem features alliteration, such as in … lived as long”, “Life’s whole process blooms into stark beauty”, “Envy fights benign Felicitation…”, “Hope now nods in contented concert…”, “…Hope neither nags nor raves nor rants…”, “As you give yourself a cozy comfy treat today?” These adds rhythmic quality to the lines. 

iv.Imagery 

Vivid imagery is present in the poem, particularly in your heart sits on garlanded satis shores/ Looking out to sea for health delivering vessels.” This image evokes a peaceful scene of someone at the shores, watching for something beneficial to arrive, symbolizing hope for continued good health. 

The imagery of “smiley, cloudless dawn” and “gainful twilight of fulfilled dreams” paints a picture of a serene and fulfilling stage of life, reinforcing the theme of contentment in old age. 

v.      Irony

There is a subtle irony in the line “horrid green-eyed/Envy fights benign Felicitation,” where the natural human tendency towards envy is juxtaposed with benign, almost harmless, congratulations. The poet acknowledges envy but undercut it with the suggestion that it is ultimately powerless in the face of genuine joy and celebration.

STRATEGY AND ACTIVITIES: Review, Introduction, Conversational Approach, Recitation, Demonstration, Think-Pair Share.

LESSON SEQUENCE AND DELIVERY

ACTIVITY 1: The teacher inspires the students to recapitulate the content of the previous lesson. 

ACTIVITY 2: Teacher writes and shares with the students the lesson topic, learning objectives and key vocabulary words. 

ACTIVITY 3: Teacher guides the students to recite the poem and interpret the poem line by line and  stanza by stanza. 

ACTIVITY 4: Students, in small groups brainstorm on the subject matter of the poem. 

ACTIVITY 5: Students, in pairs, share thoughts on the themes of the poem. The representatives of the pairs share their discussion. The teacher guides against errors. 

ACTIVITY 6: The teacher guides the students to recite the poem again in order to highlight the devices used and their significance in the poem. They also discuss the structure of the poem. 

ASSESSMENT: Teacher asks these questions from the students:

1) Mention 3 themes of the poem. 

2) Highlight  at least three poetic devices used in the poem. 

WRAP UP/CONCLUSION: Teacher reviews the lesson content with the students and asks if the objectives of the lesson is achieved. The teacher emphasizes the fact that poet is emotionally troubled about how the younger generation quickly wanders away with the new culture in all forms and forgetting their previous rich culture, norms and values. 

ASSIGNMENT: Comment on the diction and mood of the poem.

HOD’S/VP ENDORSEMENT AND COMMENT:

WEEK: 7

Mid Term

WEEK: 8

DATE:

CLASS: SS 2

SUBJECT: Literature-in-English  

LESSON TITLE: “The Breast of the Sea” by Syl Cheney-Coker 

SUBTITLE: Analysis of Content and Themes 

PERIOD: 1^st and 2^nd 

DURATION: 80 Minutes

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

i.    Explain the background, summary and themes of the poem. 

ii.  Identify and explain the poetic devices used in the poem.

iii. Analyze the structure of the poem.

iv. Answer questions on the poem by examiner. 

KEY VOCABULARY WORDS: Sea, bloody century, breasts, anus, toxins, East Timor, Titanic, coelacanth, fractured chela

RESOURCES AND MATERIALS: Cardboard or banner showing the lines of the poem, flex, pictorials, audio & video clips, Goggle, YouTube, etc. 

REFERENCE BOOK: Exam Reflection by S.O Faniyi. Simplified Literature Vol  II by F. Oyelekan . 

BUILDING BACKGROUND/CONNECTION TO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE: Teacher asks these probing questions from the Students:

1. Explain how the poet references the celebrant in “Hearty Garlands” by S.O.H Afriyie-Vidza. 
2. Highlight the themes in the poem. 
3. Mention some elements of poetry used by the poet in the poem. 

CONTENT: “The Breast of the Sea” – Syl Cheney-Coker 

Background of the Poem “The Breast of the Sea” by Syl Cheney-Coker 

Today’s Sierra Leone was the ‘home’ where freed African settled upon their return from the Americas as slaves. Therefore, it has a bloody history of slavery and its unspeakable demonstrations among which is the death of innumerable Africans in the ocean on their way to and from Europe as slaves.

Another factor is the catastrophic end of the 20th Century fraught with international wars and conflicts resulting from the horse race inclination to power and dominance. This directly alludes to the First and Second World Wars – 1914-1918 and 1939-1945 respectively. Another to the political incompetence that plunged Sierra Leone into a Civil War between 1991-2002.

Nigeria had hers between 1967-1970 before Sierra Leone. There had been series of national crisis by powerdrunk force of nations. The acute hardship such violence has resulted to, featuring deaths, underdevelopment, and political backlash, serves as the background to the emotional turmoil recollected in meditation in the poem.

Summary of “The Breast of the Sea” by Syl Cheney-Coker 

“The Breast of the Sea” underscores the sea’s mothering and murdering realities as an accommodating body. The poet bursts into a deep sense of loss characterised by the aftermath of war and the plunder of a nation and, on a wider scope, the world.

Themes of “The Breast of the Sea” by Syl Cheney-Coker 

Prevalent among the messages in the poem are discussed below:

1. Long Standing Wars: Wars have become recurrent in the nations of the world. This is found in the opening line of the poem, “After our bloody century”. The use of “our” in this line already suggest a universality about the casualty syndrome that opens the poem. Many deaths, trap situations come to mind when we ponder the implication of “bloody” – war, disease outbreak, sea accident, etc.  

Apart from the World War I and II between 1914-1918 and 1939-1947 respectively among powerful nations. Africa herself had experienced several wars. These long standing wars have some adverse repercussions. This is the meditation that occasion the poet’s mood throughout the poem, making it read as a gloomy flashback on the toll of ruin and degradation of the world through the lens of Europe and Africa’s long standing wars..  

2. Africa as the architect of her underdevelopment: After these wars, Europe, at least, had some scientific breakthroughs to solve some of the problems of socio-economic ruins, Africa has not the sufficient civilisation. The adventure of self-governance has been failure. The result has been wars, factionalism, degradation, ethnicity, feudalism. Africa still struggles with the way forward. The problem of leadership and followership since independence remains an unsettled issue. Consequently, political, social and economic developments have met with unprecedented failures.  The poet is sad for Africa because she has misappropriated her resources needful to become champion of social civilisation. This is suggested in the pessimism conveyed in lines 6-8: “Anything else is only a fractured Chela/we cannot preserve, after the sea’s belly/has washed itself clean of our century’s blight.

The poet uses the Sierra Leonean experience as prototype for the pathetic and tragic situation of Africa as a whole –  although Europe is just as doomed. Africa has lost the capital of her resources to slavery mentality and bad leadership. 

3. Slavery and Colonialism: The poem is a historical record of Sierra Leonean (and by extension, Africa) history. The poet uses the index of slavery to further capture Africa’s subjection to inhumanity. The death of millions of Africans in the trans-Atlantic Slave trade is portrayed in the line, “Middle Passage’s cargoes” to show that Africa is a land of pain and grief as vividly detailed in Agostinho Neto’s “The Grieved Lands of Africa”.  

This slavery still afflicts Africa, a colonialist mentality with which Europe related with African nations as inferior minorities. Most significantly in this regard is the role the sea has played as a witness to this atrocity. It is important to recall that the adventurist nature of Europeans led to sea voyages and the mock discovery of hinterlands suited to their exploitative urge.  

4. Men as Pollutants: The sea in this poem is projected as a dump site of human and scientific/industrial waste. The sea has witnessed the eyesore of countless corpses resulting from war, sea travel, shipwreck, slave mass suicide and related grievous events escaped on the sea. In addition, industrialization has largely contributed to the pollution of water bodies, resulting in environmental degradation.   

The poet laments the environmental ruin that industrial wastes and chemicals have fomented on the hydrosphere. It therefore strikes true that the poisonous gas “toxin” mention in the poem is both human and industrial.

Poetic Devices in “The Breast of the Sea” by Syl Cheney-Coker 

1. Personification: The sea is given human attributes, as it is said to have “breast”, suggesting nurturing or embracing qualities. From line 1-2, the poet says, “the sea will groan under it’s weight”, the sea also has belly, “her belly will not yield new islands/even though the orphans of East Timor wish it so.” The sea is only capable of so much history: Noah’s monologue, the Middle Passage’s cargoes…,” the sea is as humans who have history, the histories of different activities done on the sea. Many corpses were thrown into the sea, oil spillage and a host of others. Also, the sea’s breasts will console some orphans.
2. Metaphor: The poet compares the sea to a breast, this implies a sense of sustenance and life, as if the sea provides nourishment. 

In the poet’s cogitation on the disparate functions of the sea, the metaphor, “breasts and anus” suggests that the sea is a mother to all of these nations such that it, itself, represents the vastness of humanity. However, man has utilised her for exploration and exploitation alike. Either way, it stands to awaken a memory of benevolence and cruelty. 

A metaphor of the intractable condition of the world, “fractured chela”. A chela is the pincer-like claw of a crustacean. It is impossible for the crustacean or arachnid to carry out locomotion by which it forages if the claws are broken; in other word, its condition can never be helped, that is, “we cannot preserve” (stanza 2, line 10). Visualising that such a sensitive and indispensable part of the creature, say a crab, is condemned, then the reader is on their way to assessing the intractability of the world’s sickness, which the poet calls “our century’s blight.”

iii. Sarcasms: The poet persona plays a witty sarcasm on the subservience of Timor-Leste in forgiving her imperialists, which is the significance of “children” in the line 4 of stanza 1.

It is in furtherance to that that he plays a witty sarcasm on the subservience of Timor-Leste in forgiving her imperialists, which is the significance of “children” in the line 4 of stanza 1. During World War II, Japan dominated East Timor; upon her cessation of imperialism, Portugal colonised her again until East Timor’s declaration of independence from Portugal in 1975. Not long after, tyranny continued upon East Timor when Indonesia invaded her whereupon she was later incorporated as a province of Indonesia. Not until 2002 did the country become a full fledged sovereign nation. This country becomes for the poet forgiveness personified; however, he indirectly avows that there is no such realism as “the children of East Timor” represent.  

iv. Allusion: There is a reference to Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution which happened by natural selection. Here the poet suggests the injurious consequence of the explosion of scientific knowledge; how that it has maimed lives on the notion of struggle for survival. This conveys the capitalist struggle and survivalist whereby only the stronger breed remains.  

