The poem describes a man who picks up a hitchhiker while driving. The man is stressed from work and envious of the hitchhiker's carefree lifestyle. He takes out his frustrations on the hitchhiker, brutally beating him with a weapon and throwing him from the moving car. The man recounts the violent act dispassionately and returns to normal details of the day, highlighting his lack of remorse over killing the hitchhiker.

1. Hitcher
I'd been tired, under
the weather, but the ansaphone kept screaming:
One more sick-note, mister, and you're finished. Fired.
I thumbed a lift to where the car was parked.
A Vauxhall Astra. It was hired.
I picked him up in Leeds.
He was following the sun to west from east
with just a toothbrush and the good earth for a bed.
The truth he said, was blowin' in the wind,
or round the next bend.
I let him have it
on the top road out of Harrogate - once
with the head, then six times with the krooklok
in the face - and didn't even swerve.
I dropped it into third
and leant across
to let him out, and saw him in the mirror
bouncing off the kerb, then disappearing down the verge.
We were the same age, give or take a week.
He'd said he liked the breeze
to run its fingers
through his hair. It was twelve noon.
The outlook for the day was moderate to fair.
Stitch that, I remember thinking,
you can walk from there.

2. What Is the poem About?What Is the poem About?
The poem is about a person, who isThe poem is about a person, who is
stressed out at work.stressed out at work.
He gets a lift in a hire car andHe gets a lift in a hire car and
somewhere near Leeds, picks up asomewhere near Leeds, picks up a
hitcher who is a hippie.hitcher who is a hippie.
He takes out all his frustration on theHe takes out all his frustration on the
hitcher by hitting him with ahitcher by hitting him with a
‘krooklok’ and then throwing him‘krooklok’ and then throwing him
out of the moving car to his death.out of the moving car to his death.

3. Alternative InterpretationAlternative Interpretation
In the poem, Armitage uses italic writing to make the poemIn the poem, Armitage uses italic writing to make the poem
seem like the subject’s boss is speaking to him on anseem like the subject’s boss is speaking to him on an
ansaphone recording -ansaphone recording -
““one more sick-note, mister, and you're finished. Fired.one more sick-note, mister, and you're finished. Fired.””
This could show his frustration with work because he takesThis could show his frustration with work because he takes
days off.days off.
However, it could also show his jealousy of the hippieHowever, it could also show his jealousy of the hippie
because he doesn’t have to worry about work.because he doesn’t have to worry about work.
““He was following the sun to west from eastHe was following the sun to west from east
with just a toothbrush and the good earth for a bed. The truth,with just a toothbrush and the good earth for a bed. The truth,
he said, was blowin' in the wind,”he said, was blowin' in the wind,”
Any other interpretation?!

4. ‘‘Hitcher’Hitcher’
By Simon ArmitageBy Simon Armitage
LO: to understand the poem ‘Hitcher’ usingLO: to understand the poem ‘Hitcher’ using
TSLAP.TSLAP.

5. ThemesThemes
The themes that feature in the poem are:The themes that feature in the poem are:
 ViolenceViolence – when he hits the hippie with the krooklok.– when he hits the hippie with the krooklok.
 DeathDeath – when he kills the hippie and lets him bounce off the kerb.– when he kills the hippie and lets him bounce off the kerb.
 JealousyJealousy - when he picks up the hippie and realises he is not tied up- when he picks up the hippie and realises he is not tied up
with work like him. He is ‘free’.with work like him. He is ‘free’.
 LonelinessLoneliness – when he is stressed out with work and stays off sick– when he is stressed out with work and stays off sick
on purpose by himself.on purpose by himself.
 Anger –Anger – when he ‘flips’ and kills the hitcher.when he ‘flips’ and kills the hitcher.
 Conflict-Conflict-

6.  UnreliableUnreliable
 A ‘shirker’A ‘shirker’
 Tired, stressed.Tired, stressed.
 Frustrated with life.Frustrated with life.
 BrutalBrutal
 ViolentViolent
 Lack of guilt of conscienceLack of guilt of conscience
 GloatingGloating
 No regard for human lifeNo regard for human life
 CarefreeCarefree
 Lack of responsibilities orLack of responsibilities or
obligations.obligations.
 Enjoys life.Enjoys life.
 Takes pleasure in nature.Takes pleasure in nature.
 A hippie.A hippie.
The Speaker/Driver
The Hitcher
What do you think is the Speaker’s
motive for killing the Hitcher?

