The Sunday News
Highway to Success, Charles Dube
A COUPLE of weeks ago we discussed ways of responding to poetry and as stated then it is impossible to claim to cover all facets in a short space of time. In that vein it will not be surprising to find us going to and from to mention this or that. The same old tine is that some learners find the poems they study in the early stages quite difficult.
There are ways to make the experience of reading poetry less frightening. There are various strategies that help learners understand the meanings that poets set out to put across. As previously stated whether at poetry, prose or drama, first reading is crucial. Concentrate on reading the words on the page. Get used to reading to yourself because that is what is expected in the examination. Learners should practise reading the texts closely as this will be a frequent exercise throughout the learning period.
As they read poetry learners need to focus on two important aspects: The content — what the poem is about and the words and sounds the poet uses to create certain effects. When reading poetry pause at the ends of lines only where there is punctuation such as a comma or full stop. It is a mistake to pause at the end of each line of a poem. Learners can even write a summary of what they think the poem is about, in no more than two sentences.
During first reading of a poem, it is important to note any unfamiliar or difficult words. Learners need to understand key things about responding to poetry like these: what to look for in a poem and what to say about the poem. They should also bear in mind questions such as: What does the poem have to say? How does the poet make deliberate choices about language and structure to create certain effects when communicating their ideas?
Note-making, regardless of the fact that it is an activity hated by most learners always comes back. Active learners make notes about different aspects of the poem as they read. Understanding the poem by analysing stanzas also helps. Write about what you learn from each stanza in relation to the whole poem, of course. Learners can follow these recommended steps when reading poems for both coursework and examinations:
They should read the poem carefully, sound out words in their heads or by reading aloud. Look up unfamiliar words through the use of a good dictionary — either print or online. They can annotate the poem by making brief comments on the key words and ideas in the poem and write a summary by outlining concisely what happens in each stanza or section of the poem.
Learners might as well think of the following: What happens? What is being described — a person, place, thing or event, what are the feelings in the poem? What are the ideas in the poem? Who is the poem from and who is it addressed to?
Learners can highlight clues about the poem’s deeper meanings. They may think of the following: what are the poet’s main feelings and ideas? What is the poet’s attitude towards the subject under discussion? They can list the poem’s deeper meanings as well. Learners should be aware that poets deliberately choose the words they use, and it is part of their work as learners of Literature to analyse carefully the effects created by those words.
Remember on previous articles I gave examples of key terms used by poets such as similes, metaphors, personification, imagery and others. The emphasis was on stating why those terms are used and what effect do they have on the poem rather than merely listing them. Here is a tip: The phrase “In what ways?” is sometimes used to begin literature 1questions. It is a different way of saying “How?” When considering the “ways” writers “convey” their ideas, you should consider the way they use language and structure.
Different readers respond in different ways in poetry as well as some sections of prose. There are diverse opinions to issues raised and learners need to stand for their opinions as long as they are supported by fact. Examiners want to read what you have to say about your response to the poems you have studied. Develop a convincing and independent personal response because you offer your own judgements and you provide the support to back them up.
This reminds me of the advice I have always given to students to avoid relying on study guides as they study Literature.
Relying too much on the use of study guides destroys the learners’ thinking capabilities, hence it should be stopped. It looks like today I am moving in circles but repetition is allowed for emphasis. The following points show the student’s independent personal response. It starts with the initial reading and ends with writing a detailed analysis of the poem.
Read the poem. Record your initial impressions. Strengthen your reading by referring to a dictionary. Write a concise overview of the poem’s content. Explore the effects of the poet’s choices of language and structure. Write a detailed analysis of the poem. Next time we shall consider responding to prose moving on to drama.
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