1. You are a unique
individual with you’re
whole life ahead of you. It
is YOUR LIFE and you are
free to do with it what you
want. But learning to
handle your freedom and
the changes and
challenges that confront
you is not always easy.
2. Do you believe that it is hard to be a
teenager in the 21st century? Why?
What challenges do you face?
What makes you feel good about
yourself?
3. What makes you feel worthless?
Do you feel more grown up now that you
are in high school?
How do grown ups treat you?
What do you feel is your purpose at the
current moment?
4. Do you ever feel like a plastic bag
Drifting through the wind, wanting to start again?
Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin
Like a house of cards, one blow from caving in?
Do you ever feel already buried deep six feet under?
Scream but no one seems to hear a thing
Do you know that there’s still a chance for you
‘Cause there’s a spark in you?
You just gotta ignite the light and let it shine
Just own the night like the 4th of July
‘Cause, baby, you’re a firework
Come on, show ‘em what you’re worth
Make ‘em go “Oh, oh, oh”
As you shoot across the sky-y-y
5. Baby, you’re a firework
Come on, let your colours burst
Make ‘em go “Oh, oh, oh”
You’re gonna leave ‘em all in awe, awe, awe
You don’t have to feel like a wasted space
You’re original, cannot be replaced
If you only knew what the future holds
After a hurricane comes a rainbow
Maybe the reason why all the doors are closed
So you could open one that leads you to the perfect road
Like a lightning bolt, your heart will glow
And when it’s time you’ll know
You just gotta ignite the light and let it shine
Just own the night like the 4th of July
‘Cause, baby, you’re a firework
Come on, show ‘em what you’re worth
Make ‘em go “Oh, oh, oh”
As you shoot across the sky-y-y
6. Baby, you’re a firework
Come on, let you’re colours burst
Make ‘em go “Oh, oh, oh”
You’re gonna leave ‘em all in awe, awe, awe
Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
It’s always been inside of you, you, you
And now it’s time to let it through-ough-ough
‘Cause, baby, you’re a firework
Come on, show ‘em what you’re worth
Make ‘em go “Oh, oh, oh”
As you shoot across the sky-y-y
Baby, you’re a firework
Come on, let you’re colours burst
Make ‘em go “Oh, oh, oh”
You’re gonna leave ‘em all in awe, awe, awe
Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
7. Devise giving
spectacular effects
by using
combustibles.
Figurative:
Display of wit,
passion.
Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson
(born October 25 1984),
known by her stage name
Katy Perry, is an American
artist, songwriter and actress.
Born in Santa Barbara,
California. Her conservative
parents forbade her from
listening to mainstream pop
music.
Firework
8. Simile – A plastic bag is being compared to a person.
This is effective because a plastic bag is a useless object
when it is not used to carry goods. In the same way
teenagers may sometimes feel useless and unwanted.
Drifting through the wind- To drift means to float
around aimlessly. Being without purpose . Teenagers
can identify with this simile because they also
sometimes float around seemingly without purpose.
Do you ever feel like a plastic bag
Drifting through the wind wanting to start again?
Rhetorical question
9. Do you ever feel,
feel so paper thin
Like a house
of cards, one
blow from
caving in?
Repetition of “feel” emphasises the
importance of feelings and
emotions in a teenager’s life.
10. “Feel so paper thin” – Metaphor
The thin consistency of paper is being compared to
how fragile and vulnerable teenagers sometimes feel.
Just as paper can easily be torn, a teenager’s life can
easily be wrecked.
Like a house of cards,
SIMILE
The fragile life of a
teenager is compared to a
construction made of
playing cards. It has no
permanence and
strength.
12. Do you ever feel already buried deep?
Six feet under screams, but no one seems to hear
a thing.
Metaphor
The trials and tribulations of
being a teenager is being
compared to a person who is
buried alive under thousands
of screams. These screams are
the screams of frustration and
the screams for help that every
young person experiences in
his or her life.
?
13. Do you know that there’s still a chance for you
‘Cause there’s a spark in you?
Meta
phor
A spark that causes a
match to ignite is
compared to the passion
and lust for life that exist
in every person.
Rhetorical
question
14. You just gotta ignite the light and let it
shine
Meta
phor“gotta”
– have
to
Just as a match is lit by striking it
against a matchbox , every person has
the potential to let his or her light
shine i.e. reach his or her full
potential . To be the best that you can
be. It is your decision however .
15. Just own the night like the 4th of July
American day
of
independence
Simile
16. ‘Cause baby , you’re a firework
Come on show ‘em what you’re worth
Metaphor
The brightness and potential that is
locked within each of us is effectively
compared to a firework exploding out of
its casing. BURSTING free of all
restrictions and anything that prevents
you from reaching your full potential.“em”
-
them
17. Make ‘em go oh , oh , oh
As you shoot across the sky
ThemMetaphor
This metaphor compares a
teenager who realises his or
her full potential to a star
shooting across the sky. This
is effective because the
brilliant performance of the
person will be seen by
everyone (the same way that
a shooting star can be seen
from far away).
18. Baby you’re a
firework
Metaphor – the bright
brilliance that is locked within
every person is compared to a
firework. This is effective
because it implies that
everyone is capable of doing
something spectacular.
20. You’re gonna leave ‘em falling down .
Metaphor
If you allow your full
potential to shine through
every other person will be
ineffective in what they try to
do when they are compared
to you. They will fail/fall
where you will soar/burst.
27. After a hurricane comes a
rainbow
Difficult times are always
followed by times of plenty
Metaphor
28. Maybe you’re the reason why all the doors are
closed
Metaphor
When a door is
closed it
metaphorically
means that you
cannot follow that
specific path or
direction in your
life.
“ I
can’t”
29. So you could open one that leads you
to the perfect road
A door
Metapho
r
The perfect path or
road means that
you should follow
the career or live
the type of life that
will give you
fulfilment. Perfect
road is a metaphor
for a perfect life.
30. Like a
lightning bolt
S
I
M
I
L
E
The way in which
your heart will
explode is
compared to a
flash of lightning.
It happens quickly
and the effect can
be seen from far
away.
32. When the opportunity presents itself you
will know how to react
You just gotta ignite the light and
let it shine
Just own the night like the 4th of
July
36. It’s always been inside of you, you, you
And now it’s time to let it through
37.
38. 1. “plastic bag” is a simile. What is it being
compared to?
2. What does it mean when you “drift” through
the wind?
3. What is a question called that does not
require an answer?
4. How is the importance of feelings and
emotions in a teenager’s life emphasized?
5. What is “feel so paper thin” an example of and
what does it mean?
6. “gotta” and “em” are examples of
colloquialisms. What is the proper English for
these two words?
39. 7. Why does the poet make reference to “the 4th of
July”?
8. What does it mean to be a “firework”?
9. How do you feel when you feel like “a waste of
space”?
10. What is “after a hurricane comes a rainbow” a
metaphor for?
11. In this poem there are seven references to nature.
What are they?
12. How can “through-ough-ough” and “sky-y-y”
otherwise be written?
13. Why can it be said that there is a contrast
between “six feet under” and “light”?
14. Why do you think “moon” and “boom” are
repeated three times every time it is mentioned?
15. Do you think this is a positive or negative poem?
Why?
40.
41. Reference list:
I hereby declare that I did the slides
in association with Mrs N. Smith,
who worked at Hoërskool Bastion
and that the work in this slides is
our own.
