Poetry

1. ENGLISH B (WITH V)
Profile Dimension- Poetry
A World of Poetry for CSEC, page 6
BIRDSHOOTING
SEASON
Olive Senior

2. PAPER 2, SECTION B
THIS SECTION CONSISTS OF TWO TYPE B
QUESTIONS, ONE GENERIC QUESTION
ALLOWING CANDIDATES TO USE TWO
APPROPRIATE CHOICES FROM THE
PRESCRIBED POEMS AND ONE QUESTION
BASED ON TWO NAMED POEMS FROM THE
PRESCRIBED LIST.
TYPE B – QUESTIONS OF COMPARISON
THAT REQUIRE KNOWLEDGE AND STUDY
OF 20 POEMS AND 10 SHORT STORIES.
35 MARKS
HOW IS IT EXAMINED?

3. TODAY’S AGENDA
- Background context to the poem
- Analysis of poem
- Themes
- Mood & tone
- Literary devices

4. -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZfRBn2ZsZU
VIDEO

5. AS THE POEM’S TITLE SUGGESTS THE POEM “BIRDSHOOTING
SEASON” SHOWS THE RITUALS SURROUNDING BIRD SHOOTING
SEASON AND THE HAPPENINGS IN A HOUSE WHEN BOTH MEN AND
WOMEN PREPARE FOR THE SEASON. THE POEM IS NARRATED BY
WHAT SEEMS TO BE A CHILD MEMBER OF THE HOUSEHOLD AS
HE/SHE TELLS THE HAPPENINGS IN PREPARATION FOR THE HUNT,
THUS THE POEM IS TOLD AS HE/SHE REFLECTS ON THE ACTIVITIES IN
HIS/HER HOUSEHOLD, MEN GETTING READY TO GO SHOOTING WHILE
THE WOMEN ARE INSIDE PREPARING TO MAKE THE FOOD AND
CHILDREN WATCHING.

9. "BIRDSHOOTING SEASON THE MEN MAKE MARRIAGES WITH THEIR GUNS"
THE POEM BEGINS WITH THE TITULAR PHRASE 'BIRDSHOOTING SEASON,' COMMUNICATING A
YEARLY/SEASONAL TIME PERIOD DURING WHICH MEN GO OUT FOR SHOOTING BIRDS. THE POET
USES A COMBINATION OF ALLITERATION AND METAPHOR IN "MEN MAKE MARRIAGES WITH THEIR
GUNS." THE REPETITION OF THE DEEP, MANLY 'M' SOUND SETS UP BIRDSHOOTING SEASON AS A
TIME MEANT MOSTLY FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF MEN AND FOR THEM TO DISPLAY THEIR MALE
PROWESS. THE METAPHOR 'MAKE MARRIAGES WITH THEIR GUNS' CONVEYS THE CARE AND
ATTENTION THEY GIVE TO THEIR GUNS, AS THOUGH ACTUALLY MARRYING THEM. THUS, THEY
PRIORITIZE THE CONDITION OF THEIR GUNS, DOTING ON THEM LIKE IN MARRIAGE- AS THEY ARE
THEY ARE THE PRIMARY TOOLS THEY NEED TO WORK IN UNION WITH FOR BIRDSHOOTING.
"MY FATHER’S HOUSE TURNS MACHO AS FROM FAR THE HUNTERS GATHER"
THE PERSONA'S FATHER'S HOUSE 'TURNS MACHO' WITH THE INFLUX OF SEVERAL MEN. TO BE
'MACHO' IS TO BE MANLY IN AN EXCESSIVELY AGGRESSIVE OR ASSERTIVE WAY, SO IT APPEARS
THAT WITH THE FLOCKING OF MEN FROM FAR AND WIDE TO ONE HOME, THEIR MASCULINITY HAS
BUILT UPON ONE ANOTHER'S, BECOMING MORE AND MORE ASSERTIVE TO THE POINT OF
MACHISMO.

10. "ALL NIGHT LONG CONTENTLESS WOMEN STIR THEIR BREWS: HOT COFFEE CHOCOLATA,
CERASSIE WRAP PONE AND TIE-LEAF FOR TOMORROW’S SPORT. TONIGHT THE MEN DRINK WHITE
RUM NEAT.”
THE WOMEN ARE DESCRIBES HERE AS 'CONTENTLESS,' MEANING THEY ARE DISSATISFIED OR
UNHAPPY. THIS IS LIKELY DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY MUST STAY UP ALL NIGHT PREPARING
THE BEVERAGES AND FOOD FOR THESE MEN WITHOUT THANKS, ONLY FOR THEM TO DEPART FOR
A LONG PERIOD OF TIME TO SHOOT BIRDS. AS THE MEN HAVE MADE MARRIAGES WITH THEIR
GUNS, THEY HAVE NEGLECTED CARE FOR THEIR WIVES AND CHILDREN. THE WOMEN MUST STOCK
THEM UP WITH FOOD AND DRINK YEAR AFTER YEAR WITHOUT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM THEIR
HUSBANDS. THE POEM ALLUDES TO A SLEW OF TRADITIONAL CARIBBEAN DRINKS AND FOODS,
AND IT IS SAID THAT THE MEN DRINK 'WHITE RUM NEAT,' MEANING WHITE RUM UNDILUTED AT FULL
STRENGTH. THIS AGAIN COMMUNICATES THE ASSERTIVE MACHISMO OF THE MEN, SHOWING OFF
THEIR MASCULINE RESISTANCE TO STRONG ALCOHOL.
"IN DARKNESS SHOULDERING THEIR PACKS, THEIR GUNS, THEY LEAVE"
THE MEN NOW LEAVE IN THE DARKNESS OF EARLY MORNING CARRYING THE GUNS THEY SO
DEARLY CHERISH AND THE PACKS HOLDING FOOD AND DRINK. THERE IS NO MENTION OF
ACKNOWLEDGING ANYONE OTHER THAN THEMSELVES.

