An Analysis of a favourite Grace Nichols Poem Fear Essays

An Analysis of a favourite Grace Nichols Poem Fear Essays An Analysis of a favourite Grace Nichols Poem Fear Paper An Analysis of a favourite Grace Nichols Poem Fear Paper Essay Topic: poem As the essay title states I am going to analyse a Poem written by Grace Nichols. Grace was born in Georgetown, Guyana, when finished school she went to university and then had several jobs before moving to England in 1977. Nichols then wrote poems mainly about racially sensitive topics, motherhood and sexuality. The poem, which I shall analyse, is called Fear. The main storyline in this poem is that a woman is worried and fears for her child living in England. I think this poem has a deeper meaning, basically about black people trying to adapt or not accepting the fact that they have to adapt to the way in which white people live. The writer of this poem sees it as blacks against whites, she feels very uncomfortable living in England, and maybe she feels out of place? Out numbered? In this poem there is much racial tension as she does not see the population to be as one, as equals. She uses words like our culture, and your own. This clearly shows that she sees white coloured people as being different to blacks. I think that she sees the world population split into two black people against the rest of the world. In fear there is a big culture clash and this is what Grace Nichols wants us to think about. The culture clash is the main theme running through this poem. In the first two lines of this poem our culture rub skin and against your own, we can see here that the technique used is enjambment. In these two lines we see the first signs of a tension felt by Grace Nichols between the two cultures. We know this because of several words, firstly our here we can see that Grace is sectioning her culture off, to make it us against them. Then on the next line we see against, this highlights a sense of difference, so in a different country and not around her own people. The word your suggests that she thinks she is not included in the white community or she is on the outside. From these first two lines of the poem we can see that Grace feels great tension between the two cultures and we know she feels that she is not one of us. The theme does not just occur in fear but also occurs in the other poems in which Grace Nichols has written. In two old black men on a Leicester square park bench, we also see this culture clash, these men feel unwanted in England and so lament about there homeland making themselves think that London is such a bad place to live and that the Caribbean is more like heaven. To want to go back to the Caribbean so much they must feel that blacks are unwanted and are not treat as equals. The theme in fear continues throughout the poem because we can see it in the last two lines as well as the first two, I think my childs too loving and for this fear here again we see that the technique used is enjambment and the effect that this has is that it makes us think about the two lines as one. We see a culture clash in these two lines, again, because of specific words, which have been used. Firstly my, when she uses this word, we see that she is sectioning herself of from anybody else. Everyone loves their child very much but I think that Grace Nichols thinks that her love for her child is better than anyone elses. When she says too loving I get the feeling that she has replaced the word loving from good, she thinks because she is black and living in England her life is so much more difficult than an average white coloured persons life, and therefore her child should not need to go through what she has been through. She thinks her child is too good to live in England because the majority of the population are not black and therefore her baby will not be accepted and treat as an equal in this country. I will now analyse the mood and atmosphere in this poem, and try to show the feelings of the reader. In fear I feel that the mood is very uncomfortable because we are reading about someone who is not content with everyday life of living in England. As we are English citizens who are reading this poem, we obviously do not agree with what Grace Nichols thinks and because we are content with the everyday life of living in England this I think therefore makes the mood and atmosphere very uncomfortable. Another way in which this poem could be said as being uncomfortable is in the way Grace Nichols feels. It is obvious she is uncomfortable with the fact that she is living in England and this therefore makes the mood and atmosphere of the poem uncomfortable. Ask, are you going back sometime? This quote is one, which shows the atmosphere and mood, it does this by almost suggesting she is not wanted. Grace Nichols feels as if this question is what us white people are always thinking, as if we feel that she doesnt belong here which shows a sense of being uncomfortable. When the reader reads this poem they are almost forced not to agree or accept the point that Grace Nichols is putting across. She is basically saying that blacks are not accepted in England, which would therefore make us racist. When the reader realizes what Grace is saying, we think she is prejudice because she thinks all whites dont accept blacks, she does not know all white people and so therefore is prejudging many of us. When reading this I am sure many readers feel anger. The reason for this is that many readers will feel Grace is prejudice. And here? Here this quote in particular may make readers feel anger and the reason for this is that Grace dismisses the thought of London straight away. She has just described her homeland and in the next stanza she does not bother to compare it to London. Here is repeated to create the effect of dismissing the thought of London and that she obviously doesnt have much positive to say about the city. So therefore when readers from this city or country read this line they may feel great anger towards the writer, as she cannot say one decent thing about London. In the next section of this essay I am going to try to analyse how the poem is written and the way in which the language is used. To do this I shall pick out interesting words and phrases from the poem and describe what effect they have on the poem. When reading this poem several times, one of the most noticeable lines is home is where the heart lies this is very interesting because it could have two different meanings. In this line Grace has been very clever and left spaces to emphasise the word lies. This word could mean one of two things, lies as in where the heart rests or lies as in not telling the truth. If