The poet recalls the fiasco of the Titanic, a famed passenger ship that broke apart upon striking an iceberg, just five days in on its maiden voyage (15 April, 1911); and which, sinking, took more than 1,500 lives of passengers and crew alike. The coelacanth is a species of fish thought to have been extinct for 70 million years but was later discovered in 1936, identified by its remains. This whole idea suggests the devastation that the world has experienced through untamed scientific knowledge, the dumping of mineral and chemical wastes, human corpses after wars and crises; environmental and national pollution with lives.

STRATEGY AND ACTIVITIES: Review, Introduction, Conversational Approach, Recitation, Demonstration, Think-Pair Share.

LESSON SEQUENCE AND DELIVERY

ACTIVITY 1: The teacher inspires the students to recapitulate the content of the previous lesson. 

ACTIVITY 2: Teacher writes and shares with the students the lesson topic, learning objectives and key vocabulary words. 

ACTIVITY 3: Teacher guides the students to recite the poem and interpret the poem line by line and stanza by stanza. 

ACTIVITY 4: Students, in small groups brainstorm on the subject matter of the poem. 

ACTIVITY 5: Students, in pairs, share thoughts on the themes of the poem. The representatives of the pairs share their discussion. The teacher guides against errors. 

ACTIVITY 6: The teacher guides the students to recite the poem again in order to highlight the devices used and their significance in the poem. They also discuss the structure of the poem. 

ASSESSMENT: Teacher asks these questions from the students:

(1) Mention 3 themes of the poem.

(2) Highlight at least three poetic devices used in the poem. 

WRAP UP/CONCLUSION: Teacher reviews the lesson content with the students to ensure the objectives of the lesson are achieved. 

ASSIGNMENT: Comment on the diction and mood of the poem.

HOD’S/VP ENDORSEMENT AND COMMENT:

Week: 9                       

Date:           

Class: SS2

Topic: ‘She Walks in Beauty’ by Lord Bryon

Subtitle: Analysis of Content and Themes

Duration: 80 minutes

Period: 1st and 2nd

Objectives: By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• Analyse the subject matter of the poem.
• Discuss the themes of the poem. 
• Identify the poetic devices used by the poet in the poem.   
• Analyze the structure of the poem.   
• Answer questions on the poem by examiner. 

Keywords: cloudless climes, starry stars, half impaired, nameless grace

Resources/ Materials:  “Exam Focus” J.O.J Nwachukwu Agbada et al”

“Exam Reflection” by S.O Faniyi

Building Background: Students are asked to mention the subject matter of the African poems read in class.

Content:

Background and Summary ‘She Walks in Beauty’ by Lord Bryon

George Gordon Byron, aka Lord Byron, was a British poet and leading figure in Romanticism. Byron’s poetry often dealt with themes of love, death, and morality.

‘She Walks in Beauty’ is a quintessential romantic poem (a male poet praising a woman’s beauty). It belongs to the movement in literature and art known as Romanticism. The mood is of praise for the woman’s natural beauty, and the ways in which her prettiness is in harmony with the natural world of the starry sky and the night time.

The speaker spends the lines celebrating the beauty of one woman. He compares her beauty to the night rather than the day. The latter is suggested to be “gaudy,” and the “lady” certainly isn’t. The speaker describes different aspects of the woman, like her hair and skin. She is the image of peaceful beauty. The woman is unaware of the impact that she’s had on the speaker, who is also the poet, by the end of ‘She Walks in Beauty.’ The speaker is interested in the woman’s inner beauty as well as her outer beauty or physical beauty.

The speaker’s awe at the woman’s beauty comes across as just that: the awe that one would feel for a lovely painting or a picture of nature. It is an especially unusual choice coming from Byron, given that he was mostly known for his lascivious affairs. Scholars believe that ‘She Walks in Beauty‘by Lord Byron was written when the poet met his cousin, Mrs. Anne Beatrix Wilmont.

Structure and Form ‘She Walks in Beauty’ by Lord Bryon

‘She Walks in Beauty’ by Lord Byron is a three-stanza poem, each stanza of which contains six lines. This is the poetic form that is mostly used for hymns and is thus associated both with simplicity and with chasteness. The poem itself, although a type of love poem, does not refer to passionate or sexual love. The poem follows a rhyme scheme of ABABAB. The poem’s meter is also written in iambic tetrameter, which means there are four feet – four iambs – in each line. An iamb is an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. These two syllables together make one iamb. We can mark the stressed syllables in capitals as follows for the first couple of lines:

She WALKS in BEAU-ty, LIKE the NIGHT
Of CLOUD-less CLIMES and STAR-ry SKIES

Theme of ‘She Walks in Beauty’ by Lord Bryon

Throughout this piece, Byron engages with themes of beauty and purity. When seeing his cousin, he’s struck by both elements of her physical presence. She has a pure beauty that he feels is unmatched by any he’s seen in the back. He’s taken by what she looks like as well as her inner beauty. Byron certainly idealizes his vision of his cousin but, it’s this perfect image that makes the poem so widespread and long-lasting. Many readers find themselves connecting to what he has to say or dreaming about experiencing the same feelings for themselves.

Poetic Devices in ‘She Walks in Beauty’ by Lord Bryon

• Simile: The speaker introduces the poem’s one and only simile in the opening lines: “She walks in beauty, like the night / Of cloudless climes and starry skies” (lines 1–2). Here, the speaker compares the beauty of an unnamed woman to a night sky that is cloudless and therefore full of stars. 
• Antithesis: This refers to an instance where a contrast is made. The first line of the second stanza which the speaker uses the same word structure to express an opposition. One shade the more, one ray the less. To paraphrase, he’s saying that even a bit more shadow or a bit less light would disturb the woman’s beauty. The antithesis resides in the contrast between the more and the less.
• Alliteration: occurs when the poet repeats the same consonant sound at the beginning of multiple words. For example, “Which waves” in stanza two and “serenely sweet” later on in that same stanza. The latter is also an example of sibilance.
• Enjambment: This can be seen when the poet cuts off a line before its natural stopping point. For example, the transition between lines one and two of the first stanza as well as lines five and six of that same stanza.
• Imagery: occurs when the poet uses particularly interesting descriptions that trigger the reader’s senses. For example, “Which waves in every raven tress, / Or softly lightens o’er her face;”

Strategies and Activities: Review, Introduction, Conversational Approach, Think-Pair Share

ACTIVITY 1: The teacher inspires the students to recapitulate the content of the previous lesson. 

ACTIVITY 2: Teacher writes and shares with the students the lesson topic, learning objectives and key vocabulary words. 

ACTIVITY 3: Teacher guides the students to recite the poem and engage in a literary appreciation of the poem. The poem’s background is discussed.

ACTIVITY 4: Students, in small groups brainstorm on the subject matter of the poem. 

ACTIVITY 5: Students, in pairs, share thoughts on the themes of the poem. The representatives of the pairs share their discussion. The teacher guides against errors. 

ACTIVITY 6: The teacher guides the students to recite the poem again in order to highlight the devices used and their significance in the poem. They also discuss the structure of the poem. 

ASSESSMENT (EVALUATION): Teacher asks the students the following questions:

1. Discuss the structure and subject matter of the poem. 

2. Explain three poetic devices used in the poem.

3. What is the mood of the poem?

WRAP UP/CONCLUSION: The teacher entertains students’ questions to which she responds to.

ASSIGNMENT: Read ‘The Nun’s Priest’s Tale’ and identify the subject matter.

HOD/VP’S COMMENT/ ENDORSEMENT:

WEEK: 10

DATE: 

CLASS: SS 2

SUBJECT: Literature-in-English 

LESSON TITLE: “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale” by Geoffrey Chaucer 

SUBTITLE: Analysis of Content and Themes 

PERIOD: 1^st and 2^nd 

DURATION: 80 Minutes

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• explain the background, summary and themes of the poem;
• Identify and explain the poetic devices used in the poem;
• analyze the structure of the poem;
• answer questions on the poem by examiner. 

KEY VOCABULARY WORDS: Poor old widow, Chanticleer, Pertelote, crowing, meadow, dale, depletion, content, courteous 

RESOURCES AND MATERIALS: Cardboard or banner showing the lines of the poem, flex, pictorials, audio & video clips, Goggle, YouTube, etc.  

REFERENCE BOOK: Exam Focus, Exam Reflection by S.O Faniyi. Simplified Literature Vol  II by F. Oyelekan. 

BUILDING BACKGROUND/CONNECTION TO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE: Teacher asks these probing questions from the Students:

1. Explain the theme of the poem, “She Walks in Beauty” by Lord Bryon. 
2. Highlight the themes in the poem. 
3. Mention some elements of poetry used by the poet in the poem. 

CONTENT: “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale” by Geoffrey Chaucer 

Background of The Nun’s Priest’s Tale” by Geoffrey Chaucer 

GeoffreyChaucer is a Medieval writer, this is why the poem is rich in the use of allegory, religious or educational teachings within the piece of work, and the idea of courtly love and chivalry. “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale” is an excerpt from the collection of Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales. The story is told by the Nun’s Priest after the Host interrupts the Monk because his tale is too depressing and boring. The Priest proceeds to tell a story, a fable, which uses animals in place of humans to tell a moral tale. The poem of study is a shortened version of the tale. 

Summary of The Nun’s Priest’s Tale” by Geoffrey Chaucer 

The teller of this tale is a priest who serves the prioress of a Benedictine convent and another nun as chaplain on the pilgrimage. He is a man who takes his vocation seriously. Although he displays a wry sense of humor and a relish in describing the action of a barnyard chase, there is no reason to doubt his assertion that his tale exists to support “our doctrine.” The tale is a fable of a type often used by medieval preachers to exemplify the topic of a sermon, but because of the way the tale is framed, it is also a mock epic incorporating various satirical thrusts.

The first character in the tale, however, is a “poor widow,” a plain working woman who with the help of two daughters and a dog, maintains a modest farm. On the farm lives Chanticleer, with seven hens as consorts. His favorite is Pertelote, whom the rooster describes in a manner that imitates the descriptions of fair ladies in the courtly verse of the day. Chanticleer tells her of a bad dream in which he was menaced by “a beast like a hound.” When he insists that this is an omen of danger, Pertelote claims that something he ate caused the dream and that he should “take some laxative.” Both defend their positions by the standard medieval method of citing the texts of literary experts.

