New
New
Year 10
Edexcel

Understanding how Nichols presents memories of home in 'Island Man'

I can explain how Nichols presents the memories of home in ‘Island Man’.

New
New
Year 10
Edexcel

Understanding how Nichols presents memories of home in 'Island Man'

I can explain how Nichols presents the memories of home in ‘Island Man’.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Grace Nichols was born in Guyana before immigrating to Britain as an adult.
  2. Nichol's poetry is often characterised by Caribbean rhythms and culture and influenced by Guyanese folklore.
  3. The poem's title 'Island Man' could reflect both the idyllic Caribbean island of his birth and Great Britain.
  4. The poem explores the life of a Caribbean born man, living in London.
  5. Each night, Island Man dreams of his idyllic island home.

Common misconception

That dreams aren't based on reality.

Dreams often draw on our previous memories or experiences.

Keywords

  • Migrant - a person who moves from one place to another, predominantly to find work or better living conditions

  • To heave - to lift or haul (something heavy) with great effort

  • Alienation - the feeling that you have no connection with the people around you or that you are not part of a group

  • Belonging - a feeling of being happy or comfortable as part of a particular group

  • Womb - the organ in the body of a woman or other female mammal in which a baby develops before birth

It would be useful to talk about migration and potential fears around loss of identity before reading the poem.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need a copy of the Edexcel 'Belonging' 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).

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following are typical connotations of the colour grey?
health
passion
Correct answer: monotony
Correct answer: neutrality
Q2.
'A feeling of being happy or comfortable as part of a particular group' is the definition of .
Correct Answer: belonging
Q3.
Describing something as "his" implies which of the following?
Correct answer: a sense of ownership
a positive association
a sense of detachment
Q4.
Which of the following do we typically associate with the sea?
Correct answer: a sense of peace
Correct answer: a sense of freedom
a sense of oppression
Q5.
Which of the following do we typically associate with the colour green?
anger
love
Correct answer: nature
Correct answer: health
Q6.
'The organ in the body of a woman or other female mammal in which a baby develops before birth' is the definition of .
Correct Answer: womb, a womb

6 Questions

Q1.
In Nichols' 'Island Man' the man dreams of ...
London
Correct answer: the Caribbean
America
Q2.
Arguably, the word "metallic" implies ...
a sense of vitality.
Correct answer: something inorganic.
something peaceful.
Q3.
When you heave an object, you __________ it.
throw it
drop it
Correct answer: lift it
lower it
Q4.
'A person who moves from one place to another, predominantly to find work or better living conditions' is the definition of a .
Correct Answer: migrant
Q5.
'The feeling that you have no connection with the people around you or that you are not part of a group' is the definition of .
Correct Answer: alienation
Q6.
Nichols' description of the Caribbean in 'Island Man' as a "womb" implies a sense of ...
Correct answer: safety.
possession.
freedom.