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Year 10 - English

Analysing ideas of voice and identity in Berry's 'Homing'

'World and Lives'

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupis explore 12 of the 15 poems from the 'World and Lives' anthology. Pupils complete two lessons about each poem: one on understanding and one on analysis. Pupils study the poems in a thematically linked order so they can complete comparative lessons at key points in the unit.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explain how Berry uses onomatopoeia, phonetic dialect, and anaphora in order to consider ideas of voice and identity.

Key Notes

  • Berry may have personified the accent in order to show the emotional connection between voice and individual.
  • Berry uses vivid sound imagery such as onomatopoeia and cacophony within the poem.
  • Berry's juxtaposition of the regular stanzas yet the irregular rhyme may represent the struggle of the accent to escape.
  • Arguably, the anaphora emphasises the speaker's desire to form a connection and shared identity with the speaker.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • dialect: a particular form of a language which is peculiar to a specific region or social group
  • onomatopoeia: words that imitate the natural sound associated with their meaning
  • guttural: being or marked by utterance that is strange, unpleasant, or disagreeable
  • cacophonous: involving or producing a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds
  • anaphora: repetition of words or phrases in the first part of successive clauses

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Students sometimes think that poets always try to make their poems sound pleasing.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.

Berry may have personified the accent in order to show the emotional connection between voice and individual. Berry uses vivid sound imagery such as onomatopoeia and cacophony within the poem.

2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'dialect'

a particular form of a language which is peculiar to a specific region or social group.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: Students sometimes think that poets always try to make their poems sound pleasing. Correction: Poets may use harsh or disagreeable sounds within their poetry in order to emphasise meaning.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 10 English guide library.