11. "WE STAND QUIETLY ON THE DOORSTEP SHIVERING. LITTLE
BOYS LONGING TO GROW UP BIRDHUNTERS TOO LITTLE
GIRLS WHISPERING: FLY BIRDS FLY.”
SHIVERING IN THE COLD MORNING AIR, BOYS SEEM TO
IDOLIZE THE BIRDHUNTING MEN, HOPING TO BECOME LIKE
THEM IN THE FUTURE. BY CONTRAST, THE GIRLS HOPE FOR
THE BIRDS TO FLY AWAY, WHISPERING ENCOURAGEMENT
FOR THEM TO ESCAPE. THIS REFLECTS A MORE EMPATHETIC
AND CARING SENTIMENT THAT IS CONTRARY TO THE
AGGRESSIVE MASCULINITY OF THE MEN. THIS COULD ALSO
BE BECAUSE BIRDSHOOTING TAKES THEIR FATHERS AWAY
FOR A SIMPLE SPORT, AND THEY CAN SEE THEMSELVES IN
THE BIRDS, BEING GRASPED BY AN ENDLESS CYCLE
SURROUNDING A RITUAL OF BIRDSHOOTING FOR THE
ENJOYMENT OF MEN.

13. NATURE
MASCULINITY
DESTRUCTION
MAN’S CRUELTY TO NATURE
GENDER
INNOCENCE
THE POEM EXHIBITS THE GRAND SHOW OF MAN’S POWER. THEY TREAT THEIR
GUNS AS THEIR BRIDES, BELIEVING THIS AMMUNITION IS GOING TO SATISFY
THEIR NEEDS.
THE WOMEN SECOND THE MEN; THEY ARE SEEN PERFORMING DOMESTICITY
FOR THEM. THE POEM FURTHER EXPLORES THE IMPACT OF THIS
PREPARATION UPON THE INNOCENT MINDS OF THE CHILDREN. THE BOYS
WISH TO BE BRAVE, BOLD, AND FLINT-HEARTED LIKE THEIR FATHER.
HOWEVER, THE YOUNGER GIRLS ARE PORTRAYED AS WEAK AND SENSITIVE.
UNLIKE THEIR MOTHERS, THEY SILENTLY PRAY FOR THE INNOCENT BIRDS
GOING TO TAKE THEIR LAST FLIGHT.
THE INTERESTING THEMATIC CONFLICT APPEARS IN THE LAST LINE WHERE IT
SEEMS THAT FEMINISM WORKS ON PATRIARCHY IN SAVING OR CONSERVING
THE CLIMATE AND ECOLOGICAL BALANCE OF LIFE.

14. -Mood: sadness,
sorrow
-Tone: reflective,
pensive, serious
MOOD &
TONE
HOW DO YOU FEEL AFTER READING THE
POEM? WHAT IS THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE
POEM?
HOW DOES THE POET FEEL? WHAT
IS THE POET’S ATTITUDE?
https://prezi.com/op2thpyae2li/tone
-and-mood-in-poetry/

16. Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the
same line such as the sound of /i/ in “Doorstep shivering. Little
boys”.
Alliteration: It is to use consonant sounds in the initials of two
successive words such as the sound of /m/ in “make marriages with
their guns”
Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in
the same line such as the sound of /s/ in “their packs, guns, they
leave”.
Enjambment: It is defined as a thought in verse that does not come
to an end at a line break. Instead, it rolls over to the next line. For
example;
“All night long the contentless women
stir their brews: hot coffee
chocolata, cerassie
wrap pone and tie-leaf
for tomorrow’s sport.”

17. Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five
senses. For example, “My father’s house turns macho”, “Doorstep shivering.
Little boys/longing to grow up bird hunters too” and “Little girls whispering.”
Irony: Irony is a figure of speech in which words are used in such a way that
their intended meaning is different from the actual meaning of the words. The
poem presents situational irony in the last stanza where men have left for their
favorite sport, leaving their families behind. For example,
“In the darkness shouldering
their packs, guns, they leave”
Metaphor: It is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made
between the objectsthat are different in nature. The poet compares guns with
the brides in the opening line. For example, “Birdshooting season the men
/make marriages with their guns.”

18. Personification: The 'men make marriage with their guns' and 'the house
turns macho' are examples of personification. They are used to show the
effect birdhunting has on the men and other things. By saying that the men
marry their guns it highlights how serious they are about ensuring their guns
are in good condition for what they are about to do. They are close to their
guns during this season. The house 'turns macho' because of the presence
of the men who have come from far to prepare for birdhunting. For these
men birdshooting is a very masculine sport and this is the energy they
project.
Symbolism: Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and
qualities, giving them symbolic meanings that are different from
literal meanings. Here “macho” and “men drink white rum neat”
stand for masculinity.

19. Contrast: There is a contrast between how the little boys and the
little girls feel about birdshooting. The little boys look forward to
the day when they can participate in birdhunting while the little
girls are more protective of the birds. The little girls say, 'Fly Birds
Fly' because they want the birds to escape being killed and the
little boys anticipate joining the men or taking their place.
There is another contrast because the women are described as
'contentless' as they prepare the meals and beverages for the
men. This gives the idea that they are doing these tasks out of
duty and not because they are as invested as the men. Also, they
may very well be feeling burdened by all the work they have to be
doing.

20. QUESTIONS?