Exploring ideas of voice and identity in Berry's 'Homing'
I can explain how Liz Berry presents the importance of voice and identity.
Exploring ideas of voice and identity in Berry's 'Homing'
I can explain how Liz Berry presents the importance of voice and identity.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- The subject of the poem is likely the speaker’s relative.
- The speaker implies that the subject felt is necessary to hide their regional dialect.
- The speaker is trying to keep the dialect alive by recreating it.
- Arguably, Berry’s intention is to suggest the importance of accents to identity.
Keywords
Dialect - a particular form of a language which is peculiar to a specific region or social group
Industrial - of or pertaining to industry, manufacturing, commerce, trade, business
Extended metaphor - a version of metaphor that extends over the course of multiple lines or stanzas of poetry
Elocution - the skill of speaking using standard forms of pronunciation
Intention - something that you want and plan to do
Common misconception
That the meaning of a poem remains static throughout.
In 'Homing', the subject's accent is portrayed as something negative at the beginning of the poem. However, by the end it is portrayed as something vital to identity and heritage.
Equipment
You will need access to a copy of the AQA World and Lives anthology for this lesson.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
- Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying
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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