Themes of The Nun’s Priest’s Tale” by Geoffrey Chaucer 

The role of women in medieval society 

The Medieval period in Literature is characterized by writings on religion, moral teachings and romantic courtly love. The period spans from about 500-1500 CE and is categorized as beginning roughly after the fall of the Roman Empire and ending just before the beginning of the Renaissance 

There were writings that portrayed women as inferior to men in terms of intellect, morality and physicality during the Medieval period, this probably made Chaucer to unite the poem that showcases an old widow with two daughters who live modestly, “…by making do with what God sent…” Chaucer may be satirizing the beliefs of antifeminism in society “by transferring traditional gender roles onto a cock and a hen, it reveals the arbitrary and superfluous nature of human sexual conventions and thus undermines the power-structure upon which they rest” 

The poem portrays women as important, not dependent lout who can make a living their own and own an estate.

Death and Mortality

The poet starts the poem by introducing to the audience a poor old widow who lived in a cottage in the past, the poet digresses, “Since the sad day when last she was a wife,” this shows that the husband of the old widow had died a long time ago, leaving her with two daughters, a yard, and a cock with seven hens. The tale touches on the fact that death is inevitable. 

Life of Modesty

It can be clearly seen from the poem that the old woman who was a widow, she was poor, she lived a modest life, “Had led a vary patient, simple life.” She had little and she was able to feed herself and two daughters. She did not live a flamboyant lifestyle, she rather lived within her means – “According to her cloth she cut her coat.” The poet says “She drank no wine, nor white, nor red had got/Her board was mostly served with white and black/Milk and brown bread, in which she found no lack/Broiled beacon or an egg or two were common/ She was in fact a sort of dairy-woman. 

Romanticism and Love

The poet romanticizes on the beauty of the clocks, the crowing had no peer, “the voice was jollier than the organ blowing,” these and many other qualities are talked about by the poet concerning the rock named Chanticleer.

Also, it se noteworthy that Chanticleer has seven hens that do his pleasure, among them is the loveliest Pertelote who has some qualities, there is love between them, especially the joy to hear them sing.

Poetic Devices The Nun’s Priest’s Tale” by Geoffrey Chaucer 

The poet embellishes the poem with some devices that make it interesting, some of which are:

End Rhyme 

The poet employs the use of end rhyme throughout the loem, two lines have the same sound at the end. This device gives the poem a lyrical and musical quality.

Personification

The poem being a tale makes it rich in the use of personification where human attributes are given to animal. We are introduced to a cock called Chanticleer, a cock has a name just like human beings. This cock has a loveliest hen named Lady Pertelote. Also, the cock has sisters just like the way human stings have harem. Chanticleer is referred to as “him”, these cocks even speak and sing.

Simile

The poet embellishes the poem with simile to compare the qualities of Chanticleer: “And battlemented like a castle wall/His bill was black and shone as bright as jet/Like azure toes were his legs and they were set/Like burnished gold his feathers, flaming bright. The sisters of Chanticleer “Coloured like him in all particulars…”  Alliteration

The following are the repetition of initial consonant sound in the poem:

“…discreet and debonair…”

“…feathers, flaming…”

“…Chanticleer controlled…”

“. ..far from Land/For in those for off days…”

“…speak and sing…”

Use of allegory  

The Nun’s Priest’s Tale by Geoffrey Chaucer is an allegory that uses animal characters to represent human behavior. The story is a beast fable that uses the characters of Chanticleer the rooster and a fox to illustrate the moral that a simple life is happier than one based on pride. 

STRATEGY AND ACTIVITIES: Review, Introduction, Conversational Approach, Recitation, Demonstration, Think-Pair Share.

LESSON SEQUENCE AND DELIVERY

ACTIVITY 1: The teacher inspires the students to recapitulate the content of the previous lesson.  ACTIVITY 2: Teacher writes and shares with the students the lesson topic, learning objectives and key vocabulary words. 

ACTIVITY 3: Teacher guides the students to recite the poem and interpret the poem line by line and  stanza by stanza. 

ACTIVITY 4: Students, in small groups brainstorm on the subject matter of the poem. 

ACTIVITY 5: Students, in pairs, share thoughts on the themes of the poem. The representatives of the pairs share their discussion. The teacher guides against errors. 

ACTIVITY 6: The teacher guides the students to recite the poem again in order to highlight the devices used and their significance in the poem. They also discuss the structure of the poem. 

ASSESSMENT: Teacher asks these questions from the students: (1) Mention 3 themes of the poem. (2) Highlight  at least three poetic devices used in the poem. 

WRAP UP/CONCLUSION: Teacher reviews the lesson content with the students to ensure the objectives of the lesson are achieved.

ASSIGNMENT: Comment on the diction and mood of the poem.

HOD’S/VP ENDORSEMENT AND COMMENT:

WEEK: 11 

DATE:

CLASS: SS 2 

SUBJECT: Literature-in-English 

LESSON TITLE: “Digging” by Seamus Heaney 

SUBTITLE: Analysis of Content and Themes 

PERIOD: 1^st and 2^nd 

DURATION: 80 Minutes 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: By the end of the lesson, students should be able to: 

• explain the background, summary and themes of the poem; 
• identify and explain the poetic devices used in the poem; 
• analyze the structure of the poem;
• answer questions on the poem by examiner.

KEY VOCABULARY WORDS: Digging, spade, pen, finger and thumb, gun, coarse, boot, nestled, potatoes, milk, squat, mould, 

RESOURCES AND MATERIALS: Real object: Irish potato, Cardboard or banner showing the lines of the poem, flex, pictorials, audio & video clips, Goggle, YouTube, etc. 

REFERENCE BOOK: Exam Focus Literature-in-English by JOJ Nwachukwu-Agbada et al., Exam Reflection by S.O Faniyi and Simplified Literature Vol II by F. Oyelekan. 

BUILDING BACKGROUND/CONNECTION TO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE: Teacher asks these probing questions from the Students: 

1. Explain the theme of the poem, “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale” by Geoffrey Chaucer 
2. Highlight the themes in the poem.
3. Mention some elements of poetry used by the poet in the poem.

CONTENT: “Digging” – Seamus Heaney

Background of “Digging” by Seamus Heaney 

Agricultural activities and production are major means of livelihood in Northern Ireland, the country from which Seamus Heaney hails. One of the country’s most popular crops is Irish potatoes. The crop is named after Ireland because it is believed to be native of this part of Europe because it suits the soil and climate very well. The cultivation of this crop and the activities surrounding its production are seen as symbolic of national commitment to hard work. It is also a family business handed down from one generation to another. The repeated failure of the crop in the mid-nineteenth century led to a great famine in the land. Potato is a symbolic representation of the Irish devotion and commitment to hard work. Heaney uses this poem to recollect his childhood memories, this influenced this poem. 

Summary of “Digging” by Seamus Heaney 

The poet persona is about to compose a poem when he perceives the sound from the gardening activities of his father farming potatoes many years ago. He reflects on how his father is devoted to potato cultivation, especially how he handles the spade deftly. The narrator’s  grandfather was also good at using the spade to cultivate potato. Despite admiring the farming skills, diligence and devotion of his forebears to their calling, the narrator regrets his inability to take after the calling. Instead, he sees the pen as his own spade. He sees himself as a writer.

Themes “Digging” by Seamus Heaney 

Celebration of hard work

One of the main themes of the poem is celebration of hard work. We see the portrayal of the speaker’s father applying himself to his farm work in a most diligent manner. He handles the spade expertly and goes through different physical bodily postures and exertion while digging up potatoes and turfs. The speaker expresses deep admiration for both the skill and commitments of his father, he underscores the importance of hard work, also it’s value in terms of productivity.

The celebration is further explored in the portrayal of the speaker’s grandfather, a very diligent potato farmer among his contemporaries. The speaker’s grandfather promptly gets back to work after drinking a bottle of milk he has brought to him on an occasion. This shows the old man’s absolute commitment to his work. The poet shows his readiness to work at the beginning of the poem as well as his resolve to do this in his preferred way further testifies to his high valuation of hard work. 

Manual versus intellectual labour

The poem explores the similarity between manual labour and intellectual labour, using the spade and the pen as symbols. Generally, people view some jobs or professions as superior to others. This is due to the belief that they operate on technical skills. On the other hand, some works are believed to not require any formal training or skills. Manual works are usually believed to belong in this category. The poet evokes diction such as ‘rhythm’, ‘levered firmly’, ‘nestled’ and ‘nicking and slicing neatly’ to show that manual work of digging as a kind of artistry is both complex and technical. The speaker suggests that no work is inferior to other, in fact, his intellectual work of writing is similar to that of his forebears From the attitude of the speaker, both manual and intellectual works are depicted as respectable. 

Tradition and family heritage

Potato constitutes the traditional job of the speaker’s family. The speaker’s grandfather and father are potato farmers. The narrator, who is resolved to break the tradition by taking on a different calling has also participated in potato farming while younger by assisting to pick tubers of potato in the field. He embraces the work ethics of his family. If his father and grandfather are skillful, diligent, disciplined and committed to digging with the spade, he is also resolved on digging with the pen the same way. In the poem, we see how a tradition cultivated over decades influences the present members of the family. 

Poetic Devices “Digging” by Seamus Heaney 

Metaphor 

The word digging in the poem is used metaphorically to refer to working, not just the action of excavating the soil. The word is used to describe both the manual work of the speaker’s forebears, as well as his intellectual work. Similarly, the idea of digging with the pen is a metaphorical way of describing how the poet persona will carry out his intellectual work the way his forebears did. The persona’s father ‘stooping in rhythm through potato drills (l. 8)  is a metaphor for physical labour of the old man. This calls attention to the skill and beauty that characterise the work. 

Repetition

The words or phrases repeated in the poem include ‘digging, ‘potato,’ old man’, ‘down’, ‘spade’ and so on. Besides the title, the word ‘digging’ is repeated three times while it’s root form, ‘dig’, is used once. This is done to foreground and emphasise the speaker’s preoccupation with his family’s tradition and legacy of hard work, as well as dignity of labour. Repetition of ‘Potato’ three times acquaint the reader with the family’s occupation of the crop they cultivate (family tradition) and Irish national identification with the crop. The repetition of ‘old man’ twice refers to the father and grandfather of the poet persona, this easily speaks of the generational roots of the tradition of hard work, skill, commitment to the cultivation of Potato in the poet persona’s family.

‘Spade’ is repeated three times in the poem, the word symbolises manual work, a connection to rural life. There is a shift in the usages of the word, the second is about the potential of writing, symbolised by a comparison to the gun, to resolve to activate the same. 

