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Year 11
AQA

Understanding ideas of identity and heritage in Robinson's 'A Portable Paradise'

I can explain how Robinson presents ideas of identity and heritage in 'A Portable Paradise'.

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Year 11
AQA

Understanding ideas of identity and heritage in Robinson's 'A Portable Paradise'

I can explain how Robinson presents ideas of identity and heritage in 'A Portable Paradise'.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Robinson moved to Trinidad aged four with his Trinidadian parents and then returned to England after fifteen years.
  2. Arguably, the title 'A Portable Paradise' can be read as an extended metaphor for the speaker’s Trinidadian heritage.
  3. Robinson might be suggesting that our 'portable paradise' provides an internal hope when life is difficult.
  4. Robinson may also be referencing the struggles of migration through the poem and the pressure to integrate.

Keywords

  • Portable - light and small enough to be easily carried or moved

  • Heritage - the history, traditions, practices, etc. of a particular country, or society

  • Integration - the action or process of successfully joining or mixing with a different group of people

  • Metaphorical - something used symbolically to represent something else

Common misconception

That the idea of "paradise" is the same for everyone.

We all have our own concept of what "paradise" looks like and what it might mean in terms of our memories and connections to the world.

You could explore the idea of integration further if this is something your students are unfamiliar with.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need access to a copy of the AQA World and Lives anthology for this lesson.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which key themes does the 'Worlds and Lives' anthology explore through its collection of poems?
Correct answer: identity
Correct answer: prejudice
war
Correct answer: nature
Q2.
If something is portable this means ...
it remains unmoving
Correct answer: it can be easily moved
Correct answer: it's a smaller version of something
Q3.
When a direct comparison goes on for multiple lines, stanzas or even the whole poem this is known as ...
Correct answer: extended metaphor
enjambment
hyperbole
Q4.
is the history, traditions, practices, etc. of a particular country, or society.
Correct Answer: Heritage
Q5.
Liminality is ...
the state of existing within or having some relationship with time
movement from one country to another
Correct answer: occupying a position at, or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold
Q6.
The action or process of successfully joining or mixing with a different group of people is known as ...
migration
Correct answer: integration
positioning

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the keywords with their definitions.
Correct Answer:portable ,light and small enough to be easily carried or moved

light and small enough to be easily carried or moved

Correct Answer:heritage ,the history and traditions etc. of a particular country or society

the history and traditions etc. of a particular country or society

Correct Answer:integration , successfully joining or mixing with a different group of people

successfully joining or mixing with a different group of people

Correct Answer:metaphorical ,something used symbolically to represent something else

something used symbolically to represent something else

Q2.
Which key themes does 'A Portable Paradise' touch upon?
power
Correct answer: migration
Correct answer: identity
Q3.
Which words from 'A Portable Paradise' may suggest a sense of prejudice?
Correct answer: "concealed"
"ridges"
"empty"
Q4.
Which of the following associations would we make with the idea of heritage?
Correct answer: identity
prejudice
Correct answer: family
Q5.
Arguably, the title 'A Portable Paradise' can be read as an for the speaker’s Trinidadian heritage
Correct Answer: extended metaphor
Q6.
Which word from 'A Portable Paradise' suggests the speaker doesn’t have a strong connection to the wider community?
Correct answer: "they"
"grandmother"
"my"