taken as where the heart rests then the author is conveying a sense of homesickness. If taken in the sense that at home the heart doesnt tell the truth then we know that Grace is feeling no homesickness at all. Personally I think the author is feeling homesickness and so when writing this line meant it to be where the heart can rest. Obviously the heart never rests, otherwise the author would be dead but in this line the word heart is a metaphor and stands for feelings, emotions and soul. In relating this line back to the whole poem I feel that because of the authors homesickness, this could be a reason why she has such a dislike for England, she misses her homeland too much and England just cant match up to the place where she feels most comfortable. This technique of writing a line in which can be taken as two different meanings does not just occur in this poem. In other poems that Grace Nichols has wrote we see her leaving the reader with several options to think about. For example in the poem childhood the line half stunned I watched is a line in which could be taken as two different meanings. From earlier lines in the poem we know that a little girl is watching a fish being killed, but when coming to this particular line is it the fish which is half stunned or is it the little girl who is half stunned? So here we can see that Grace obviously finds this technique effective in her writing and uses it in more than just one poem. Another line in which I found to be intriguing was You say youre civilised, in this line I get the impression that a bit of sarcasm is used. When writing this line does Grace Nichols mean she has seen no sign of civilisation yet from the English people or does she mean that we are civilised people but that isnt enough for her, she wants something more than civilisation. On the word You emphasis has been used by using a capital letter, this maybe suggests that she is directing this phrase at a particular person and if this is correct it suggests anger towards this person. If anger is shown to somebody then does this not mean that the narrator isnt being civilised? Someone might even say she has contradicted herself in this line. I think that when Grace Nichols wrote this line she was almost asking a question of the white community. When telling us we say that we say we are civilised she is wondering where this civilisation is because she feels like she is not treat as an equal in England. Almost challenging the white people to come out and prove that they are civilised and prove that Grace Nicholss opinion of England and her opinion of white people in England is wrong. When looking at the four lines in the fifth stanza we can see that Grace is talking and reminiscing about her homeland. I come from a backyard Where the sun reaches down Mangoes fall to the ground In the first two lines here we see the technique of enjambment. In this first line I come from a backyard in using the word I she wants us to feel sorry for her. This line is fairly easy to understand and is just saying that she has never really had a luxurious life and has always been from a poor family with little money. This is probably one of the reasons why she moved to England, she would be able to receive more income. When linking this line with the second line where the sun reaches down we can see that by using the technique of enjambment, another language technique is used. This is personification, and this is because Grace is trying to show that the sun reaches down into her backyard. So therefore the sun is picking her country above all others, so she thinks her country is special. As well as personification this line is also a metaphor because the sun does not actually reach down. I think Grace likes to see herself as a special person from a special country because on the next line there is more use of personification. mangoes fall to the ground in this line Grace is showing the reader that the idea of exotic fruits pick this country out as the sun did. Her country is special because they get excess amounts of mangoes and other countries get no exotic fruit falling to their ground at all. In these three lines in which I have just analysed we can see that Grace is very proud of her country and thinks that it is special. The structure of these three lines is also important when reading the poem. Grace firstly tells us that her country is poor so we therefore will feel sorry for her; she then says that the sun picks this country above all others to be hot and then she lets us know that exotic fruits drop on the ground of this particular country. These three lines are structured this way because if the first line was not first then the technique of enjambment could not be used and if this technique was not used then we would not look at the second line as being personification. So if these two techniques were not used in this section of the poem then these lines would have less significance and not have a deeper meaning, so we can conclude that this poem writing was good because she used the words that she had in the best possible way. I find this poem to be very interesting and intriguing and this is the main reason why I chose to do my essay on it. There are many interesting lines which have a deeper meaning that what is wrote on the surface, for example home is where the heart lies, in this line I saw much opportunity to expand on what Grace is trying to say, there is a much more deeper, sensitive meaning to this line. To have an opinion on this poem I think that you would have had to maybe spend some of your childhood living in Grace Nichols homeland because at least then you might understand where she is coming from in some lines. For example I think my child is too loving for this fear what fear? I understand that she is worried that her child will not be accepted in England but she says it as if all white people are going to murder black people the second they step outside, when we and her both know that this is not true. This is why I find it hard to have an opinion on the poem because if maybe I had grown up with Grace in this wonderful special country that she describes, then I might understand a bit more about this so called fear that she has. I chose this poem above the rest because as I stated before I saw many lines with deeper meanings and I feel it was a more personal poem than the rest. The feelings in this poem are real feelings that someone feels and I wanted to try and find out why she felt this way. I now have a better understanding of her feelings. This poem was my favourite because I felt it had more meaning than the others and a more interesting way of expressing the authors feelings.