Symbolism

As explained above, spade as a symbol of manual work is also a symbol of farming (land cultivation). Another symbolism in the poem is ‘pen’. ‘Pen’ is a symbol of intellectual work, which the persona’s writing job exemplifies. Comparison of the pen to a gun imbues the pen with symbolic power. It recalls the popular saying that the pen is mightier than the sword. The pen is the spade of the writer to dig with. The soil also becomes the symbol of the persona’s memories and imaginative field that will be dug for creative purposes. 

Assonance

The first example occurs in the first line: ‘Between my finger and my thumb’. Some other examples are seen in the following: ‘Flowerbeds/Bends, ‘Stooping in rhythm through potato drills,’ potato mould’, ‘Through living roots’, ‘Pen rests’, ‘Dig with it’. These instances of repetition of vowels enrich the poem in terms of rhythmical quality when read aloud.

Simile

The simile in the poem is used in relation to “Digging”, where the pen is said to rest between the speaker’s finger and thumb snug as gun! This shows the power of the pen. It also underscores how good the speaker is at handling the pen. The Simile becomes important when we see that the speaker forebears’ work is as important and skill-driven as his own intellectual work.

Other poetic devices in the poem are Alliteration and Enjambment.

STRATEGY AND ACTIVITIES: Review, Introduction, Conversational Approach, Recitation, Demonstration, Think-Pair Share. 

LESSON SEQUENCE AND DELIVERY 

ACTIVITY 1: The teacher inspires the students to give a  recap the content of the previous poem discussed. 

ACTIVITY 3: Teacher guides the students to recite the poem and interpret the poem line by line and stanza by Stanza. He discusses the background of the poem with the students. 

ACTIVITY 2: Teacher writes and shares with the students the lesson topic, learning objectives and key vocabulary words. 

ACTIVITY 4: Students, in small groups brainstorm on the subject matter of the poem. 

ACTIVITY 5: Students, in pairs, share thoughts on the themes of the poem. The representatives of the pairs share their discussion. The teacher guides against errors. 

ACTIVITY 6: The teacher guides the students to recite the poem again in order to highlight the devices used and their significance in the poem. 

ASSESSMENT: Teacher asks these questions from the students:

(1) Mention 3 themes of the poem.

(2) Highlight at least three poetic devices used in the poem. 

WRAP UP/CONCLUSION: Teacher reviews the lesson content with the students to ensure the objectives of the lesson are achieved. 

ASSIGNMENT: Discuss the structure, tone/mood of the poem. 

VP/HOD’S ENDORSEMENT AND COMMENT:

WEEK: 12

DATE:

CLASS: SS 2 

SUBJECT: Literature-in-English 

LESSON TITLE: REVISION AND EXAMINATION

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FIRST TERM

SUBJECT: LITERATURE IN ENGLISH 

CLASS: SS 2

SCHEME OF WORK LITERATURE IN ENGLISH SSS2

WEEK  TOPIC

1. Revision of Last Term Works
2. Reading and Analyzing Non-African Poetry “The Pulley” by George Herbert:  About the Poet, Content Analysis
3. Themes and style of the poem
4. Reading and Analyzing African Prose: Lonely Days by Bayo Adebowale: Author’s Background and Plot
5. Themes and Characterization of the work
6. Setting  and Style in the work
7. Reading and Analyzing Non-African Poetry : ” Crossing the Bar” by Alfred Lord Tennyson: Poet’s Background / Analysis
8. Themes / Poetic Devices in the poem
9. Reading and Analyzing Non-African Poetry: Faceless by Amma Darko; Plot and Themes
10. Characterization and Style.
11. Revision

REFERENCE

• Lonely Days by Bayo Adebowale
• Faceless by Amma Darko. 
• Exam Reflection Literature- in-English by Sunday Olateju Faniyi.
• Exam Reflection Literature-in-English (Prose and Drama) by Sunday Olateju Faniyi

WEEK ONE

TOPIC: READING AND CONTENT ANALYSIS OF NON-AFRICAN POETRY:“THE PULLEY” BY GEORGE HERBERT

CONTENT

ABOUT THE POET AND CONTENT ANALYSIS

About the poet

George Hebert was born in Wales in 1593. He was an English poet, orator and Anglican priest. His background as a clergyman had a profound influence on his writings. He has been classified as a metaphysical poet. His poems were greatly influenced by John Donne’s works because the latter was his mother’s friend. His poems were highly philosophical in nature and they celebrated God’s love towards man. Herbert wroteabout issues of life using a religious approach. Throughout his life, he wrote religious poems characterized by a unique use of imagery, which were easily accessible to his readers. Herbert’s writings express his relationship with God. He confessed that his poetry is a picture of the spiritual conflicts between God and man’s soul.

Content Analysis of the Poem

George Herbert’s “The Pulley” focuses on the relationship between God and man, God’s love for man and man’s weakness. In this poem, Herbert uses the metaphor of the pulley to talk about man’s dependence on God and the fact that without God man is nothing. The point being stressed in this poem is that after creating man, God deliberately withheld some benefits from him so that man would turn to Him for his needs and salvation. The implication is that man’s yearning for those things lacking in his life would ultimately bring him back to God. Thus, the pulley serves as a metaphor presenting man’s helplessness and dependence on God for his sustenance and assistance. The poem adopts a three-part syllogistic approach, which is common feature of metaphysical poetry. The first part usually raises a question or an issue, which needs to be resolved. The second part works on the issue, the last provides the solution. Within the contest of “The Pulley”, the first part narrates the creation story, while the second part describes an endowment of man with virtue like riches, honour, wisdom beauty, etc. In the third part, God finds a way to retain man’s interestin Him by giving him everything but rest. He succeeds in devising a strategy to continually draw men unto Him. George Herbert’s poems are usually emblematic in nature and “The Pulley” is no exception. The structure of the poem is unusual as the first and last line of every stanza is shorter than the remaining lines. Readers can easily imagine the shape of a pulley and appreciate the poem as these lines create a visual description and the analysis of the poem creates a visual description and the analysis of the poem creates its significance. God gave man everything he will ever need after creation but in bid to restore man toGod, He bestowed weariness and restlessness on man so that man will always run to Him for salvation.

EVALUATION QUESTIONS

1. Give a brief background of George Herbert.
2. Analyze the poem above.

GENERAL EVALUATION/REVISION QUESTIONS

1. How does the poet portray man and God?
2. Summarize the poem in your own words  

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT

1. Identify the odd literary device from the list. (a) enjambment (b) plot (c) rhyme (d) alliteration.
2. We study Literature in school because it (a) provides a means to kill time (b) expose students tolife realities (c) provides readers with entertainment (d) teaches readers the use of words
3. Dramatic irony entails (a) the praise of the audience (b) a statement with a deeper significance (c) a statement hilarious and sarcastic (d) the praise tag of a great person
4. The echoing of the meaning of a word by its sound is called (a) phonetics (b) oxymoron (c) pun (d) onomatopoeia
5. A comedy is a play in which (a) nobody dies (b) there is a happy ending (c) there is real laughter (d) the hero is a clown.

THEORY

1. Analyze the poem above.

WEEK TWO

THEMES “THE PULLEY” BY GEORGE HERBERT

• The superiority of God, the all-knowing God, over man

The main theme of the poem is God’s supremacy over man. “The Pulley” establishes the fact that God is in all ramifications superior to man. It is a fact that every human being must accept, that God, as Supreme Being, controls the destiny of each individual and that without Him, nothing that exists can subsist. Thus, the poem is a symbolic portrayal of the fact that man’s efforts are dependent on God, his creator. The poem asserts that God, in His infinite wisdom, knows that making man independent would lead to the abuse of that independence. Therefore, the tone of this poem shows God’s superiority over man. There is that master-subordinate relationship depicted in the poem where God, the master, has full authority over His creation. God requires respect from man hence, He withdraws one special gift which is that of emotional fulfillment and contentment. According to God, the lack of this gift will definitely draw man back to him to draw him under His feet. This tempo is made prominent in the last stanza of the poem: “Let him be rich and weary, that at least/if goodness lead him not, yet weariness/may toss him back to my breast”.

• The frailty of the human mind

Another major theme depicted in the poem is the frailty of the human mind. God as Sovereign and the creator of mankind understands the nature of man. He knows that the mind of man is frail, that man is weak and easily susceptible to a myriad of negative, ungodly influences. God knows that man can easily be manipulated and that he could easily forget his maker if he has all he needs in life. This is why God decided to take rest from man to constantly remember man of his need to depend on God.

• God desires that man should look up to Him

This poem reveals the facts that God desires to draw men unto Him because He created man for a purpose, to serve and worship Him. God desires that men depend on Him and seek His face at all times for everything. God also desires that men should worship and adore Him alone and not idolize the things he made. He, therefore, creates a way to make this possible by not giving man rest, which is synonymous with peace of mind.

• The reason for man’s restlessness

The poem provides an answer for the restlessness of man. People often ask the question: why is man restless? Why is the need of man insatiable? This poem provides an answer to this philosophical question. God bestowed restlessness and weariness upon man so that man would always run to Him.

Poetic Techniques in the Poem

The following figures of speech and sound devices are apparent in the poem.

1. Alliteration: This is found in expressions like “so strength” (l. 6), which alliterates the /s/ sound and “repining restlessness” (l. 17), which alliterates the /r/ sound.
2. Assonance: This is found in line 8: “when almost all was out…”
3. Contrast: One also notices the use of contrast in the poem. This is evident in the last stanza of the poem. There is a contrast between “rich” and “weary” in line 18.
4. Dramatic Monologue: this is one prominent technique that runs through the poem. This technique encourages the dramatic mood of the poem by unfolding the relationship between the addresser and addressee. Thus, there is that position of an audience. This is exemplified by use of dialogues in the poem. The phrase, “let us” unconsciously signifies the presence of an unseen audience. All these attest to the effectiveness of the dramatic monologue in the poem.
5. Imagery: The presentation of mental images to express a central idea is seen in the poem. From the title of the poem, readers are prone to createa mental picture as they analyze the poem. The pulley is an image that embodies the idea the poem seeks to express.
6. Inversion: In line 4, the normal order of words reversed towards the end of the line: “let the world’s riches, which dispersed lie” the normal order should be: “which lie dispersed” However, if this arrangement of words was the one used, “dispersed” would not rhyme with “by” in line 2
7. Personification: Two things, goodness and weariness, are endowed with human attributes in lines 19-20: “if goodness lead him not, yet weariness/may toss him to my breast”.
8. Synecdoche: There is an example of the use of synecdoche in line 20, the last line of the poem where the word “breast” is used as a metaphor for God. Synecdoche is a form of metaphor where a part is used to represent the whole of what is referred to.
9. Biblical Allusion: the poem is an example of biblical allusion as all its contents allude to the creation of the world and man in Genesis 1-2

EVALUATION

1. Analyze four poetic device in the poem.
2. What is the main theme of the work and why?

GENERAL EVALUATION/REVISION QUESTIONS

1. Analyze the content of “The Pulley.”
2. Discuss on any two themes in the poem.
3. Examine five poetic devices in the poem.

