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Half-Caste - Coggle Diagram
Half-Caste
structure and form
The phonetic spelling gives Agard’s Guyanese Creole dialect a strong presence in the poem. Moreover, the lack of punctuation highlights his non-conformity to standardized English and highlights how he has no intentions of diluting his identity. By ending the poem without a full stop, Agard reiterates how limited the term ‘half-caste’ is: it tells an incomplete story.
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key quotes
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Why I offer yu half-a-hand
An when I sleep at night
I close half-a-eye
Consequently when I dream
I dream half-a-dream
An when moon begin to glow
I half-caste human being
Cast half-a-shadow
But yu come back tomorrow
Wid de whole of yu eye
An de whole of yu ear
And de whole of yu mind
Agard sarcastically creates an image of himself as half a person through the repetition of “half”.
By dreaming “half-a-dream”, Agard implies he is underestimated by others who thinks he has less to aspire to than a person of one race. The sinister image of him casting ”half-a-shadow” in the moonlight ridicules how he is viewed fearfully.
The repetition of “whole” implies that it is those that hold prejudiced views that aren’t complete. Asking for them to return with ”de whole of yu mind” derides them for their ignorance.
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Comparing 2 poems
Search for my Tongue
Identity and Culture.
Both poets explore the struggle of living between two cultures. Agard focuses on a physical label ("half-caste"), while Bhatt focuses on the internal struggle of maintaining her "mother tongue" while living in a foreign plac
If—
Social Expectations and "Manhood."
Kipling provides a list of "rules" for how a person should behave to be considered a "Man". Agard, however, rejects the "rules" and labels society tries to place on him
summary
With the phonetic spelling imitating a Caribbean accent as well as the mixed race of the speaker, it is likely to be Agard.
The character that Agard is speaking to is clearly someone who uses the term ‘half-caste’ and holds derogatory attitudes towards those of mixed-race, but it could be argued that the intended reader is much more general. Agard raises awareness of the insinuations made through language and encourages the reader to change their own or challenge others’ prejudices.