I’d been tired, under the weather, but the ansaphone kept screaming:

1. I’d been tired, under the weather, but the ansaphone kept screaming: one more sick-note, mister, and you’re finished. Fired. I thumbed a lift to where the car was parked. A Vauxhall Astra. It was hired. I picked him up in Leeds. He was following the sun to west from east with just a toothbrush and the good earth for a bed. The truth, he said, was blowin’ in the wind, or round the next bend. I let him have it on the top road out of Harrogate – once with the head, then six times with the krooklok in the face – and didn’t even swerve. I dropped into third and lent across to let him out, and saw him in the mirror bouncing off the kerb, then disappearing down the verge. We were the same age, give or take a week. He said he liked the breeze to run its fingers through his hair. It was twelve noon. The outlook for the day was moderate to fair. Stitch that, I remember thinking, you can walk from there. ‘Hitcher’ Simon Armitage

2. Fed up with his job? Why the unusual spelling? Stock phrase People putting pressure on him Why the use of italics? Sounds romantic. The hitcher has freedom and no responsibilities First person narrative; immediacy Hitcher I'd been tired, under the weather, but the ansaphone kept screaming: One more sick-note, mister, and you're finished. Fired. I thumbed a lift to where the car was parked. A Vauxhall Astra. It was hired. I picked him up in Leeds. He was following the sun to west from east with just a toothbrush and the good earth for a bed. The truth he said, was blowin' in the wind, or round the next bend. Matter of fact tone Echo of Bob Dylan song “blowin’ in the wind”

3. Takes his frustrations out on the hitcher. The narrator envies him Echo of the Hitcher’s voice, different language from the narrator Why are the similar ages interesting? Personification, what effect does this create? Return to normality, details of time and weather I let him have it on the top road out of Harrogate - once with the head, then six times with the krooklok in the face - and didn't even swerve. I dropped it into third and leant across to let him out, and saw him in the mirror bouncing off the kerb, then disappearing down the verge. We were the same age, give or take a week. He'd said he liked the breeze to run its fingers through his hair. It was twelve noon. The outlook for the day was moderate to fair. Stitch that, I remember thinking, you can walk from there. Stark violent images Enjambment Colloquial

4. All of the following quotes indicate a quality or personality trait of either the speaker in the poem, or the hitcher he attacks. Task:For each of the quotes, provide at least one adjective to demonstrate what this reveals about the character. (e.g. tired, annoyed, relaxed etc)

5. ‘One more sick note, mister.....’. He was following the sun from east to west ‘I thumbed a lift.’ ‘I’d been tired.’ ‘The ansaphone kept screaming.’ ‘just a toothbrush and the good earth for a bed.’ ‘The truth, he said, was blowin’ in the wind. ‘I let him have it.’ ‘Once to the head and then six times with the krooklok to the face’ ‘Did n’t even swerve.’ ‘bouncing off the kerb.’ ‘we were the same age, give or take a week.’ ‘He said he liked the breeze to run its fingers through his hair.’

6. The Speaker/Driver The Hitcher • Unreliable • A ‘shirker’ • Tired, stressed. • Frustrated with life. • Brutal • Violent • Lack of guilt of conscience • Gloating • No regard for human life • Carefree • Lack of responsibilities or obligations. • Enjoys life. • Takes pleasure in nature. • A hippie. What do you think is the Speaker’s motive for killing the Hitcher?

7. Technique This poem has an unusual structure of five stanzas with five lines of short, medium, and long lengths. Why do you think Armitage chose to use this structure? Why do many of the lines run over into the next? What effect does this have? The poem is a ‘monologue’. Written in the first person in the form of continuous speech the character often leaves clues about themselves and their story. What effect does this have?

8. Summary (Personal Response) • It’s a poem about how stress can lead to random acts of violence. • It’s a poem which presents a deeply disturbed man in both a serious and comic way. • It’s an insight into the mind of a cold, calculating murderer. • It’s an extended metaphor: there is no real victim – the speaker comes to realise that dreams have no place in the real world and he ‘kills’ his freedom loving, imaginative side. Which of the following statements do you agree with and what is the evidence for your decision?

9. Hippy Vs Yuppie

10. Task 1) In reading the poem do you agree with the views of the hitcher or do you share the driver's annoyance at them? 2) How does the poem suggest the selfishness of the driver? What other qualities does it show him to have? 3) What do you think of the way Armitage uses contrast in this poem?

11. 4) What is the effect in the poem of proper nouns - places (Leeds and Harrogate) and brand names (ansaphone, Vauxhall Astra, krooklok) and of quoting from the radio (the weather forecast)? 5) Is this a serious poem or is the violence meant to be comical? Why do you think this? 6) What is the effect of the references to the sun and wind in the poem? What do the hitcher and the driver think of them? 7) What might be the sequel to this story (what happens next)? Why has the poet not told the reader this? Is the poem complete without it?

12. Task • To be finished for personal study. • How does the idea of ‘confused characters’ link between the poems ‘Hitcher’ and ‘Havisham’. Use PEE to support your thoughts.

13. What is PEE? • Point • Evidence (quote) • Explain

14. Sample introduction to your answer • In the poem ‘Havisham’ Carol Ann Duffy presents Miss Havisham as bitter and twisted through her use of language. She shows her as wanting revenge on her fiancé who left her on her wedding day. However Miss Havisham also seems confused at times. Her mental state is questionable throughout.