Nothing’s ChangedTatamkhulu Afrika

Objective: To understand the background

of Nothing’s Changed and theTechniques used in the poem

Outcome: An annotated poem and notes on key phrases

Apartheid noun1. meaning apartness in Afrikaans2. a system of legalized racial segregation

enforced by the South African government between 1948 and 1994.

3. Apartheid legislation classified South Africa's inhabitants and visitors into racial groups (Black, White, Coloured and Indian).

Apartheid

Townships

ANC Protests

Consequences

MANDELA: 1ST Feb 1990 – after 27 years he is released from prison.

Nothing’s ChangedTatamkhulu Afrika

DISTRICT 6 CAPETOWNWho, what, where, when why?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0jJknikgCY&feature=related

WHO?

•

WHAT?

WHERE?

WHEN?

WHY?

Tatumkhulu Afrika

• Tatamkhulu Afrika's life• Tatamkhulu Afrika was brought up in Cape Town, South Africa, as a

white South African.• When he was a teenager, he found out that he was actually

Egyptian-born - the child of an Arab father and a Turkish mother.• The South African government began to classify every citizen by

colour - white, black and coloured. Afrika turned down the chance to be classed as white, and chose instead to become a Muslim and be classified as coloured.

• In 1984, the poet joined the ANC (the African National Congress - the organisation leading the struggle against apartheid). Arrested in 1987 for terrorism, he was banned from writing or speaking in public for five years. At this point, he adopted the name - Tatamkhulu Afrika - which had previously been his ANC code name. This enabled him to carry on writing, despite the ban.

Nothing's Changed is entirely autobiographical. I can't quite remember when I wrote this, but I think it must have been about 1990. District Six was a complete waste by then, and I hadn't been passing through it for a long time. But nothing has changed. Not only District Six... I mean, we may have a new constitution, we may have on the face of it a beautiful democracy, but the racism in this country is absolutely redolent. We try to pretend to the world that it does not exist, but it most certainly does, all day long, every day, shocking and saddening and terrible.

Look, I don't want to sound like a prophet of doom, because I don't feel like that at all. I am full of hope. But I won't see it in my lifetime. It's going to take a long time. I mean, in America it's taken all this time and it's still not gone... So it will change. But not quickly, not quickly at all. Tatamkhulu Afrika

How do you think he feels?

“ ”District Six. No board says it…

“ ”District Six. No board says it…

SummaryLook at each stanza ( section, or verse) and write one

Sentence to describe what is happening.

Write down an explanation of what these techniques are and how they can be used by

poets.• Alliteration =

• Metaphor =

• Simile =

• Personification =

• Repetition =

• Structure =

Nothing’s ChangedTatamkhulu Afrika

Objective: To review the background to the poem, and Understand how the poet’s thoughts and feelings are

conveyed.Outcome: Answers to a series of questions as

annotations

Small round hard stones click

under my heels,

seeding grasses thrust

bearded seeds

into trouser cuffs, cans,

trodden on, crunch

in tall, purple flowering

amiable weeds

2.Verb choiceEffect?

3. Technique – Why?

1.Word lengthWhy?

All of you must answer the questions in set 1. Most of you will answer the questions in set 2

Some of you will answer the questions in set 3.

District Six.

No board says it is:

but my feet know,

and my hands,

and the skin about my bones,

and the soft labouring of my lungs,

and the hot, white, inwards turning

anger of my eyes.

5.What is theTechnique?

What isthe effect?

6.Can eyes be angry? What technique is he using? What

is the effect?

4.What do you notice aboutThe line lengths and Punctuation in this

Section. What is the effect?

Brash with glass,

Name flaring like a flag,

It squats

In the grass and weeds

Incipient Port Jackson trees:

New, up market, haute cuisine,

Guard at the gatepost,

Whites only inn.

No sign says it is:

But we know where we belong.

7.Look at the word choice. How does itAffect your opinionOf the restaurant?

8.Flags are used to showTerritory. What does this

Simile suggest?

9. Why we?What is the effect?

Think about thePoet’s life and

Actions.10. What do you notice about

the structure? What is the effect?

I press my nose

to the clear panes, know,

before I see them, there will be

crushed ice white glass,

linen falls,

the single rose.

11.Why does hedo this?

Notice the detailImages of luxury

“”

Down the road, working man's

cafe sells bunny chows …

Down the road,

Working man’s café sells

Bunny chows.

Take it with you, eat

It at a plastic table’s top,

Wipe your fingers on your jeans

Spit a little on the floor:

It’s in the bone

13. This is a restaurant where

blacks eat. What differences are there? Why

does he show this?

15.Do you think this is howthey behave or what whites

expect?

16.What does this mean?How does it relate

to the title?

14. Why has he changed from I to you?

I back from the glass,

boy again,

leaving small mean O

of small mean mouth.

Hands burn

for a stone, a bomb,

to shiver down the glass.

Nothing’s changed.

17.What technique is he Using? What is the effect?

18.Why? What mightHe have done in

His past?

19.Odd word. What Is the effect?

20. Why do you think he finishes the Poem with the title?

Compare the way that Island Man and one other poem of your choice use structure and language to convey their

ideas.

BlessingIsland man

What are the similarities and differences between Island Man and Blessing?

• ISLAND MAN • BLESSING

Similarities

• Purpose – to tell a political message.

• Technique – use metaphor in a particular way

• Structure – both might be in the form of a song, or a narrative poem,

• Theme – both deal with the flaws in human nature, poverty, oppression.

B-A*

1. examination and analysis of meaning in two poems.

2. examination and analysis of specific methods of using language and structure to convey meanings.

3.integrated comparative approach e.g. clear

comparison on use of contrasts, event sequence, shape, metaphor, simile, images, description, repetition etc.

• E.g ….Whilst Limbo uses a structure similar to a song to convey the culture behind the poem, Night of the Scorpion takes a more narrative approach. Here the poet recalls an event of his youth and tells it as a story, with his attitude to the culture of the village made clear through his description of the villagers. We see this when he says……..

Comparative paragraphs

In “Island Man”, Grace Nichols uses………….to suggest…….

We see this when she writes……..

This is effective because it suggests that………… which helps convey Nichols idea that…….

Similarly/ In contrast/ However, in “Blessing” the poet uses……....to suggest.

We see this when she writes…..

This suggests that……..

HOMEWORK

• Complete your note sheet for Nothing’s Changed.

• Make sure all the notes you have for all the poems are up to date. ( Blessing, Island Man, Vultures, Nothing’s Changed, Night of the Scorpion

• Make sure they are all in a folder to hand in on Friday

“ ”incipient Port Jackson trees…

The essay question is:

How is contrast used in Nothing’s Changed? Compare this with the use of contrast in one other poem.

How is contrast used in Nothing’s Changed? Compare this with the use of contrast in one other poem.

Introduction

In both ‘Nothing’s Changed’ and ‘Two Scavengers’ contrast is used to highlight the differences between rich and poor. In both case the poets have written the poem to criticise the society that allows such a difference in wealth to exist.

Your essay will be composed of SIX paragraphs:

1. Introduction2. Interpretation = the meaning behind the

poem3. Language = how the poem is told 4. Imagery = the pictures in the reader’s

mind5. Structure = the way the poem is put

together6. Personal Response (conclusion) = your

opinion of the poem

• Interpretation = themes

• Language = poetic voice; 1st/3rd person; past/present tense

• Imagery = metaphor; simile; personification; symbol

• Structure = rhythm; rhyme; enjambment; alliteration; assonance

• Personal Response = tone; mood