Intro Quiz: Presents From My Aunt in Pakistan (Part 2)

Video: Presents From My Aunt in Pakistan (Part 2)

﻿Hi, how you doing? I hope you're well, welcome to our lesson in English I am Mr Mba. In this lesson, we'll be analysing the poem 'Presents From My Aunt in Pakistan' by Moniza Alvi I'll give you a quick heads up about what we are doing this lesson. What are the thoughts and feelings the poet presents in the poem 'Presents From My Aunt in Pakistan'? In this lesson, you'll need something to write in or on, something to write with an active mind. We'll start by looking at some key vocabulary and terminology before looking at the central themes of the poem. We'll then look at the language, form and structure before applying our learning and finishing with a quiz. Let's look at some key vocabulary for this lesson. In this lesson, we'll be learning the words simile and metaphor. A simile is when one thing is compared to another, generally using like or as. An example of this is, he settled himself on the grass like a spider returning to its web. Another example would be, she was as fierce as a tornado. She swept up her opponents like lifeless leaves scattered in the wind. The word metaphor is when a word or phrase is used to refer to something that is not, to create a direct similarity between the word or phrase and the thing being described. An example of this would be, she was a warrior; that metaphor really captures her intensity. Another example would be, the campaign slogan plummeting to the ground at the rally was a visual metaphor for how poorly the candidate was doing in the polls. On your screen are two sentences. You need to select which one is a simile. Pause the video now to complete your task. And the correct answer is the first sentence, the leaves on the branch shivered in the wind like a frightened child. Similar task. This time looking at metaphor. On your screen are two sentences, decide which one is the metaphor. Pause the video now to complete your task. And the correct answer is the second sentence, he was ice cold in his delivery. He was a robot, showing no emotion. Let's consider the central themes and symbols found in this poem. Alvi uses a range of objects in the poem as symbols of different countries that form the speaker's identity. She admires the beauty of the gifts from Pakistan, however, they make her feel alien. She prefers her English clothes. Alvi shows the complex relationship the speaker has with her mixed heritage and how her culture is unfamiliar to her. Alvi presents the speaker as desiring a sense of belonging. Her English heritage makes her feel like an outsider wearing her traditional Pakistani clothes. The symbols of her Pakistani heritage, such as the clothes in her wardrobe and her mother's jewellery, stood out in England. The speaker sums up this feeling as being 'of no fixed nationality'. Apart from the final stanza, Alvi makes reference to family throughout the poem. Her family sent her fashionable clothes from Pakistan, yet she longs for 'denim and corduroy'. It's the speaker's connection to her family that highlights the conflict between her two cultures. While the speaker shares a connection with her family, they are very different. Answer the questions below in full sentences. Pause the video to answer the questions. Okay. Let's look at some answers. Question one, the traditional clothes make the speaker feel like an alien. Question two, the speaker describes herself as being 'of no fixed nationality'. Question three, the speaker longs for denim and corduroy. Question four, the clothes in her wardrobe and her mother's jewellery stand out. Let's consider how the poet uses language in this poem. We will now explore the language methods that Alvi uses to explore the conflict she feels about her identity. Some language methods that Alvi uses are: imagery, the clear descriptions that present images in a way that engages the senses. Metaphor, a comparison where one thing is said to be another. And simile, a comparison to another thing using like or as. The speaker uses a range of imagery to describe the clothes she receives. what are some of the images she selects to describe her clothes? What does the speaker's choice of language to describe the clothes suggest about her feelings towards her Pakistani culture? Pause the video now to answer the questions. We will look and answer in three, two, one. The speaker uses imagery that connotes beauty and/or value. She highlights the rich colours of the clothes referring to 'peacock blue' and apple-green' which conveys a sense of admiration. The reference to precious metals, 'gold' and 'silver', suggests that the clothes are valuable and connote elegance. The speaker's choice of language reveals that she recognises the beauty of her gifts. However, her language also highlights the exotic nature of her gifts. The word aflame means to be on fire. What could Alvi be suggesting about the speaker's feelings by using this metaphor? What could Alvi be suggesting about her identity when she writes 'I couldn't rise up out of its fire'? Pause the video now to answer the questions. We will look and answer in three, two, one. The metaphor 'I was aflame' could refer to how to clothes made the speaker feel claustrophobic and physically hot. It could also be referring to how the bright colours made her look radiant like a flame. However, it seems most likely to suggest that she is perhaps blushing from feeling embarrassed. The phrase 'rise up out of its fire' conveys