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT

1. The struggle between two opposing forces in the plot of a story which can either be internal or external is ____ (a) Conflict   (b) Struggle       (c) Pathos
2. ____ is the conversation between characters in a literary work.

(a) Dialogue                (b) Connotation              (c) Canto

3. ____ is the greatest point of interest or entertainment intensity in a literary work.

(a)  Climax             (b) Anti-Climax              (c) Denouement

4. ____ is the quotation that occurs at the beginning of a literary work that highlight a theme.  (a)  Epigraph         (b) Epigram     (c)  Epithet

5. ____ is an exaggeration for the purpose of emphasis.

(a) Exaggeration         (b) Litotes        (c) Pun

THEORY

How does Herbert explore religion in “The Pulley”?

WEEK THREE

LONELY DAYS BY BAYO ADEBOWALE: AUTHOR’S BACKGROUND AND PLOT

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bayo Adebowale hails from Adeyipo village in Ibadan, Nigeria. An astute literary scholar, he has written a lot of literary books which cut across the diverse sub-genres of literature. He is a novelist, poet, short-story writer and a librarian. Dr Adebowale was a senior principal lecturer in English and former Deputy Rector of The Polytechnic, Ibadan. He is also the Founder/Director of the African Heritage Research Library (AHRL), which is the first rural community-based African studies research library in Africa. He is currently an Associate Professor at the Bells University of Technology, Ota.

PLOT ANALYSIS

The novel is about the plight of widowhood in African society. It is the story of Yaremi, whose beloved husband, Ajumobi, died suddenly after a brief illness.Yaremi hails from Adejipo. Ajumobi married her as a virgin. The couple lived Kufi, Ajumobo’s home town. It was a happy union. While other men maltreated their wives, Ajumobi spoilt his wife with love and devotion. The couple had three children namely, Segi, Wura, Alani

Since her husband’s death it has been lonely days and night for Yaremi. Only her little grandson, Woye, lives with her. Her daughters had all

EVALUATION QUESTIONS

1. What do you know about the author of Lonely Days?

GENERAL EVALUATION/REVISION QUESTIONS

Analyze the plot of the work.

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT

1. “Here comes the princess, now heaven walls on earth”, illustrates the use of A. contrast. B. metaphor. C. metonymy. D. meiosis                                                                                                                                                                                                  
2. An ode is usually a poem written for A. condemnation. B. celebration. C. instruction. D. entertainment.
3. The main character in a literary work is the A. antagonist. B. protagonist. C. narrator. D actor.
4. A sonnet may be divided into an octave and A.  tercet. B. quatrain. C. sestet. D. septet.
5. “All hands on deck” is an example of A. metaphor. B personification. C. synecdoche D. simile

Literature in English Elesson- Edudelight.com

THEORY

Read the plot of Lonely days in Exam Focus and summarize it.

WEEK FOUR

THEMES IN LONELY DAYS

THE AGONY OF WIDOWHOOD

Lonely Days relates the agonies of widowhood; it shows the effects of unjust widowhood rites and rituals on women. Yaremi, Fayoyin, Radeke and Dedewe all suffer maltreatment and deprivations because they are widows. The loss of a loved one is demoralizing on its own, adding unwarranted punishments to it is simply unreasonable. Widows suffer discrimination and marginalization. They are made to sing dirges and confess sins that they did not commit. Fayoyin, for instance, is made to lick libation and sing a dirge. The people sprinkle cold water on her head to make it easier for the barber to shave her hair. Fayoyin’s appearance is terribly altered after the hair-shaving episode. Dewede is also made to confess her ‘sins’;she is forced to sit beside her husband’s corpse inside a dark room.

The three widows during a visit to Yaremi tell her of how they sank deep into despair when they lost their husbands and how “a thick cloud gathered in our sky covering our earth in pithy darkness”. Widowhood in kufi, as in many other places, especially rural communities, means a loss of dignity and social status. Widows have many things in common, “they shed tears for the same purposes and laughed the same hollow laughter with the tip of their tongues”. They all look the same in their black widow’s garment. The widows state emphatically that they are “the subjugated people of the world with no hope and no security!”. They face societal restrictions and maltreatment. Widowhood dehumanizes and reduces the affected woman from a high pedestal of respect which comes with marriage to the butt of every joke and topic for gossip and romantic advances from unreliable suitors. Yeremi is pestered by Olonade, Ayanwale and Lanwa, each boasting of his great ability to meet all of Yeremi’s needs. Lanwa even tells Yeremi that he is entitled to Ajumobi’s human and material property because he is Ajumobi’s half-brother. The woes of widowhood are devastating.

LONELINESS AND SOLITUDE

The widow suffers loneliness and solitude; she is alone, from dawn till dusk, a castaway. Yaremi’scase is especially pathetic because her children are now adults and they do not live in Kufi. Segi lives with her husband at Olode; Wura with her husband at Apon; and Alani lives in Ibadan. Woye, her grandchild, whose company she enjoys, is soon taken away from her. Thus, for Yaremi, loneliness is a loyal companion.

To combat loneliness, Yaremi makes Woye, her grandchild, her companion. She tells him stories and they sing together. She also recalls her times with Ajumobi, both the good times and the seemingly bad moments. She recounts his care, his love and his tenderness. She tends his grave often. She even dreams about him.

Yaremi’sloneliness is heightened after her refusal to pick a cap at the cap-picking ceremony. The villagers after the incident begin to avoid her. They are reluctant to share pleasantries with her. Alani, her son that she had thought would stay back in Kufi and manage his father’s property, announces to Yaremi’s amazement that he is returning to the city.

Lonely Days is a testament to Yaremi’s loneliness and the fact tat lonely days still lie ahead of her. For Yaremi, there is no hope that the lonely days would ever end; she is nevertheless willing to face the days that lie ahead without fear or fright.

THE DIGNITY OF LABOUR

The narrative underscores the fact that if women would be empowered, they most have something doing, that is they must be engaged in a meaningful occupation. Yaremi, the protagonist, in addition to her taffeta business, has a farm. The narrative stresses the need for women to be hardworking and diligent at work. Yaremi can stand tall and face the men of Kufi because she is self-sufficient. She stands by her decision not to replace Ajumobi with any other man beacause the proceed from her work can cater for needs

Yaremi is forced to work alone. She does all the work, both the one that belongs to her gender and those that women are not supposed to in. she treks to long distance to her husband’s farm to uproot cassava root for her  goats. She dries maize in the sun. she makes and sells taffeta cloth, she threshes bean- seeds, tends cocoyam, stitches her old quilts, all without complaining. she is surprised when a woman remarks that she gradually becoming a man. Her hands are harsh from the hard labour she preoccupies herself with. Even her voice is becoming authoritative and sharp and her gait has become restive.

CHARACTERIZATION

1. Yaremi: yaremi is the heroine of the novel she once had a husband, Ajumobi, and three children. They are Segi, Wura and Alani. She is portrayed as a lonely woman in her early fifty. Though lonely, she is hardworking, generous and knows what she wants. The latter informs her decision not marry after the  death of her husband. At the end of the work, is ostracized from Kufi but determines to fight it out with her last blood.
2. Ajumobi: Ajumobi was the husband of Yaremi three children. The writer informs the reader that he died nine months before the narration begins. He was a hunter and farmer. He played the roles of a husband while he was alive. We see him as a talkative and a boaster especially when his drunk. Yaremi see his death as a good one but the villagers see it in the other way round. From the little we could harvest from his wife, he is a hardworking, devoted and compassionate husband.
3. Woye: Woye is the grandson of Yaremi and her mother is Segy. He is an innocent boy full of live and humour. He plays the role of a companion to the grandmother. The grandmother teaches him how to be hardworking  

EVALUATION QUESTIONS

1. Discuss two themes in the work.
2. Describe the main character in the work.

GENERAL EVALUATION/REVISION QUESTIONS

1. Describe the main character in the work.
2. Describe two minor characters in the wok.

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT

. “The star blinked and the wind wailed” is an example of _____

(a)  antithesis(b)  euphemism    (c)  metaphor    (d)  parody    (e)  personification

• Pick out the odd item from the following ____ (a)  comedy     (b)  octave     (c)  Quatrain    (d)  sonnet    (e)  sestet
• “United we stand, divided we fall”, illustrates the use of ____

(a) anti-climax(b)  antithesis    (c)  climax   (b)  irony    (e)  sarcasm

• The writer’s freedom to use words to suit his own purpose is called_____(a)  author’s freedom     (b)  author’s license    (c)  poetic freedom   (d)  poetic license (e)  writer’s license
• The expression, “Before Idi Amin breathed his last he admonished his children to shun violence” is a/an ____ (a) anecdote (b) metaphor (c) euphemism (d)    onomatopoeia    (e)  paradox

THEORY

Analyze Yaremi as the major character in the work.

Literature in English Elesson- Edudelight.com

WEEK FIVE

SETTING LONELY DAYS BY BAYO ADEBOWALE

Lonely Days is principally set in Kufi, a village in south western Nigeria. Adeyipo village is another prominent village that features in the narrative. Adeyipois a village in Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State and it is the author’s hometown. Within the context of this novel, the name ‘ Adeyipo’ is very symbolic and significant. ‘Adeyipo’ in the Yoruba language means the crown has gone round or around. From a symbolic level f interpretation, we can say that in this novel, the author uses the name to emphasize the point that the crown of peace and happiness that came with Yaremi’s marriage to Ajumobi was replaced with a crown of thistles, thorns and sorrow after his death.