When Is the PreACT 2018 PreACT Test Dates

When Is the PreACT 2018 PreACT Test Dates SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re planning to take the ACT, it’s a good idea to take the PreACT, too. This test is essentially a practice ACT for high school sophomores. But exactly when is the PreACT? Are there multiple PreACT test dates you can choose from?We answer these questions and more in this guide. In addition, we give you a few key tips on how to prep for the PreACT. The Short Answer: When Is the PreACT? The exact date on which you can take the PreACT varies depending on the school. Basically, it’s up to each school to decide when (and if) it wants to administer the test. This means that you have no choice when to take the PreACT (it's not like the SAT or ACT for which you can choose a specific test date). If your school or district decides not to offer the PreACT, you won't be able to take it. Schools that do intend to offer it, however, may administer it "any time between September 1 and June 1," according toACT, Inc.In other words, you'll take the testsometime during the school year- never during the summer. Furthermore, you’ll take it at school, most likely on a school day during regular school hours. So no having to wake up early on a Saturday as you need to do for the ACT! The Long Answer: How PreACT Test Dates Work Now for the long answer. There are a few key steps schools must take when deciding whether (and when) to administer the PreACT. Below is the basic timeline: Step 1: Schools Decide Whether to Administer the PreACT First, a school must decide whether it wants to administer the PreACT to students.If it's decided to administer the test, the school then orders the tests directly from ACT, Inc. (Note that students do not order their PreACT tests individually!) If your school hasn’t said anything about holding the PreACT, talk to your guidance counselor to see whether your school will consider offering the test to 10th graders who want to take it. Step 2: Schools Decide When to Hold the PreACT Once a school has chosen to hold the PreACT, it decides when to administer it. Unlike the ACT, which is only offered on certain Saturdays every year, the PreACT is typically held at school on a weekday.The bonus? You’ll be taking the test with students you know at your own school, which can make the testing environment more comfortable for you. As mentioned above, schools may pickany test date between September 1 and June 1.So you could end up taking the PreACT at the start of the school year (similar to the PSAT, which is always offered in October), or you could end up taking it near the end of the school year in May. All of this simply depends on what date your school feels best fits with its schedule. In short, the exact PreACT test date will ultimately be up to your school.Unfortunately, you can’t take the PreACT on a different test date. So if for some reason you’re going to be absent the day of the PreACT, you won’t be able to make it up on a later date. Ifyou’re not sure when your school plans to hold the PreACT,check with your guidance counselor. Step 3: Schools Send Out PreACT Information to 10th Graders In this last step, the school sends out information about the PreACT to its 10th graders. Generally, students will be toldwhen and where the PreACT will be held, how to sign up for it, and how much it’ll cost to take it. The PreACT typically costs $12 per student, but your school might cover all or part of this cost. If you have any questions about how much the test costs or how to register for it, ask your guidance counselor. How to Prep for the PreACT: 3 Essential Tips Now that you understand how PreACT test dates work, you might be wondering whether you should study for the test or just wing it. While the PreACT is certainly not as important as the ACT (or SAT) is, it can be helpful to do some light prep before taking it. This way, you’ll have a clear idea of what ACT score you’re likely to get later on and will be better able to pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses in the major skill areas: English, Math, Reading, and Science. Here are our top three tips for prepping for the PreACT: #1: Learn the Test Format First off, it’s a good idea to spend some time familiarizing yourself with the overall structure of the PreACT. As you might know, the PreACT format is extremely similar to the ACT format: both tests have four main sections (English, Math, Reading, and Science), have similar question types, and use a similar (though not identical) scoring scale (1-35 for the PreACT and 1-36 for the ACT). The only major differences between the PreACT and ACT are as follows: The PreACT is shorter than the ACT: In total, the PreACT is two hours and 10 minutes long (excluding breaks), whereas the ACT is two hours and 55 minutes long (without Writing) and three hours and 35 minutes long (with Writing). The PreACT is slightly easier than the ACT: Since the test is designed as a practice ACT and geared toward 10th graders (instead of 11th and 12th graders, which the ACT targets), its content and overall difficulty is somewhat easier than that on the ACT. The PreACT does not have an essay section: While the ACT includes an optional Writing section at the end of the test, the PreACT has no such writing component. Now, let's take a closer look at the PreACT format: English Math Reading Science Order 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Time 30 minutes 40 minutes 30 minutes 30 minutes # of Questions 45 36 25 (with 3 passages) 30 Time per Question 40 seconds 67 seconds 72 seconds 60 seconds Topics Tested Grammar, punctuation, organization, vocabulary, sentence style Integers, algebra, functions, geometry, statistics and probability