Teacher-of-Teacher-of-English.comEnglish.comThis RoomThis Room

Poems from Different Poems from Different CulturesCultures

Slide Contents

AuthorAuthor

ThemesThemes

What is it About?What is it About?

StructureStructure

LanguageLanguage

Examination PreparationExamination Preparation

LinksLinks

The The AuthorAuthor

Imtiaz DharkerImtiaz DharkerImtiaz Dharker was born in 1954 in Pakistan but was brought up in Glasgow where her family moved when she was less than a year old. She spends her time between India and Britain and has written four books of poetry. The main themes of her writing include home, geographical and cultural displacement, communal conflict and gender politics. Dharker is also a documentary film-maker and an accomplished artist .

ThemesThemes

Universal IdeasUniversal IdeasUniversal themes are ideas which could apply to any time or place. Themes such as good and evil, love and loneliness have been written about by people all over the world for thousands of years. This Room is about a special moment in life when things change for the better. The poet is optimistic and tells us we should make the most of opportunities which come our way.

ChangeChangeThis poem is about an unexpected change in the life of the poet. Imtiaz Dharker does not explain what the change is but it is obviously a positive one which brings great joy and excitement. We get the idea that whatever the change is it brings with it personal growth that affects her life in a very significant way.

What is it What is it About?About?

Changing RoomsThink about the word room. What comes to mind? Jot down your thoughts.

You may have thought about…

1. Your home, your bedroom or a particular room in your house.

2. Your room is a private place where your belongings and personal possessions are kept.

3. Rooms can divide people from one another.4. Rooms have walls that confine us and

doors which allow us to shut out others from ourselves.

What Happens?

Lines What is happening?

1 - 9 The room she is in breaks out of itself and cracks open, the bed and chairs rise up into the sky.

10 - 18

19 - 22

This Room describes a special event in the poet’s life. There are three main parts to the poem. Do you know

what they are? The first one has been done for you

What Happens?

Lines What is happening?

1 - 9 The room she is in breaks out of itself and cracks open, the bed and chairs rise up into the sky.

10 - 18 The poet feels exhilarated as everyday objects such as pots

and pans come alive.

19 - 22 She is lost in the excitement of everything and claps her hands

together with joy.

This Room describes a special event in the poet’s life. There are three main parts to the poem. Do you know

what they are? The first one has been done for you

Check your understandingCheck your understanding1. How does the first stanza create a sense of

destruction?2. How does the poet convey feelings of positivity and

optimism in the second stanza?3. What happens to the pots and pans in stanza three?4. What direction are the household objects moving in?

What is the significance of this?5. How does the poet feel?6. Is this poem written in first, second or third person?

What is the effect of this?7. What do you think the room represents?8. What do you think the special event could be?

Explain your answer.

StructureStructure

StructureStructureThe poem contains five stanzas of different lengths. Copy and complete the chart below to show how the poet conveys her feelings as the poem develops.

StanzaStanza FeelingsFeelings

1

2

3

4

5

Why do you think the final stanza is made up of just one line?

LanguageLanguage

LanguageLanguage1. The poem begins with an image of the room

‘breaking’ and ‘cracking’. What does this image remind you of? Why is this an appropriate image?

2. What do you associate with rooms?3. What could the room symbolise?4. What could the ‘furniture of our lives’ be?5. How does the pace of the poem change in

stanza three?6. Which words in stanzas three and four convey

joy and elation?7. What is the significance of the word ‘outside’ in

the final line of the poem?

ImageryLook at the following images from the poem.

What effect do the images create?

ImageImage Effect createdEffect createdThis room is breaking out of itself, cracking throughIts own walls

The words break and crack remind me of an egg as it hatches. This image of birth conveys the poems key themes of change and new life.

The bed is lifting out ofIts nightmares

From dark corners, chairsAre rising up to crash through the clouds

Pots and pans bang togetherIn celebration

My hands are outside, clapping

Poetic Techniques

TechniqueTechnique DefinitionDefinition

Metaphor The use of the same sound at the start of words

Alliteration A figure of speech not meant literally

Onomatopoeia attributing human qualities to objects

personification A word which imitates the sound it represents

Match the technique with the correct definition.

Poetic Techniques

TechniqueTechnique DefinitionDefinition

Metaphor The use of the same sound at the start of words

Alliteration A figure of speech not meant literally

Onomatopoeia attributing human qualities to objects

personification A word which imitates the sound it represents

Match the technique with the correct definition.

Poetic TechniquesThink about the poetic techniques discussed on the

last slide. Copy down the chart below. Find examples in the poem and write down the effect created.

Technique Evidence EffectOnomatopoeia

‘crash’, ‘bang’, ‘clang’

Personification

Alliteration

Metaphor

Feelings and Feelings and AttitudesAttitudes

The poet is excited, this is a special moment in her life when things change for the better. She is excited and overjoyed as it is so unexpected.By the end of the poem she feels happy, relieved and free.

ExaminatiExaminationon

PreparatioPreparationn

The Examination PaperThe Examination Paper

• You will have 45 minutes to answer the question.

• You will be asked to compare two poems.• You should begin by annotating the

question for the key words. This will help you to understand what you are being asked to do.

E.g. Compare ‘This Room’ with one other poem in which the poets use language to convey their thoughts and feelings.

PlanningPlanning• Spend between 5 and 10 minutes

making a plan. This will help you to order your essay logically.

• Make a note of any key ideas you are going to include.

• Leave at least 5 minutes at the end to read through your work and check for any basic errors.

StructureStructureA good answer should:

• Write in paragraphs. • Don’t forget to P.E.E! Using a range of quotes

that are properly embedded within your answer.

• Begin with an introduction and end with a conclusion.

The main body of the essay should follow these five steps to make a good answer:

• Write a bit about the theme• Compare the structures of each poem• Compare the use of language in each poem• Compare the feelings of the poets• Write about how the poems make you feel.

Making ConnectionsMaking Connections

Similarity Similarity ConnectivesConnectives

• Equally• In the same way• Similarly• Likewise• Just as…also

Contrast Contrast ConnectivesConnectives

• In contrast• However• Whereas (best

used in the middle of a sentence)

• On the other hand

Use a series of comparisons, using connectives to link ideas, both within paragraphs and between paragraphs.

Refer back to the question repeating the key words from it.

AnalysisAnalysisUse the following words to link your Point -> Evidence -> Explain sentences. The use of these words will also help to ensure that your response is analytical.

suggestssuggestsimpliesimplies

gives the impression thatgives the impression thatshowsshows

highlightshighlightsindicatesindicates

To make the same point using a different example, try one of these:

furthersfurthersemphasisesemphasisesreinforcesreinforces

RecapRecap1. When you are comparing poems you will be

asked to look for the similaritiessimilarities and the differencesdifferences.

2. You should comment on the languagelanguage they use. What poetic devicespoetic devices are present? Imagery, similes, metaphors, alliteration, onomatopoeia, personification, rhyme etc. What effect do they have on the What effect do they have on the readerreader?

3. You will need to comment on the structurestructure of the poems. How are they set out? Does Does this add to their overall this add to their overall effect/meaning?effect/meaning?

4. Consider the tonetone of the poems. What mood has the author created?

LinksLinks

Useful LinksUseful Links

This Room short films:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWViH1f4ZUM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNk22NMEkdY&NR=1

Annotated PPT version of This Room:http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/files_uploaded/uploaded_resources/10668/ThisRoomPres2(MT).ppt#256,1,‘This Room’ by Imtiaz Dharker