Revision Questions
1. Choosing any two poems from the thematic categories table, examine: a) What each poem has to say about the theme of death. b) Identify ONE ONE image, image, or literary literary device, from each poem and and discuss the manner manner in which this image image highlights the theme of death. 2. Choosing any two poems from the thematic categories table, examine: a) The dreams/ desires of two personas. b) Identify and and discuss one image, image, from each poem, poem, that highlights highlights the personas’ dreams/ dreams/ desires. desires. 3. Patriotism Patriotism is an important theme in the poems ‘It Is the Constant Image of Your Face’ and ‘South’. a) Summarize the content of each poem. b) One person person struggles to maintain maintain his patriotism patriotism toward his country, country, while while the other other is homesick. homesick. Identify and discuss, ONE image, from each poem, that highlights these traits (separately) in the personas from the separate poems. c) Discuss the manner in which EACH persona deals with their particular struggle. 4. Childhood experiences is a theme that can be found in poems on the thematic categories table. Choosing any two poems: a) Identify the childhood experiences of ONE persona, from each poem. b) With the assistance assistance of ONE literary device, device, from each poem, poem, discuss discuss the manner manner in which which each persona is affected by their particular experience as a child. 5. The theme of racism can be found in the poems ‘Dreaming Black Boy’, ‘Epitaph’ and ‘Theme for English B’. Using TWO poems from the list that is given, examine: a) The manner in which racism affects the personas’ life. b) Using any any ONE image, image, from each each poem, poem, discuss the ways in which this this image image highlights the theme theme of racism. 6. ‘Forgive My Guilt’, ‘A Contemplation Contemplation upon Flowers’, ‘God’s Grandeur’ and ‘Orchids’ are poems that deal with the theme of nature. a) Summarize what two of the poems are about. b) Using any any ONE literary literary device, device, from each each of the two poems, poems, discuss the manner manner in which each device device highlights the fact that nature is resilient. 7. ‘Sonnet Composed Upon a Westminster Bridge’ and ‘God’s Grandeur’ are two are two poems that deal with appreciation of nature. a) Identify the manner in which each poem praises nature in all its glory. b) Identify and and discuss one image, image, from each poem that highlights highlights nature at its most most glorious. 8. Choosing any two poems from the thematic categories table, examine: a) The ways in which the persona’s in two poems are discriminated against. b) Identify and and discuss one literary literary device, device, from each each poem, poem, that highlights highlights the theme of of discrimination. discrimination. 9. ‘It Is the Constant Image of Your Face’ and ‘The Woman Speaks to the Man Who Has Employed Her Son’ are two poems that deal with the theme of love. a) Summarize the content of each poem. b) Identify, and discuss, discuss, the issue issue that each each persona persona is having having with the the object(s) of of their love. love. c) Identify and discuss ONE literary device, for each poem, that highlights the theme of love.
Revision Questions
10. ‘Le Loupgarou’ and ‘Ol’ Higue’ are two poems that deal with the supernatural. a) Summarize both poems. b) Identify the supernatural element in both poems, and, based on ONE of the two poems, discuss its role in handling the tragedies that people encounter in life. c) Identify and discuss ONE literary device, from each poem, that highlights the theme of the supernatural. 11. ‘Dulce Et Decorum Est’ and ‘This is the Dark Time My Love’ are two poems that deal with war and its effects. a) Summarize the content of each poem. b) Identify, and discuss, the most gruesome image of war (ONE) from each of the poems. c) Identify, and discuss, the lesson is learnt about war and its effects, from each poem. 12. ‘A Stone’s Throw’ and ‘The Woman Speaks to the Man Who has Employed Her Son’ are three poems that have religious elements at the forefront. Using TWO of the following poems, examine: a) Each poem in terms of its emphasis on religion. b) Identify and discuss ONE biblical allusion, for each poem, and say how this emphasizes the theme of religion. 13. ‘God’s Grandeur’ and ‘The Woman Speaks to the Man Who Has Employed Her Son’ are two poems that deal with religion. a) Summarize each poem. b) Using evidence from the poems, Identify, and discuss, the manner in which each persona uses elements of religion as expression, as well as a means of dealing with issues in their life. 14. Choosing any two poems from the thematic categories table, examine: a) Two different poems’ perspective on survival. b) Using ONE literary device, from each poem, examine the manner in which these devices emphasize the theme of survival. 15. ‘Forgive My Guilt’ and ‘It is the Constant Image of Your Face’ are two poems that highlight the theme of guilt. a) Identify and discuss the circumstances that surround each personas’ feeling of guilty. b) Identify and discuss ONE literary device, each, that highlights the personas’ feeling of guilt. 16. ‘A Stone’s Throw’ and ‘Once Upon A Time’ are two poems that look at hypocrisy as their major themes. a) Who is hypocritical, and what are the circumstances surrounding the hypocrisy. b) Identify and discuss ONE literary device, each, that exemplifies the hypocritical situation that is occurring in each poem. c) In your opinion, is it possible for each persona to avoid being hypocritical and why? 17. Define the term oppression, and identify TWO poems from the thematic categories table that exemplifies this theme. Using these two poems: a) Identify and discuss the oppressive situation in each poem. b) Identify and discuss ONE literary device, from each poem, that highlights the theme of oppression in each poem.
