Heading: Mid-Term Break- Seamus Heaney - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Heading: Mid-Term Break- Seamus Heaney Date:

ObjectivesIntroduce the poem.Understand the themes of ‘Death’ and ‘Celebrating a person’.

Warm – up – next slideSlide2

Question – exercise copy

Warm-up

What do you think of when you hear the phrase ‘Mid-term break’?

How do the following images make you feel?Slide3

Mid-Term Break

I sat all morning in the college sick bayCounting bells knelling classes to a close,At two o'clock our neighbours drove me home.In the porch I met my father crying--He had always taken funerals in his stride--

And Big Jim Evans saying it was a hard blow.

The baby cooed and laughed and rocked the pram

When I came in, and I was embarrassed

By old men standing up to shake my handAnd tell me they were "sorry for my trouble,"Whispers informed strangers I was the eldest,

Away at school, as my mother held my handIn hers and coughed out angry tearless sighs.

At ten o'clock the ambulance arrived

With the corpse, stanched and bandaged by the nurses.

Next morning I went up into the room. Snowdrops

And candles soothed the bedside; I saw him

For the first time in six weeks. Paler now,

Wearing a poppy bruise on the left temple,

He lay in the four foot box as in a cot.

No gaudy scars, the bumper knocked him clear.

A four foot box, a foot for every year. Slide4

Mid-Term Break

I sat all morning in the college sick bayCounting bells knelling classes to a close,At two o'clock our neighbours drove me home.In the porch I met my father crying--He had always taken funerals in his stride--

And Big Jim Evans saying it was a hard blow.

The baby cooed and laughed and rocked the pram

When I came in, and I was embarrassed

By old men standing up to shake my handAnd tell me they were "sorry for my trouble,"Whispers informed strangers I was the eldest,

Away at school, as my mother held my handIn hers and coughed out angry tearless sighs.

At ten o'clock the ambulance arrived

With the corpse, stanched and bandaged by the nurses.

Next morning I went up into the room. Snowdrops

And candles soothed the bedside; I saw him

For the first time in six weeks. Paler now,

Wearing a poppy bruise on the left temple,

He lay in the four foot box as in a cot.No gaudy scars, the bumper knocked him clear.A four foot box, a foot for every year.

Exercise 1: First Impressions

Having read the poem once, write down one sentence in response and share it.

Try using: I think, I know, I don’t know, I want to know.Slide5

Notes – notes copy – stanza one

The poem is a true story and shows the poet’s first experience with death. He was just starting secondary school when his brother died. He wrote this poem years later to express himself.

Why is he in the sickbay?

Why do his neighbours

pick him up?

Knell

– to ring slowly, solemnly, like a funeral bell.

I sat

all morning

in the college

sick bay

Counting bells knelling

classes to a close,

At two o'clock our neighbours drove me home.Slide6

We see the wake as family and friends gather to offer condolences. His parents are in shock; unable to speak or move.

Notes – stanza 2

In the porch I met my father crying--

He had always taken funerals in his stride--

And Big Jim Evans saying it was a hard blow.

(What are the two meanings of ‘Hard Blow’?)Slide7

Quick Question?

What words pop into your head when you see this?Slide8

Notes – Stanza 3

In contrast to his father, the poet’s baby sister is innocent; ignorant of what is happening. It is like there are two worlds here, one of happy new life and the other of depressing death.

The baby

cooed and laughed

and rocked the pram

When I came in, and I was

embarrassed

By

old men

standing up to

shake my handSlide9

Notes – Stanza 4 and 5

As the eldest son, the poet is forced to grow up, face reality and shake adult’s hands. His mother is too upset to even cry. All she can do is force sighs out to express herself.

(Honestly, do you shake hands often?) (Have you ever been so angry, you see red?)

And tell me they were "sorry for my trouble,"

Whispers informed strangers

I was the eldest,

Away at school, as my mother held my hand

In hers and

coughed out angry tearless sighs.

At ten o'clock the ambulance arrived

With the corpse

, stanched and bandaged

by the nurses.

‘Stanched’ – stopping the flow of blood.Slide10

The poet sees his dead brother and the entire image stays with him. Every detail is significant, particularly the flowers. Snowdrops represent hope and new beginnings while poppies commemorate those who died in war. (Why?)

Notes – Stanza 6 and 7

Next morning I went up into the room.

Snowdrops

And candles soothed

the bedside;

I saw him

For the first time

in six weeks. Paler now,

Wearing a poppy bruise

on the left temple,

He lay in the

four foot box as in a cot.