The setting is a traditional one. All the characters, except Alani who lives in the city, are village dwellers. They follow and obey the dictates of their traditions and customs as enshrined in their cultural norms and values. Most of the events of the narrative take place in Yaremi’s home, as she is the protagonist of the novel. There are references to other places in Kufi village, such as the brook, the farm and the widow’s road. Another village of note in the narrative is Oyedeji village, where Yaremi and Woyetrek to, to sell their wares. It is also at Oyedeji that some people claimed to have sighted Ajumobi, after his death.

The temporal setting of Lonely Days is a post independent one, deducible from the description of Ibadan, where Alani lives, as a place where the people “cruised about in smuggled limousine and hire-purchase Mercedes Benz”. Although Kufi is a Nigerian community, it is quite unruffled by the whiteman’s civilization; it is  a village that is still at peace with the traditions and beliefs of its ancestors. The people are ruled by traditions and the waystheir forefathers handled situations; they believe in superstitions and they still sit outside their houses, on moonlit nights, to tell folktales.

As earlier noted, Lonely Days recounts the agonies of widowhood and the unjust rites that women are made to go through once they lose their husbands. Dewede, for instance, is asked to confess sins that she has not committed, Fayoyinis asked to lick libation “to purge her of all thieve sins they insisted thetoo had committed”. Radeke’s case is the same; she is cursed by the villagers who believe that her dirge is full of lies. Yaremi suffers thoroughly as widow. She dines with loneliness and wines with solitude. The pains of widowhood are many and gargantuan.

LANGUAGE AND STYLE IN LONELY DAYS BY BAYO ADEBOWALE

• Diction

Lonely Days consists of fourteen chapters; it also contains an Entrance Verse, a poem of twenty-five lines preoccupied with the woes of widowhood. The language of the narrative is simple and easy to understand. There is the insertion of Yoruba words into the narration as a means of foregrounding the setting of the novel as a rustic, traditionally oriented village in the Yoruba speaking parts of South Western Nigeria. The novel features a rich vocabulary on traditional life, hunting, farming, dyeing, wood carving, flute playing and a host of others. There are also descriptions of various types of birds and animal that inhabit the animal kingdom and folk tales and myths in traditional societies. Many parts of the narrative feature a prosaic-poetic use of language.

• Point of view

Bayo Adewale employs the third person omniscient point of view, whereby the narration is done not by any of the characters in the novel but by an outsider, who sees all and knows all. The narrator knows even the thoughts and plans of the characters. Thus, the presentation of the events are as perceived by a narrator who is not hindered by lack of sufficient information, but one who knows everything happening to the characters. The reader learns about the characters and their experiences from what the narrator says and what the characters say in dialogues, which are introduced to enliven the narrative.

• The use of the technique

Flashback is employed to supply the reader with information about what had happened in the past. Yaremi’scourtship with Ajumobi is known to the reader through the writer’s employment of flashback. Also Yaremi’s reminiscences are helpful in filling the gaps that exist in knowledge about Ajumobi who had died nine months before the narration of the story began. Other information about Yaremi’s childhood and business are provided through a flashback to those experiences.

• The use of suspense

Suspense is introduced to create an air of expectancy and curiosity in the reader. Woye’s sickness and the possible outcome are points of suspense in the novel. The reader desperatelyseeks to know if Woye would be well again. The cap-picking ceremony is also another suspense-filled episode in the novel. The reader is very interested in knowing whose capYaremi would pick; the reader shares the villagers’ surprise when Yaremi walks to the bench, stares at the caps, bows to the elders and walks away from the arena.

• The use of myths and folktales

Myths and folk tales are employed to enrich the story. The narrator tells of the myths and folk tales that are told in the village about the moon. There are also references to the stories of the tortoise who visited his in-laws’ house and “messed himself up with a mess of hot pottage in the sitting room right in front of his new life, Yanibo”; the proud antelope who lived a prince and who was eventually subdued by the hunter’s bullet; the hungry baboon who enlarged his flat nose as he tried to smell the aroma of the farmer’s wife’s melon soup; the greedy thief who died of constipation from the stolen corn that he ate and other stories about the hyena and the chicken

GENERAL EVALUATION

1. Analyze three main characters in the work
2. Discuss the role of women in the work.
3. Discuss the language of the work.

GENERAL EVALUATION/REVISION QUESTIONS

1. Discuss the use suspense in the work.
2. Discuss the style of the work.

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT

1.   Repetition is usually used in literacy works to ____

(a) assess (b) emphasize (c)  exaggerate   (d)  expose   (e)  modify

2.   “She was found without her flower” is an example of ______

(a)  alliteration    (b)  allusion     (c)  apostrophe   (d)  metaphor   (e)  simile

3.   The figure of speech used in the statement “The village lost its beautiful structures, glory and its inhabitants to the inferno” is ____

(a) anticlimax (b) antithesis (c) climax (d) epigram    (e)  paradox

4.   “The child is the father of the man” illustrates the use of ______

(a)  exaggeration     (b)  metaphor     (c)  oxymoron    (d)  paradox     (e)  personification

5.   Rhetorical questions are used in literary works to achieve the following EXCEPT _____ (a)  creating awareness     (b)  drawing a point home      (c)  emphasizing a point

(d) jettisoning the writer’s position  (e) reinforcing a point

THEORY

Discuss the use of symbols and folktales in the work.

Literature in English Elesson- Edudelight.com

WEEK SIX

TOPIC: READING AND CONTENT ANALYSIS OF NON-AFRICAN POETRY:“CROSSING THE BAR” BY LORD TENNYSON

CONTENT

ABOUT THE POET

CONTENT ANALYSIS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

One of the most popular and well-loved British poets Alfred, Lord Tennyson lived between 1809 and 1892. He belonged to the Victorian era of English Literature. He was the poet Laureate of British and Ireland from 1850 until his death in 1892, making him the longest serving English poet Laureate to date.

ANALYSIS OF THE POEM

The poem is a meditation on death. It begins with a reflection of the poet’s persona on what he describes as “one clear call for me!(l.2) on a certain evening when he realizes that it is time for him to go to the sea. He hopes that the sea could have become calm after usual turbulent movement. He further expresses the hope that when twilight eventually turns to darkness and he consequently embarks on his journey, his people will not be sad over his departure. Finally, he notes that though the journey may take him to a far distant or location, he believes it will be profitable because it will afford him the opportunity to meet his Pilot. Metaphorically speaking, the journey is actually death. Therefore, “Crossing the Bar” relates the poet’s persona’s preoccupation with the coming of death, an inevitable phenomenon. Instead of the usual fright and anxiety that many display at their approach of death, the poet’s persona faces death calmly. The tone of the poem depicts neither fear nor distress. At the literal level, the “bar” in this context is a nautical term for a ridge of sand formed at the shore, by moving tides. At the metaphorical level, the “bar” refers to crossing the threshold from mortality into another realm of experience, possibly immortality.

EVALUATION QUESTIONS

1. What do you know about the poet?
2. Analyze the poem in your own words.

GENERAL EVALUATION/REVISION QUESTIONS

1. What are the dominant ideas in the poem.
2. Give a content analysis of the poem.

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT

1. A short and witty poem is known as (a) a balled (b) an epigram (c) an Epic (d) a lyric
2. A literary work that extols one’s virtues and accomplishment is (a) a eulogy (b) a pastoral (c) an elegy (d) an allegory
3. The main character in a literary work is the (a) antagonist (b) protagonist (c) narrator (d) villain
4. A sonnet may be divided into an octave and (a) tercet (b) quatrain (c) sestet (d) couplet
5. “All hands on deck” is an example of (a) metaphor (b) personification (c) metonymy (d) synecdoche

THEORY

Read the content analysis of the poem above in Exam Focus and summarize it.

Literature in English Elesson- Edudelight.com

WEEK SEVEN

THEMES IN THE POEM “CROSSING THE BAR” BY LORD TENNYSON

• Death

Literally, the poem is about someone’s intention or beckoned to undertake a journey on the sea. Figuratively, however, it is about someone realizing the approach of his death. The “Sunset” and “evening” referred to in the poem actually mean that period of life when man’s instinct tells him that the end of his existence on the earth is imminent. Although this usually happens at old age, it can also happen before such a time. The poetic persona presents an attitude which does not suggest a typical fear of death attitude which many usually have. He looks forward to death, a journey of no return. He, however, expresses a desire for a peaceful death when he notes: “And may there be no moaning of the bar/ But such a tide as moving seems asleep”. The sadness and wailing which usually attend people’s death are also detested by the poet. He hopes no such conducts would attend his death. In the poem, death is not conceived as the end of life or the end of everything. It is seen as a journey and a transition from one plane of existence to another. This is perhaps while the poet does not want his death to be attended by sadness. The fact that life continues after death is evidenced in the poet’s hope that he will see his ”Pilot face to face “after “Crossing the Bar”. As universally believed and accepted, death is presented as inevitable. It is a sure thing in the life of every creature. This is underscored by the poet’s use of the adverbial “When” each time he talks about death. It can therefore be asserted that “Crossing the Bar” is also a poem about the transience of death. The poem present a poetic persona who sees his death approaching and faces it with the courage and hope. The poem attests to the fact that this life as we know is not external. The poem relates that all things would soon Fade and pass away. The poem underscores the fact that man is a mortal being; hence, he will face death sooner or later. Just as there is “one clear call” for the poetic persona, everyman’s clear call will eventually come. The poetic persona speaks with certainty in regards to his death and translation into another realm of existence.

• Hope

Hope is an important theme of the poem and it is expressed in each of the first stanzas making up the poem. In the stanzas, this theme is noticed where the poet recognizes impending death but hope that when it eventually comes, it would not be attended by any form of agitation or pain. This hopeful desire is re-inscribed in the second stanza where the poet likens the kind of circumstance of his desired death to “a tide as moving seems asleep”, that is a relatively peaceful one. The note of optimism also comes across as desire in the poem is also seen as expression, “And may there be no sadness of farewell,/When I embark”. The most expressive and emphatic hope is found in the last two lines of the poem where the persona says he hopes to see his “Pilot fact-to-face” after crossing the bar. With this last expression, we have a hopeful view of death presented in the poem. Death is made to appear attractive, rather than frightening. The poem shows the courage exhibited by the poetic persona in the face of death. He accepts the impending call with tranquility. He is neither agitated nor afraid. Despite the fact that the poetic persona perceives that the end of his pilgrimage on earth is at hand, he is not frightful, rather, he looks forward to meeting his Pilot and seeing the one who steered the course of his life, face to face. The poetic persona “preaches” a calm acceptance of death and dying since they are inevitable components of this life.