a sense of surviving being burned. The speaker may feel inadequate and unable to overcome the feeling of embarrassment she has when she puts the clothes on. The speaker uses similes to help convey her thoughts and feelings about her culture. What might her choices of simile suggest about her relationship with her Pakistani heritage? Pause the video now to answer the question, We will look and answer in three, two, one. The speaker has an admiration for her Pakistani heritage. She sees the clothes as attractive. They are enticing and 'glisten' like fruits ready for consumption. She also describes 'marvelling' at the colours of her parents'lamp. The reference to 'stained glass' suggests she's impressed at the craftsmanship in a similar way to visitors of old churches. However, both the orange and the camel-skin lamp have to undergo a painful transformation in order to be beautiful. This may suggest that the speaker has to do the same. Let's think about how the form and structure of the poem convey the poet's ideas. The poem consists of seven stanzas. It is divided into stanzas of varying length. It is written in free verse. The form of the poem is irregular. The lines have different lengths and start at different places. The poem references both of the speakers countries; the first five stanzas are based in England; the final two in Pakistan. The speaker in the poem is a 13 year old girl. Why do you think Alvi chose to write the poem in free verse? Think about how Alvi arranged the lines on the page. How does it force the reader to read the poem? Why do you think the poem moves back and forth between England and Pakistan? Pause the video now to note your response to these questions and we will look and answer in three, two, one. The poem is autobiographical. By Alvi writing in free verse, it creates a conversational style to the poem as though the speaker is talking to a friend. The irregular form of the poem may reflect the many conflicting thoughts and feelings that the speaker has throughout the poem. She moves back and forth between feelings of belonging and being an outsider. The irregular form allows the speaker to move back and forth between England and Pakistan. This may be to show the conflict she feels between the two cultures that make up her identity. Alvi seems to contrast English tastes with Pakistani fashions; the present with the past; beauty with conflict. As a result, the speaker ends the poem feeling less sure of where she belongs. On your screen are a number of statements you need to decide which ones are true and which ones are false. Pause the video now to complete the task. Okay. Let's look at some answers. Alvi writes the poem using free verse, that is true. There are 15 standards in the poem, that is false. Each stanza is exactly the same length, that is also false. The poem has a conversational style, that is true. Let's apply our learning. So our key question is, what are the thoughts and feelings the poet presents in the poem 'Presents From My Aunt in Pakistan'? Write a short response to the question above. Spend at least 15 minutes writing. You may wish to mention: how Alvi presents the gifts from Pakistan; what Alvi is saying about the different cultures that are part of her heritage; how she conveys her thoughts and feelings about her identity. Words to include are: identity, conflict, symbol, and belonging. Pause the video now to complete the task. Let's look at an example response. The speaker in the poem has various feelings about her presents from Pakistan. She is impressed by their beauty, but uncomfortable when she wears them. The gifts act as a symbol for her culture; they are beautiful but also cause her pain like the candy-striped bangles. The poem is structured to show this conflict and to highlight the many thoughts and feelings her culture elicits. The speaker values the beauty of her heritage, shown by her visit to the Shalimar Gardens, but feels like an outsider 'staring through the fretwork' at her culture. She feels disconnected from the cultures that make up her identity, describing herself as being 'of no fixed nationality'. This seems to suggest she lacks a sense of belonging. Let's look at a slightly more developed response. Alvi uses the gifts from Pakistan as a symbol to explore issues of identity and belonging. The speaker is impressed by the gifts, although they make her feel inadequate and leave her feeling like an 'alien'. The metaphor of her being 'aflame' suggests her culture causes her discomfort. This idea is reinforced by the 'candy-striped bangles' that draw blood from the speaker. The poem's structure shows a range of contrast, one being between beauty and conflict. 'Cruelty' is necessary for the camel-skin lamp to be beautiful. While the speaker admires the beauty of Pakistani culture, she has negative associations like the 'prickly heat' she felt as a baby and her inability now to 'rise up out of its fire'. Well done. You've almost finished. You just have a quiz to complete, make sure you smash it. And I look forward to seeing you next time. Take care. Bye bye.

Exit Quiz: Presents From My Aunt in Pakistan (Part 2)

Completed: Presents From My Aunt in Pakistan (Part 2)

In this lesson, we will analyse the language, structure and form of 'Presents From My Aunt in Pakistan' and consider how the thoughts and feelings of the speaker are presented through the poet's methods.

English

Presents From My Aunt in Pakistan (Part 2)

Introductory Quiz

Video

Final Quiz

Lesson Complete