No gaudy scars, the

bumper

knocked him clear.Slide11

Notes – Stanza 6 and 7

Other amazing images here:

Candles

Wearing a bruise

Box as a Cot

The Bumper

Next morning I went up into the room.

Snowdrops

And candles soothed

the bedside;

I saw him

For the first time

in six weeks. Paler now,

Wearing a poppy bruise on the left temple,He lay in the four foot box as in a cot.No gaudy scars, the bumper knocked him clear.Slide12

The poet ends with a single, short powerful line. Both the line and the entire poem represent his brother.

Notes – Stanza 8

A four foot box, a foot for every year. Slide13

Questions: Remember “quotes”.

Is this a good portrayal of a funeral’s wake in your opinion? In your own words, describe the dead boy as the poet sees him. What do you think of the poet after reading this poem?Slide14

Homework part 2Learn the first 3 stanzas

I sat all morning in the college sick bayCounting bells knelling classes to a close,At two o'clock our neighbours drove me home.In the porch I met my father crying--He had always taken funerals in his stride--And Big Jim Evans saying it was a hard blow.

The baby cooed and laughed and rocked the pram

When I came in, and I was embarrassed

By old men standing up to shake my handSlide15

Mid-Term Break

I sat all morning in the college sick bayCounting bells knelling classes to a close,At two o'clock our neighbours drove me home.In the porch I met my father crying--He had always taken funerals in his stride--

And Big Jim Evans saying it was a hard blow.

The baby cooed and laughed and rocked the pram

When I came in, and I was embarrassed

By old men standing up to shake my handAnd tell me they were "sorry for my trouble,"Whispers informed strangers I was the eldest,

Away at school, as my mother held my handIn hers and coughed out angry tearless sighs.

At ten o'clock the ambulance arrived

With the corpse, stanched and bandaged by the nurses.

Next morning I went up into the room. Snowdrops

And candles soothed the bedside; I saw him

For the first time in six weeks. Paler now,

Wearing a poppy bruise on the left temple,

He lay in the four foot box as in a cot.No gaudy scars, the bumper knocked him clear.A four foot box, a foot for every year. Slide16

Part 2Slide17

Heading: Mid-Term Break 2- Seamus Heaney Date:

ObjectivesTo examine the poetic techniques of Mid-Term Break, including:Rhyme (Alliteration, assonance and consonance)

Simile and Metaphor.

Tone

Warm – up – next slideSlide18

Mid-Term Break

I sat all morning in the college sick bayCounting bells knelling classes to a close,At two o'clock our neighbours drove me home.In the porch I met my father crying--He had always taken funerals in his stride--

And Big Jim Evans saying it was a hard blow.

The baby cooed and laughed and rocked the pram

When I came in, and I was embarrassed

By old men standing up to shake my handAnd tell me they were "sorry for my trouble,"Whispers informed strangers I was the eldest,

Away at school, as my mother held my handIn hers and coughed out angry tearless sighs.

At ten o'clock the ambulance arrived

With the corpse, stanched and bandaged by the nurses.

Next morning I went up into the room. Snowdrops

And candles soothed the bedside; I saw him

For the first time in six weeks. Paler now,

Wearing a poppy bruise on the left temple,

He lay in the four foot box as in a cot.No gaudy scars, the bumper knocked him clear.A four foot box, a foot for every year. Slide19

Mid-Term Break

I sat all morning in the college sick bayCounting bells knelling classes to a close,At two o'clock our neighbours drove me home.In the porch I met my father crying--He had always taken funerals in his stride--

And Big Jim Evans saying it was a hard blow.

The baby cooed and laughed and rocked the pram

When I came in, and I was embarrassed

By old men standing up to shake my handAnd tell me they were "sorry for my trouble,"Whispers informed strangers I was the eldest,

Away at school, as my mother held my handIn hers and coughed out angry tearless sighs.

At ten o'clock the ambulance arrived

With the corpse, stanched and bandaged by the nurses.

Next morning I went up into the room. Snowdrops

And candles soothed the bedside; I saw him

For the first time in six weeks. Paler now,

Wearing a poppy bruise on the left temple,

He lay in the four foot box as in a cot.No gaudy scars, the bumper knocked him clear.A four foot box, a foot for every year.

Warm-up exercise

Write down the question and your answer.

Mid-Term break is often called a

Sombre

poem, meaning it has a feeling of deep seriousness and sadness. Do you agree and why?

Two to three line answer with one quote.Slide20

Mid-Term Break

I sat all morning in the college sick bayCounting bells knelling classes to a close,At two o'clock our neighbours drove me home.In the porch I met my father crying--He had always taken funerals in his stride--

And Big Jim Evans saying it was a hard blow.