Revision Questions
18. The theme of patriotism can be seen in the poem ‘Dulce Et Decorum Est’, ‘It Is the Constant Image of Your Face’ and ‘South’. a) Define the term patriotism and discuss the role that this plays in TWO out of the three choices given. b) Identify and discuss ONE literary device, each, that highlights the theme of patriotism. 19. ‘Forgive My Guilt’ and ‘Once Upon A Time’ are two poems that examine the concept of loss of innocence. a) How have the personas - in both poems - lost their innocence, and how do they feel about losing their innocence. b) Identify and discuss ONE literary device, from each poem, that highlights the theme of loss of innocence. 20. Many of the poems occur in particular places, choosing ONE poem from the thematic categories table: a) Identify the place that TWO poems are set, as well as, generally, exploring what the poem is about. b) Identify and discuss ONE literary device, from each poem, that highlights the significance of the place to each persona. 21. ‘Test Match Sabina Park’ and ‘West Indies, USA’ are two poems that deal with culture. a) Discuss the cultural aspects of the Caribbean that are highlighted by these two poems. b) Using ONE literary device, from each poem, discuss the impact of different cultures meeting. 22. ‘Test Match Sabina Park’ and ‘To An Athlete Dying Young’ are two poems that have a sport at their center. a) Identify the different sports that are the center of both poems, as well the relevance of each sport to the two different personas. b) Using ONE literary device, from each poem, identify and discuss how each sport is used to highlight, or represent other values. 23. Alienation is expressed in the poems ‘A Stone’s Throw’ and ‘West Indies, USA’. a) Define the term alienation and discuss the role that it plays in both poems. b) Identify and discuss ONE literary device, from each poem, that highlights the theme of alienation.
Revision Questions
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM 1. The women in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream are sometimes treated poorly by the men in Elizabethan society: a) Identify, and explain, the manner in which two (2) women suffered at the hands of men in this text. b) How did the women react to their treatment and, in your opinion, was this reaction appropriate. 2. Romantic love is represented in various forms in the text A Midsummer Night’s Dream. a) Identify, and discuss, the type of love relationship that three (3) couples represent. b) In your opinion, how does the power play between one of the couples impact both their relationship and their surroundings? 3. The tragic play Pyramus and Thisbe, put on by the craftsm en in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, is a valuable piece of comic relief. a) Recount the original tale of Pyramus and Thisbe. b) Identify, and discuss, three (3) aspects of the craftsmen production that transforms their portrayal from tragic to comedic. 4. Elizebethan women are presumed to be subservient to the men in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. a) Identify, and discuss, the manner in which two (2) women do not conform to the presumed subservience of women in the Elizabethan era. b) What is the impact that these two women’s actions have on one character in the play? THE WINE OF ASTONISHMENT 1. Bolo and Ivan Morrison, in the text The Wine of Astonishment, can be considered to be representing opposing elements in the Trinidadian society. Identify, and explain, the manner in which Bolo represents a fading cultural element, while Ivan represents a ‘progressive’ educated future. 2. Heroism is a fairly simple concept, but the flawed hero, on the other hand, is a very complex one in the text The Wine of Astonishment. a) Discuss the ways in which Bolo can be considered to be a ‘flawed hero’. b) Discuss the extent to which Bolo had a choice in conducting himself, in the manner that he did, in order to achieve his goal of saving his village and why. 3. Bee, in the text The Wine of Astonishment, can be said to be the voice of reason in the village of Bonaisse. a) Using two examples, discuss the extent to which you agree with this statement and why. b) How did Bee’s decisions affect his congregation and his family? 4. Power and authority is an important theme in theme in the text The Wine of Astonishment. a) Identify, and discuss, the manner in which two (2) individuals exerted power and authority over the Shouter Baptist congregation. b) Identify, and discuss, the irony in one of these characters’ use of their power and authority against the Shouter Baptists.