POETIC TECHNIQUES IN THE POEM “CROSSING THE BAR” BY LORD TENNYSON

• Metaphor

The entire poem is one long metaphor that offers a meditation on the inevitability of death. Ordinarily, the poem reads as a piece on a proposed sea voyage. A close reading however reveals that the journey in question is actually one to the land of the dead. Besides presenting the entire poem as a metaphor, specific words, phrases and ideas in the poem are used metaphorically. Form the very first line where the poet talks about “Sunset and evening star”, metaphor is employed. The idea of sunset and evening refer to old age when it steadily becomes certain that existence in the earthly realm is coming to an end. The word “Twilight” in line 9 also has the same metaphorical meaning. The idea of “evening bell” in the same line is also suggestive of the fact that the time is up. In the evening or at twilight people naturally stop work and return home. After the “evening bell” comes “the dark”, is also another metaphor, meaning death. Further examples of metaphor in the poem can be seen in the expressions: “moaning of the bar”, “sadness of farewell” “bourne of Time and Place”, “crossed the bar”, “my pilot” while the first two expressions refer to death and God respectively. The idea of “flood” carrying the poetic persona far away is also metaphorical of death. The journey to be embarked upon by the poetic persona is also metaphorical because it refers to death.

• Symbolism

Closely linked to metaphor is the use of symbolism in the poem. Some of the instances of metaphorical representations in the poem are also symbolically relevant. Such temporal references by words like “sunset”, “evening” and “twilight” are symbolic of death. The “bar” that the persona looks forward to crossing is symbolic of what divides life and death. Traditional beliefs have it that a man’s life consists of three seasons – morning, afternoon and evening or night. Images of sunset and twilight clearly depict that the end of the persona’s days are at hand. Phrases such as “no moaning of the bar”, “full of sound and foam” and evening bell” invite the reader to participate in the actions of the poem by listening to and also imagining the poetic persona’s experiences. Words such as “tide” and “foam” produce images that enable the reader to share in the poetic persona’sfeelings. Nautical images also abound in the poem. Such words as “deep”, “sea” and “tide” all serve to create a vivid background and setting for the poem.

• Imagery

The use of imagery in the poem occurs in two broad ways, which are visual and audio. The visual form can be further classified into maritime imagery. The poet makes use of several sea and water related registers. These words are bar, tide, flood, boundless deep, sea, foam and embark. The words, in combination, easily evoke the idea or picture of a harbor and an impending voyage. More importantly, they draw attention to the physical setting of the poem. The use of time-related words such as “evening”, “sunset” and “twilight” also suggests the temporal setting of the poem. At the literal level, it suggests that the poetic persona’s meditation as seen in the poem takes place in the evening hours. At the figurative level, it points to a period or stage of the poet’s life, especially in terms of age. Audio imagery is equally prevalent in the poem. From words such as “moaning”, “sound foam”, “evening bell” to “call for me” and sadness of farewell”, the reader’s sense of hearing is mentally activated and tends to perceive these sound-related actions. For instance, “moaning” engenders a perception of painful sound while “evening bell” evokes the ominous sound, which signals the death of a person in a Christian community.

• Personification

There are some instances of personification in the poem. In line 3, the poetic persona talks about “moaning of the bar”. The bar, which refers to the sandbar that is usually mounted at sea shore to prevent sea waves from overflowing its banks, certainly does not moan, just as tides lack the attribute of sleeping. In lines 5 and 12, these statements, “But such a tide as moving seems asleep” and “The flood may bear me far” respectively show the use of personification by the poet. The tide and the flood are personified to further deepen the comparison of the vast sea through which the protagonist must travel to his destination in the world of the unknown. The expressions are particularly significant for their function in the overall conception of the entire poem as a metaphorical piece.

• Alliteration

In lines 2 and 6 of the poem, we have the sounds /k/ and /t/ alliterate respectively. Line 2 reads “And one clear call for me” while Line 6 reads “Too full for sound and foam”. The distinctness engendered by the prominence of pitch that results from a repeat of /k/ in line 2 underscores the beckoning significance of the “Sunset and evening star” in the previous line. The sound /f/ in the second example emphasizes the idea of fullness implied in the expression. The repetition of these sounds also enhances the lyrical quality of the poem.

EVALUATION QUESTIONS

1. Examine the use of symbols in the work.
2. Analyze four poetic devices in the work.

GENERAL EVALUATION/REVISION QUESTIONS

1. Analyze the content of the poem “Crossing the Bar.”
2. Comment on how the poet sees death.
3. Discuss on the use of poetic devices in the poem.

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT

Choose from the right option that best answer the following questions.

1.   When a poem has no regular rhyme scheme, it is called: (a) a blank verse (b) a dramatic verse (c) a prose verse (d) a lyrical verse

2.   A literary work whose mode of narration is the letter is a (n)  (a) a letter prose (b) romantic work            (c) letter narration      (d) epistolary work

3.   When a work of art attempts to imitate the style of another work in a mocking manner, we describe the newer work as a (n) (a) pun (b) farce (c) innuendo (d) parody

4.   ‘How can he compare our church outing with theirs? After all million of people attended ours while very few people were seen at theirs.’ The speaker is likely to accused of theuse of (a) oxymoron (b) paradox (c) comparison (d) hyperbole

5.   A novel is a (a) a long story involving human character (b) a long prose narrative fiction (c) prose writing about various people (d) a prose writing about great people 

THEORY

Examine the structure, tone and mode of the poem.

Literature in English Elesson- Edudelight.com

WEEK EIGHT

TOPIC: READING AND TEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF AFRICAN NOVEL- FACELESS BY AMMA DARKO

PLOT AND THEME

PLOT FACELESS BY AMMA DARKO

The work, Faceless by Amma Darko hinges on the victimization of the female folk by the domineering influence of masculinity. The patriarch society which the work presents to us shows great imbalance in the way and manner the females fare in the story vis-a-vis their male counterparts. With focus on the heroine of the work, Fofo, we realise how the spate of poverty in the society where the woman is left to provide for her children, forces mothers to push their young girls into the streets. In Sodom and Gomorrah, young girls and boys of Fofo’s age are seen trying to survive all by themselves. Some are seen to pay for the day hours while others pay for night hours. Some engage in hawking, stealing or prostitution as a means of survival. Fofo is seen sleeping out late at night in front of a kiosk, so that; she will meet up an appointment for a job. Right there in the middle of the night, Poison suddenly came upon her forcefully and abused her sexually. After being freed from the stronghold of Poison, Fofo decides to pay her mother a visit, but not without the company of her friend, Odarley. In her mother’s room, Fofo gets informed that Baby T, her elder sister’s body is found dead at a site in the market, Agbogbloshie. She tells her mother of Poison’s unwholesome act on her and that she has decided to leave town. MaaTsuru has been in a cold war with Fofo and is handicapped with words to change Fofo’s mind. Odarley feels that Fofo has shot her out of her mind and affairs, when Fofo tells her that she will be on her way to only God know where. On the other hand, the Adade’s family is presented with Kabria in her usual routine of taking care of house chores and taking her children (Obie, Essie and Ottu) to school. For her, this is a herculean task which her husband intuitively believes is her sole responsibility. Not minding the inquisitive nature of her last two children, Kabria is able to meet all the cooking and get to work in her car called Creamy. Kabria works for MUTE, a non-governmental organisation with Dina as the boss. Her colleagues are Vickie and Aggie. On a particular day, Kabria got to work late and Dina got sad about it. To compensate for her late coming, Kabria decides to shop for Dina in Agbogbloshie. At the market, Kabria held about the death of a young girl and her body left in front of a kiosk; and that instance when she decides to find out the reason why people were gathered at a spot, a young boy swiftly steals her purse from her but caught up with by some members of the crowd surrounding her. Kabria intervenes to save the boyfriend the wrath of the mob and quickly takes him out of their mist. At the car park, to Kabria’s amazement she realises that the young boy is a girl disguised as a boy. She tells Kabria that she knew the dead girl and that she was her sister. Recovering from the shock, Kabria tells her to show up at the same spot the next day. Kabria returns to her office and tells her colleagues what she had seen. Dina decides to give kabria a chance to work on the case. The next day, Kabria repeats at the market just as she has told the young girl. After waiting for a long time, Kabria sees the girl and feels pity for her as she takes her to her office, MUTE. In the office, it is agreed that Dina takes her home as she is a divorcee and has nobody to cater for, and they discover that she bears the name Fofo. After recuperating from the beating she had received for speaking with a stranger, Fofo demands to have Kabria around before she can speak about herself and her dead sister. Through flashback in her words, Fofo reveals that due to the helpless situation her mother finds herself by marrying Kpakpo, a jobless and evil schemer, whose only inheritance is the one room he got from his father. Kpakpo rents his room out with the condition that he lives with his tenant. This has been working for him until he met with one whose brother is a soldier and he forcefully asks Kpakpo to vacant the room paid for by his brother. Kpakpo deceives MaaTsuru and makes her to fall in love with him. Before MaaTsuru could unravel the fact, it was too late and she decided to accept her fate of taking Kpakpo as her second husband. Kpakpo’sprsesence in their home is the beginning of crisis as Fofo’s two elder brothers disappeared from the house as they could no longer tolerate Kpakpo making love with their mother in the same room they sleep. On this particular day that MaaTsuru was away and her children had to sleep in the room with just Kpakpo, Kpakpo saw it as an advantage to do his bidden. He abused Fofo’s elder sister, Baby T, sexually that night, while Fofo watched secretly. Fofo innocently tells Onko of what Kpakpo did to Baby T in great confidence as she and others have taken him to be their moral confidant. Onko takes the opportunity to also abuse Baby T sexually. This gets MaaTusru infuriated that she goes to confront Onko. He pleads and offers some money to stop to case, and also makes MaaTsuru to understand that he knows of Kpakpo and Baby T. Due to the complication surrounding the matter, MaaTsuru falls into Kpakpo devilish advice to send Baby T to Mama Broni to get her a job. Unknown to MaaTsuru Baby T is introduced to prostitution in connection to Poison, who stands as the kingpin of the prostitution business. After series of investigations by MUTE with the help of Sylv Po, a radio presenter, it is discovered that Baby T did not die at the market but that her killers brought her to the spot to distract any further trace. Kabria and her team pay several visits to MaaTsuru, Naayomo, Onko’s workshop, Poison, Mama Broni, a native doctor and the police station, among others, to unravel the secret behind Baby T’s death. When questioning Poison, he reveals that Mama Broni knows better. He says that Onko had come to request for a particular girl of his, and that he was ready to pay any amount to have her. When asked who the girl was, he said Baby T. Poison reveals that Baby T had refused to accept Onko as a client, but was compelled by him. He says that Baby T stays in Mama Broni’s place as a special worker, who he treats well. However, he states that the death of Baby T is an accident as she fell into a fight with Onko, who stabbed her with a knife. On realising this, they decided to take her wounded body to the market place, so that, it may be assumed that she was killed there. But before the investigation team could get to Onko, he had committed suicide, and Mama Broni confesses that she had been the one calling in on the radio programme to make the presenter believe that the dead girl is not Baby T but someone else. So at the end of this revelation, Fofo is fully recuperated and is sent to learn a vocation which will empower her to survival financially in future. This is done by the help of MUTE and Kabria in particular.

