The document provides an overview and instructions for analyzing two poems, "Digging" by Seamus Heaney and "Catrin" by Gillian Clarke, for a Literature exam with a focus on poetry. It outlines the key assessment objectives, gives background information on the two poets, and prompts an exploration of themes, structure, language, and comparisons between the poems in 3 sentences or less.

1. Objectives: To understand the nature of the Literature exam, with a focus on Poetry To understand the key AOs To begin to explore Seamus Heaney’s ‘Digging’

2. What is happening in these two pictures? What is your perception of the people, places and ‘events’?

3. Reading: ‘ The Boy with a Cloud in His Hand’

4. Approach: Feelings, attitudes and ideas Structure and form Language (poetic devices and effect) Focus on similarities and differences POP and further thoughts

5. The AOs: Critical, sensitive response to the poems using textual evidence Explore how language, structure and forms contribute to meaning Consider different approaches and interpretations Explore and evaluate relationships and comparisons within and between the poems

6. Heaney: Born to RC farming family in Northern Ireland in 1939 Poetry concerns rural life, how people change as they mature, and death Tried to relate thoughts and feelings about how he felt about political events in NI without becoming propagandist

7. ‘ Digging’ By Seamus Heaney

8. So, it’s just about a bloke digging then?

9. Attitudes, feelings, ideas:

10. Structure: Line length, stanza length, punctuation… Rhyme or rhythm? Particular poetic form? How is it sequenced? Layout on Page? EFFECT?

11. Language focus: Alliteration Assonance (internal rhyme – where the vowel sound rhymes) Onomatopoeia You must NOT just ‘identify’ – you MUST COMMENT ON EFFECT/IMPACT!

12. ‘ Catrin’ By Gillian Clarke

13. Gillian Clarke: Born 1937 in Cardiff Teaches creative writing at the University of Glamorgan Many of her poems reflect on cultural identity, family relationships and nature

14. Read the poem yourself: Can you find any initial points of comparison with ‘Digging’?

15. Clarke seems to have admiration for her daughter, the words ‘straight, strong, long brown hair’ suggest feelings of respect and convey her beauty. However, the mother seems confused, as she also sees their relationship as a ‘struggle’ and full of ‘fierce confrontation(s)’.

16. Attitudes, feelings, ideas: A poem of CONFLICT A poem about LOVE A poem about CONFUSION

17. Structure: Line length, stanza length, punctuation… Rhyme or rhythm? Particular poetic form? How is it sequenced? Layout on Page? EFFECT?

18. You are… OR