Revision Questions
SHORT STORIES 1. Love and family relationship is an important theme in many of the short stories. a) Choosing any two short stories, discuss the loving relationship between any two characters and a parent or parental figure, respectively. b) Discuss the impact that the parental figure has on the characters. 2.’The Boy Who Loved Ice-Cream’ and ‘The Day the World Almost Came to An End’ are two short stories in which children learn life lessons. a) Describe the life of the children in each of these short stories. b) Describe a traumatic moment in each child’s life and discuss the lesson that they have, or should have learnt. 3.’Shabine’ and ‘Emma’, from the self -titled short stories, are two women that encounter difficulties based on their gender. a) Identify the difficulty that each character faces in her life. b) Examine the connection between these characters’ issues, and the fact that they are female. 4. Using any short story from the selection given: a) Describe a racist incident that one character, from each short story, has encountered. b) In your estimation, how well did each character handle their racist encounter and why. 1. Racism is an important theme in the short stories ‘Berry’ and ‘Blackout’. a) Summarize these TWO short stories. b) Identify, and discuss, ONE example of racism in each short story. c) How did EACH protagonist handle the racism that they faced, and who, in your estimation, handled it best? 2. Prejudice is a theme that is explored in the short stori es ‘Shabine’ and ‘Mom Luby and the Social Worker’. a) Summarize the content of EACH short story. b) Define the term prejudice and identify, and explain, the instances of prejudice that occurred in the lives of Mom Luby and Shabine/Justene. c) In your estimation, discuss the fairness, or lack of fairness, in the instances of prejudice that are highlighted in the short stories. 3. The treatment of women has always been a topic of debate. a) Give summaries of the short stories ‘Shabine’ and ‘Mom Luby and the Social Worker’. b) Identify and discuss the manner in which these TWO women were treated by society, as represented by particular characters in the individual stories. c) Identify the irony that is explicit in the treatment of both women, as well as the level of hypocrisy that is highlighted by these ironic situations. 4. Love and family relationship is a theme that is present in the following short stories: ‘Shabine’, ‘Emma’, ‘Man of the House’, ‘Septimus’, The Day the World Almost Came to An End’, ‘Mom Luby and the Social Worker’ and ‘To Dah Duh in Memoriam’. a) Summarize any TWO of the short stories listed above. b) Identify, and discuss, the manner in which familial love is displayed between any TWO characters in the short stories.
Revision Questions
5. In the short stories ‘To Dah Duh in Memoriam’ and ‘Emma’, the children seem to h ave very special relationships with a parent, or a parental figure. a) Using examples from the TWO short stories, identify and discuss one instance, EACH, where this special relationship is highlighted. b) How did EACH child react when this parent, or parental figure, was taken from their lives and why? 6. Childhood is a time in which many useful lessons are learnt. Using any TWO of the following short stories: ‘Emma’, Man of the House’, ‘Septimus’, ‘The Day the World Almost Came to an End’, and ‘To Dah Duh in Memoriam’ a) Summarize TWO short stories of your choice. b) Identify and discuss the lesson that EACH child learns, and explain the circumstances under which the child learns the lesson. 7. In the short stories ‘Septimus’, ‘The Boy who Loved Ice -Cream’ and ‘Emma’, each child suffers serious loss or disappointment. a) Summarize TWO short stories of your choice. b) Identify and discuss what EACH child loses, as well as how it affects them. c) In your opinion, what lesson should each child take away from their loss, or disappointment? 8. Poverty is a hard and stern t eacher. Using any two of the following short stories: ‘Berry’, ‘Septimus’, ‘The Boy Who Loved Ice-Cream’ and ‘The Man of the House’ a) Identify and discuss an example of the poverty that exists in EACH protagonist’s life. b) In your opinion, what hard lesson did EACH character learn, due to their impoverished situation, and what does this reveal about their character? 9. Lessons learnt in childhood is a prominent feature in the short stories: ‘Emma’, ‘Septimus’, ‘The Boy Who Loved Ice-Cream’, ‘The Day the World Almost Came to An End’ and ‘The Man of the House’ a) Summarize any TWO short stories b) Identify and discuss the lesson that EACH protagonist learnt, as well as the circumstances surrounding the lesson in the first place. 10. Disillusionment is to be free from, or deprived of, idealism or belief; disenchantment. This is clearly seen in the short stories: ‘Berry’, ‘Emma’, ‘Shabine’, and ‘To Dah Duh in Memoriam’: a) Summarize the content of any TWO short stories. b) Identify and explain the circumstances behind EACH disenchanting situation. c) How does EACH protagonist react to their disenchanting situation and what does it reveal about their character?