Reading comprehension, vocabulary, text-based evidence Scientific reasoning skills, data/charts Sources: 2017-18 PreACT Administration Manual and PreACT Interpretive Guide Note that you’ll also get a 10- to 15-minute break between the Math and Reading sections. For more information about the PreACT, check out the resources ACT, Inc. has on its website. In addition, since the PreACT is so similar to the ACT, I suggest looking at our in-depth guide to the ACT format to further acquaint yourself with the PreACT and ACT structures. #2: Set a PreACT Goal Score A goal score is simply the score you're aiming to get on test day. Setting a goal score for the PreACT can help you figure out not just what type of score you want to get on it but also what score you’d like to eventually get on the ACT.Remember that the two tests share many similarities, including a nearly identical score range, so whatever goal score you have for the PreACT can also be used for the ACT. But how do you set a goal score? For the ACT and SAT, the easiest way to set a goal score is to first figure out what colleges you want to apply to. You can then look up each school’s average score range for admitted applicants (for either the ACT or SAT). We talk more about how to do this in our guides to setting a goal score for the ACT and SAT. As a 10th grader taking the PreACT, though, you likely haven’t finalized your list of colleges just yet. In this case, the best thing to do is to think about what schools you’re considering applying to, even if you’re not 100% sure you’ll actually apply to them. Once you’ve made a list of schools and put them in a chart, start looking up each school’s average ACT score range for admitted applicants. The reason you’ll use ACT scores instead of PreACT scores here is twofold: Colleges don’t look at PreACT scores at all (only ACT/SAT scores), so there is no PreACT score info you can use for your research The PreACT is extremely similar to the ACT- so much so that one score on one test roughly translates to the same score on the other test To look up a school’s average ACT scores, search for â€Å"[School Name] ACT PrepScholar† on Google. Look for the link to your school in our college database and click it to see the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile ACT scores for that school. Once you’ve filled out your entire chart, look for the highest 75th percentile score in it- this will be your PreACT goal score (as well as your ACT goal score, though this might change as you update and tweak your list of schools). This particular score is your goal score because it's the score most likely to get you accepted to all the schools you're thinking of applying to. #3: Take an Official ACT Practice Test My last piece of advice for your (very light!) PreACT prep plan is to take an official ACT practice test.Unfortunately, there are no official PreACT practice tests currently available.However, since the ACT is so similar to the PreACT, taking a practice ACT should be just as helpful. Just make sure you're aware of the major differences between the two tests. The ACT practice test will be longer and a little more difficultthan the PreACT will be.While this might seem annoying, it's actually a good thing, as it lets you get a better sense of what kinds of questions will be on the ACT. What's more, as a result of challenging yourself, you might score even higher than you thought you would on the PreACT! Another thing to note is how you take the ACT practice test. It's important tomimic actual testing conditions as closely as possible. In other words,take the test in a quiet room, on paper (not on a computer!), and within official ACT time limits. Once finished, score your results. The score you get on the test will be yourbaseline PreACT/ACT score- that is, the score you start with in your ACT prep. You'll use this score, along with your PreACT/ACT goal score, to figure out the number of points you’ll eventually need to improve by in order to hit your ACT target score. Review: When Is the PreACT? Unlike the ACT, there are no PreACT test dates you can choose from. Each school that plans to hold the PreACT chooses when it wants to administer it. Schools may administer the test any time between September 1 and June 1,and most high schoolsadminister it on a school day. Once a school decides when it will administer the PreACT, it will notify students of the opportunity to take it and provide instructions on how to register and pay for the exam. Some schools cover all or part of the PreACT cost, while others don't. The typical cost is $12 per student. Because the PreACT is basically a practice ACT and isn’t used for college admissions, you don’t need to prep too hard for it. (In fact, many students don’t prep at all- this is totally fine!)That said, it doesn’t hurt to do some light prep before you take the PreACT, especially if you’re hoping to eventually get a high score on the ACT as well. For prep, the best steps to take are to learn the format of the PreACT (and ACT), set a combination PreACT/ACT goal score, and take an official ACT practice test to find your baseline score and get a better feel for the test. What’s Next? Got more questions about the PreACT? Our guide covers everything you need to know about the test, including what it is and why it's offered. As you prep for the PreACT, make sure you understand the format of the ACT, too. Knowing this will give you a head start on ACT prep- and possibly a higher PreACT score! Planning to take the SAT instead of the ACT? Then the PSAT will be a better practice test for you. Learn what the PSAT is and get tips on how to prep for it so you can potentially qualify for National Merit! Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.