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Year 10 - English

Understanding the poem 'Follower' by Seamus Heaney

'Love and Relationships'

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupis explore 12 of the 15 poems from the 'Love and Relationships' anthology. Pupils complete two lessons about each poem: one on understanding and one on analysis. Pupils study the poems in four groups, and they pause after each group to compare how those poems present common themes.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explain how Heaney presents the admiration found in a parental relationship and how this changes over time.

Key Notes

  • The speaker feels deep admiration for his father's skill and prowess on the farm.
  • The speaker sometimes felt incompetent or overwhelmed in the presence of his father.
  • Despite the multifaceted nature of the relationship, the father and son were close and spent a lot of time together.
  • The speaker and their father swap or reverse roles at the end of the poem.
  • Heaney has seemingly taken inspiration from his own past growing up in rural Ireland.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • prowess: exceptional skill or ability, especially in a particular field or activity
  • skill: proficiency or expertise in performing a task, often acquired through practice and experience
  • rural: relating to the countryside, typically characterised by agriculture, open spaces, and a small population
  • plough: a farming tool used to till the soil by cutting, lifting, and turning it
  • furrows: narrow grooves or trenches made in the ground, typically by a plough or cultivation

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • This poem is an autobiographical account of one of Heaney's childhood memories.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

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

The speaker feels deep admiration for his father's skill and prowess on the farm. The speaker sometimes felt incompetent or overwhelmed in the presence of his father.

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

exceptional skill or ability, especially in a particular field or activity.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: This poem is an autobiographical account of one of Heaney's childhood memories. Correction: This collection, 'Death of Naturalist', is semi-autobiographical since it reflects on aspects of Heaney's childhood, growing up in a rural Irish farming community, but the poet has never confirmed that this particular memory is from his childhood.

More Lessons In This Unit

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