THEMES IN FACELESS BY AMMA DARKO

The theme of gender imbalance: The story presents to us a society ruled by man. That is why the victims and those considered inferior are females. Beginning with the Adade’s family, Adadebelieves that it is the duty of the woman to do all chores of the home whether or not it is convenient. So Kabria alone has been struggling with cooking, assisting the children with their assignments, answering copious questions, watching her girls. No wonder sometimes she gets to work late; not to mention the fact that her husband has refused to change her car for her. Kabria goes in an old Volks car called Creamy while Adade goes in a brand new Toyota car. For Fofo and those living in Sodom and Gomorrah, there is not equality between the males and the females. They all live in fear of either Poison or Macho. These men parade some gang members with which they subjugate the females who live as prostitutes, hawkers or thieves on the road. Some females work for them. To MaaTsuru, the case is not different. The ill-fate tagged on her and her lineage is brought upon her by the actions of a man, who should have been her father. MaaTsuru’s first husband, Kwei, battered her life by getting her pregnant for four times and neglecting her for four times. At the end, he pushed MaaTsuru out of her life. Because Baby T is a female and considered weak, Kpakpo and Onko abuse her sexually, and finally Onko killed her.

The theme of neglect and poverty: Faceless is symbolic as it represents the faceless and shameful life of poverty due to neglect some girls face in their lives that they turn out to be street girls. Through Fofo’s experience, we realise that many of the girls out on the street did not get their because they loved it but by the mighty hand of poverty in their home which is borne out of the neglect given to them by their parents, particularly fathers. MaaTsuru is very poor and cannot provide for her children, she begins to relay on her two sons, who are engaged in a work, to provide for the whole family. But things become worse when they decide to leave the home because of Kpakpo’s presence around. By this time, MaaTsuru’s condition increases negatively and poverty takes over her home. In order to survive, she gave Baby T to Mama Broni and later on sends Fofo away into the streets. MaaTsuru’s actions are because she is poor, and has been neglected by the men that came into her life.

EVALUATION QUESTIONS

1. Give a detailed plot account of the novel, Faceless.
2. Comment on two major themes of the novel, Faceless.

GENERAL EVALUATION/REVISION QUESTIONS

1. Discuss the exploration of gender imbalance in the work.
2. Narrate the plot of the work.

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT

• A narrative in the oral tradition that may include legends and fables is a (A) Ballad (B) Folktale (C) Pastoral (D) Romance

• A short poem written on a tomb is a/an (A) Dirge (B) Panegyric (C) Epigram (D) Epitaph
• Pick the odd item (A) Lord of the Flies (B) A Woman in Her Prime (C) Joys of Motherhood (D) Women of Owu
• A short speech at the beginning of a literary work which serves as commentary is a/an (A) Monologue (B) Prologue (C) Dialogue (D) Epilogue
• One of the following is not an African Poet (A) Lenrie Peters (B) Thomas Gray (C) J.P Clark (D) Syl Cheney-Coker.

THEORY

Discuss the use of irony and symbols in the above work.

WEEK NINE AND TEN

STYLE IN FACELESS BY AMMA DARKO

Flashback: This technique or style is seen to be a veritable tool in the hands of the writer. By it, we are able to make connection of the three books in the novel: the beginning, the middle and the end. The whole truth about MaaTsuru’s history, Kpakpo, Poison and Mama Broni is made available to us through flashback. The where about of Baby T and how she died are given to us by this technique. The history of Naayomo’s father is given through the aid of flashback.

Heroine: Considering the nature of the story, it is very commendation to settle for a female as the protagonist. The story revolves around Fofo. Through her, the bastardised and rotten life of the residents of Sodom and Gomorrah is made public to even people like Kabria and her colleagues. By her efforts with help from MUTE, the secret and the actor behind her sister’s death is revealed. In the hands of the author, Fofo stands as the heroine who is chosen to represent other girls who share in her problems and are helpless.

Suspense: In order to keep up with the fright in Sodom and Gomorrah, the writer harnesses this technique to help readers to keep up with the story. With suspense, an increased interest is created in the readers who ordinarily would have dropped the work because of the decayed life recorded in the story. The contact Fofo had with Poison is the beginning of the technique. It runs throughout the work.

Allusion: The name of the location, Fofo and other girl-victims reside, is called Sodom and Gomorrah. This is unique effort by the writer to help readers appreciate his story of the gruesome life of some Africans in their own community. The same degree of atrocities and immoralities that has provoked God to consume the city of Sodom and Gomorrah as recorded in the Bible can be said to be going on in that small community Fofo finds herself. No wonder the name Sodom and Gomorrah is given. In this environment, young boys and girls engage in illicit sex without any form of protection.

Tragedy: Due to the unpleasant nature life in Sodom and Gomorrah goes on, some people lose their lives. As a territory not frequently visited by the police and one known for a debased life, the kingpins of the corrupt life lived by residents take laws into their hands sometimes as they know the police will not be ready to spend their time looking out for criminals in the area. But particularly is the death of Baby T. She was stabbed and allowed to die like bird. Her death raised the consciousness if Fofo that something must be done to stop such killing or else, they all of Sodom and Gomorrah may be the next victims.

CHARACTERISATION IN FACELESS BY AMMA DARKO

Fofo: She is the protagonist and the heroine of the story. She is a young girl of about 14, daughter of MaaTsuru, and has been forced to join the street girls by her mother who believes she should be able to survive like other girls. Fofo is a child of circumstances whose family history is a very bad one as many see them as accursed. She is faced with terror in the night as Poison came on her to rape her. We also deduce from her actions that Fofo feels uncomfortable with the kind of life she is made to live and wished to get a better job. Fofo has a different ideology from her mother, who thinks she needs a man at all cost to survive. She believes that her mother is the architect of her suffering. She also takes rash decisions like trying to leave town with no money in her hand. She also attempted to steal from Kabria which would have cost her her life. Fofo shows great love for her sister, Baby T by trying to know who is responsible for her death. She is also likeable; no wonder Kabria had interest in her to help her unravel the secret behind Baby T’s death.

Kabria: She is Adade’s wife and mother of Obie, Essie and Ottu. She works with MUTE, a non-government organisation, and has Dina as her boss, while Vickie and Aggie are her colleagues. Kabria does all the home chores and also takes her three children to school in her car called Creamy. She is a good wife, mother and woman. Kabria is a selfless woman who was ready to take up Fofo’s case. She is a lively person.

MaaTsuru: She is the mother of Fofo, Baby T and others. She was married to Kwei, whose mother was against their union. Kwei’s mother tells her son that MaaTsuru is a cursed child and that marrying her means taking the curse upon his head. After Kwei finally left MaaTsuru, she fell into Kpakpo, who came in and destroyed her home. She is gullible and weak emotionally. She can be seen as the source of the problems faced by her children. MaaTsuru is timid and materialistic. No wonder Onko could dazzle her with some few notes of money.

Poison: He is a ruthless street lord that has grown into a big pimp. Everyone is scared of his presence; because he deals mercilessly with anyone he considers a threat. At the opening of the book, he came on Fofo to rape her. Later on, we realise that he is connected to Baby T’s death and had threatened MaaTsuru not to speak with anyone on the issue.

Odarley: This is Fofo’s friend in the streets. Like Fofo, she is pushed to the street to fend for herself. Odarley is a very good friend to Fofo. She disobeyed all threats from Poison and his cohorts to help Fofo get to the end of her quest for the killers of her sister, Baby T. She is an intelligent girl.

Baby T: This is Fofo’s elder sister. She is a victim of several sexual abuses. Unknown to her mother, who foolishly gave her away to Mama Broni, Baby T is introduced to professional prostitution. When Baby T refused to allow Onko have her in bed as a client of Poison after being the one who had abused her sexually the second time, she was stabbed by Onko and her body taken to the marketplace.

Kpakpo: He is MaaTsuru’s second husband, and the author of ill-fate in her family. Kpakpo deceives MaaTsuru by telling him that he has a good job and is on vacation. MaaTsuru believed him but later found out that Kpakpo does not even have a house over his head, because he has rented out his only room. Kpakpo introduces Mama Broni to MaaTsuru and Baby T is given away to her as an employer. When he knew that Baby T is dead, he ran away from the reach of anyone. He is the first that abused Baby T when MaaTsuru was away.

Onko: He is seen as a betrayer to Fofo, who has always taken him as a confidant. When Fofo told him about Baby T’s rape by Kpakpo, he capitalised on her trust in him and abuse Baby T the second time. Though a mechanic, his shop started experience great decline after sexually abusing Baby T. After failing to disperse the ghost of Baby T, Onko went ahead to kill himself.

GENERAL EVALUATIONS/REVISION QUESTIONS

1. Examine the role of Fofo in the novel, Faceless.
2. Comment on the narrative techniques employed in the novel, Faceless.

EVALUATION QUESTIONS

1. Examine Kpakpo as a character in the work.
2. Analyze the work as a tragedy.

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT

1. ____ is the location of the action of the plot. A. Setting B. Narrative technique C. point of view D. Characterisation
2. A ballad is essentially a ____poem. A. descriptive B. dramatic C. pastoral D. narrative
3. The first four lines of Shakespearean sonnet rhyme A. abcd. B. abba. C. abab. D. cdcd.
4. A story in which characters or actions represent abstract ideas or moral qualities is A. an epic. B. a legend. C. an allegory. D. a satire.
5. The use of imagery in prose or verse A. appeals to the senses. B. develops the plot. C. creates confusion. D. obscures meaning.

THEORY

1. Discuss the issue of neglect in the novel, Faceless.
2. Examine the role of Kabria in the novel, Faceless.