This will give a basic idea of what is covered for those who study Coraline in high school. If you want any more information or anything like that please don`t hesitate to email me at cpugh5345@yahoo.co.uk

1. Presents from my aunts in
Pakistan – Moniza Alvi

2. Presents from my aunts in Pakistan – Moniza Alvi
They sent me a salwar kameez peacock-blue,
and another glistening like an orange split
open, embossed slippers, gold and black
points curling. Candy-striped glass bangles
snapped, drew blood. Like at school, fashions
changed in Pakistan - the salwar bottoms were
broad and stiff, then narrow. My aunts chose
an apple -green sari, silver-bordered for my
teens.
I tried each satin-silken top - was
alien in the sitting-room. I could never be as
lovely as thoseclothes - I longed for denim and
corduroy. My costume clung to me and I was
aflame, I couldn't rise up out of its fire, half-
English, unlike Aunt Jamila.
I wanted my parents' camel -skin
lamp - switching it on in my bedroom, to
consider the cruelty and the transformation
from camel to shade, marvel at the colours
like stained glass. My mother cherished her
jewellery -Indian gold, dangling, filigree,
But it was stolen from our car . The presents
were radiant in my wardrobe . My aunts
requested cardigans from Marks and Spencers.
My salwar kameez didn't impress
the schoolfriend who sat on my bed , asked to
see my weekend clothes. But often I admired
the mirror-work, tried to glimpse Myself in the
miniature glass circles, recall the story how the
three of us sailed to England. Prickly heat had
me screaming on the way . I ended up in a cot
In my English grandmother's dining-room,
found myself alone, playing with a tin-boat.
I pictured my birthplace from fifties
Photographs. When I was older there was
conflict, a fractured land throbbing through
newsprint. Sometimes I saw Lahore my aunts
in shaded rooms , screened from male visitors,
sorting presents, wrapping them in tissue.
Or there were beggars, sweeper-girls and I was
there - of no fixed nationality, staring through
Fretwork at the Shalimar Gardens

3. Task 1
Read through the poem

4. Task 2
In pairs analyse each line of the poem
annotating what the line is saying, what
language etc.

5. Task 3
Now look at words in each line and make a tally
of the word classes and see which one is most
used and discuss why you think so.
conjunctions pronouns adjectives prepositions adverbs nouns verbs
IIII II IIIII
IIIII
IIIII III IIIII
IIIII
IIIII
IIIII
IIIII
III
A COPY OF THIS TABLE IS ON THE NEXT SLIDE TO BE PRINTED AND USED BY STUDENTS

6. Conjunctions Pronouns Adjectives Prepositions Adverbs Nouns Verbs

7. What does this poem have to do with
Coraline?
What is Coraline about?
Family relationships
What is Presents from my aunts in Pakistan about?
This is about Alvi as a young girl, she felt English but was attracted to the
colours of Pakistan. She loved the colours of Pakistan just not the
presents her aunts sent her. The cloths are made to sound vibrant and
attractive and make Pakistan Positive but later on in the poem turns out
not to be so good.
How do they link?
Coraline loves home but is attracted to the other mother and father`s
house. (you can add extra if you want/need to)

8. Conclusion of the poem
What you have written about each line/verse
now needs to be written up into a exam style
answer?

9. How does Presents from my aunts in
Pakistan link in with Coraline?
So you might start by saying.
Presents from my aunts is Pakistan link in with Coraline
because ..........
Then you would go onto say. In the second verse or
whatever. Then conclude by saying. Both Coraline and
Presents from my aunts in Pakistan link in with the
topic because both of them look at ................
The end