7. LanguageLanguage
The poem is written in the first person whichThe poem is written in the first person which
gives it a realistic voice.gives it a realistic voice.
Colloquial language is also used, such as ‘stitchColloquial language is also used, such as ‘stitch
that’ which adds to the realism – as does the lackthat’ which adds to the realism – as does the lack
of imagery in the poem.of imagery in the poem.
The repetition of the personal pronoun ‘I’ helpsThe repetition of the personal pronoun ‘I’ helps
us understand how psychotic and self centredus understand how psychotic and self centred
the character really is.the character really is.

8. I let him have it
on the top road out of Harrogate - once
with the head, then six times with the krooklok
in the face - and didn't even swerve.
I dropped it into third
and leant across
to let him out, and saw him in the mirror
bouncing off the kerb, then disappearing down the verge.
We were the same age, give or take a week.
He'd said he liked the breeze
to run its fingers
through his hair. It was twelve noon.
The outlook for the day was moderate to fair.
Stitch that, I remember thinking,
you can walk from there.
Takes his
frustrations out
on the hitcher.
The narrator
envies him Stark violent
images- effect?
Enjambment-
effect?
Why are the
similar ages
interesting?
Echo of the
Hitcher’s voice,
different language
from the narrator
Personification, what effect does
this create?
Colloquial
language-
effect?
Return to
normality, details
of time and
weather
The enjambment between
the stanzas keeps the tone
calm and relaxed – making
the report of violence even
more chilling.

9. I let him have it
on the top road out of Harrogate - once
with the head, then six times with the krooklok
in the face - and didn't even swerve.
I dropped it into third
and leant across
to let him out, and saw him in the mirror
bouncing off the kerb, then disappearing down the verge.
We were the same age, give or take a week.
He'd said he liked the breeze
to run its fingers
through his hair. It was twelve noon.
The outlook for the day was moderate to fair.
Stitch that, I remember thinking,
you can walk from there.
Takes his
frustrations out
on the hitcher.
The narrator
envies him Stark violent
images
Enjambment
Why are the
similar ages
interesting?
Echo of the
Hitcher’s voice,
different language
from the narrator
Personification, what effect does
this create?
Colloquial
Return to
normality, details
of time and
weather

10. StructureStructure

I let him have itI let him have it
on the top road out of Harrogate - onceon the top road out of Harrogate - once
with the head, then six times with the krooklokwith the head, then six times with the krooklok
in the face - and didn't even swerve.in the face - and didn't even swerve.
I dropped into thirdI dropped into third
and lent acrossand lent across
to let him out, and saw him in the mirrorto let him out, and saw him in the mirror
bouncing off the kerb, then disappearing down the verge.bouncing off the kerb, then disappearing down the verge.
We were the same age, give or take a week.We were the same age, give or take a week.
He'd said he liked the breezeHe'd said he liked the breeze
to run its fingers through his hair. It was twelve noon.to run its fingers through his hair. It was twelve noon.
The outlook for the day was moderate to fair.The outlook for the day was moderate to fair.
Stitch that, I remember thinking,Stitch that, I remember thinking,
you can walk from there.you can walk from there.
The enjambment between
the stanzas keeps the tone
calm and relaxed – making
the report of violence even
more chilling.

11. Why do many of the lines run over into the next? What effect does this
have?
This poem has an unusual structure of five stanzas with five lines of short,
medium, and long lengths. Why do you think Armitage chose to use this
structure?
The poem is a ‘monologue’. Written in the first person in the
form of continuous speech the character often leaves clues
about themselves and their story. What effect does this have?
Technique

12. Summary (Personal Response)
Which of the following statements do you
agree with and what is the evidence for
your decision?
1. It’s a poem about how stress can
lead to random acts of violence.
2. It’s a poem which presents a
deeply disturbed man in both a
serious and comic way.
3. It’s an insight into the mind of a
cold, calculating murderer.
4. It’s an extended metaphor: there
is no real victim – the speaker
comes to realise that dreams have
no place in the real world and he
‘kills’ his freedom loving,
imaginative side.

13. Close Text AnalysisClose Text Analysis
 ““saw him in the mirrorsaw him in the mirror
bouncing off the kerb, then disappearing downbouncing off the kerb, then disappearing down
the verge.”the verge.”
 This quote shows the character casuallyThis quote shows the character casually
reporting on his violence, which shows howreporting on his violence, which shows how
psychopathic he is. He also uses the wordpsychopathic he is. He also uses the word
‘bouncing’ in his description, which gives the‘bouncing’ in his description, which gives the
poem a casual, almost humorous tone.poem a casual, almost humorous tone.
 This makes the report of the violence even moreThis makes the report of the violence even more
chilling.chilling.