The baby cooed and laughed and rocked the pram

When I came in, and I was embarrassed

By old men standing up to shake my handAnd tell me they were "sorry for my trouble,"Whispers informed strangers I was the eldest,

Away at school, as my mother held my handIn hers and coughed out angry tearless sighs.

At ten o'clock the ambulance arrived

With the corpse, stanched and bandaged by the nurses.

Next morning I went up into the room. Snowdrops

And candles soothed the bedside; I saw him

For the first time in six weeks. Paler now,

Wearing a poppy bruise on the left temple,

He lay in the four foot box as in a cot.No gaudy scars, the bumper knocked him clear.A four foot box, a foot for every year.

Quick Question

Where is the one full rhyme in the poem? There are lots of half rhymes but only one full one.Slide21

Notes – rhyme

Mid-Term Break is a free verse poem with no particular rhyming scheme. It’s one full rhyme is used to close the poem, adding to the sense of finality and emphasising the theme of death.Question: Some people call the last line a bitter joke. Do you think that Seamus Heaney is angry or bitter here?

No gaudy scars, the bumper knocked him

clear

.

A four foot box, a foot for every year.Slide22

Notes – rhyme

Alliteration highlights both the words and the sense of time when it is used. It reflects impatience in the sick bay and a lack of time at the end. “bells knelling” is also an example of assonance and ‘onomatopoeia’ as the poet is trying to make the sound of bells.Question: The first quote is called harsh alliteration because of the ‘C’. Do you think it is unpleasant to say and hear these words.

knelling classes to a close,

A four foot box, a foot for every year.Slide23

Notes – mood

This is a sombre poem however the mood changes at two points. The baby sister laughing is a spark of light. At the end then is where the poet truly come to terms with what has happened. It is almost peaceful in that room.

Question:

Can you find any verbs in particular which create the sad and confusing mood for the rest of the poem.

The baby cooed and

laughed

and rocked the pram And candles

soothed

the bedside;

I saw himSlide24

Mid-Term Break

I sat all morning in the college sick bayCounting bells knelling classes to a close,At two o'clock our neighbours drove me home.In the porch I met my father crying--He had always taken funerals in his stride--

And Big Jim Evans saying it was a hard blow.

The baby cooed and laughed and rocked the pram

When I came in, and I was embarrassed

By old men standing up to shake my handAnd tell me they were "sorry for my trouble,"Whispers informed strangers I was the eldest,

Away at school, as my mother held my handIn hers and coughed out angry tearless sighs.

At ten o'clock the ambulance arrived

With the corpse, stanched and bandaged by the nurses.

Next morning I went up into the room. Snowdrops

And candles soothed the bedside; I saw him

For the first time in six weeks. Paler now,

Wearing a poppy bruise on the left temple,

He lay in the four foot box as in a cot.No gaudy scars, the bumper knocked him clear.A four foot box, a foot for every year.

Another Question

Can you spot the simile and metaphor?

Clue: same stanza.Slide25

Notes – simile and metaphor

The coffin is compared to a sleeping baby’s cot and the fatal bruise is compared to wearing a poppy. Both images show a reluctance to accept the brother’s death. Then how he was killed is revealed.

Question:

Can you see the difference between the comparison and the reality?

Wearing a poppy bruise on the left temple,

He lay in the four foot box as in a cot.

No gaudy scars, the bumper knocked him clear.Slide26

Homework

Copy the poem into your notes with images beside it. There are 8 stanzas but choose the best couple images to focus on.Remember, the point is to help you learn the poem so choose images you see as being linked to the words. Simple is better.Slide27

Mid-Term Break

I sat all morning in the college sick bayCounting bells knelling classes to a close,At two o'clock our neighbours drove me home.In the porch I met my father crying--He had always taken funerals in his stride--

And Big Jim Evans saying it was a hard blow.

The baby cooed and laughed and rocked the pram

When I came in, and I was embarrassed

By old men standing up to shake my handAnd tell me they were "sorry for my trouble,"Whispers informed strangers I was the eldest,

Away at school, as my mother held my handIn hers and coughed out angry tearless sighs.

At ten o'clock the ambulance arrived

With the corpse, stanched and bandaged by the nurses.

Next morning I went up into the room. Snowdrops

And candles soothed the bedside; I saw him

For the first time in six weeks. Paler now,

Wearing a poppy bruise on the left temple,

He lay in the four foot box as in a cot.No gaudy scars, the bumper knocked him clear.A four foot box, a foot for every year.