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1. Teacher-of-English.com Search For My Tongue Poems from Different Cultures

2. Slide Contents Author What is it About? Structure Language Examination Preparation Links

3. The Author

4. Sujata Bhatt Sujata Bhatt was born in 1956 in India but later lived in the USA and Germany. She writes in both English and Gujarati, which she describes as her ‘mother tongue’. This poem was written when she was at university in America. She was worried she might forget her original language. She writes about being stuck between two cultures: "I have always thought of myself as an Indian who is outside India."

5. What is it About?

6. Search For My Tongue Click the link below for a reading of the poem: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english/poemscult/searchrev2.shtml

7. Think about the word tongue. It can have a number of different meanings. Brainstorm as many meanings of the word as you can think of. Tongue Tied

8. Did you consider the following meanings? Tongue Tied a part of the body tongue-tied Lost your tongue the language that you speak

9. Search For My Tongue explores the conflict between the poet’s ‘mother tongue’ and the foreign language she also uses.There are three main parts to the poem but do you know what they are? The first one has been done for you What Happens?

10. Search For My Tongue explores the conflict between the poet’s ‘mother tongue’ and the foreign language she also uses.There are three main parts to the poem but do you know what they are? The first one has been done for you What Happens?

11. Structure

12. Structure As we have seen the poem is written in three sections. In the first part Sujata Bhatt explains how difficult it is to speak two languages and conveys her fear that she may forget the language she grew up with. In the middle section (the centre of the conflict) she writes these ideas in Gujarati (lines 17 – 30). Then in the third section she translates these thoughts into English (lines 17-30). Here she concludes that that although her 'mother tongue' dies during the day, it 'grows back' in her dreams at night, remaining strong, healthy and robust.

13. Language

14. Imagery In Search For My Tongue Sujata Bhatt says that knowing two languages is like having 'two tongues in your mouth’. The poet uses an extended metaphor to express her thoughts and feelings about speaking two languages. In the third section she compares her tongue to a plant. Why is this an effective image?

15. Imagery Look at the following images from the poem. What effect do the images create?

16. Imagery Look at the following images from the poem. What effect do the images create?

17. Why compare the tongue to a plant? A plant is a living organism which needs nurturing like the poet’s original language. Plants die in the wrong environment – Sujata Bhatt wrote this poem when she was living in the USA, where she spoke and wrote English the majority of the time, this environment made her fear that she would forget her mother tongue. Like a plant she thinks that her mother tongue will die of neglect but it starts to bud and grow strong and beautiful ('blossoms') again.

18. Poetic Techniques TechniqueDefinition Metaphor the act or process of saying or writing something again Personal pronouns A figure of speech not meant literally Repetition attributing human qualities to objects personificationa word that substitutes for a noun or a noun phrase, e.g. 'I', 'you Match the technique with the correct definition.

19. Poetic Techniques TechniqueDefinition Metaphor the act or process of saying or writing something again Personal pronouns A figure of speech not meant literally Repetition attributing human qualities to objects personificationa word that substitutes for a noun or a noun phrase, e.g. 'I', 'you’ Match the technique with the correct definition.

20. Poetic Techniques Think about the poetic techniques discussed on the last slide. Copy down the chart below. Find examples in the poem and write down the effect created.

21. Feelings and Attitudes The poet tries to make the reader understand what it is like to fear losing your mother tongue. The fear of the loss of her first language represents a anxiety about losing her Indian identity. She is concerned that she is caught between two cultures. However the poem ends happily when she realises that her mother tongue won’t die away but will always be a part of her.

22. ExaminationPreparation

23. The Examination Paper • You will have 45 minutes to answer the question. • You will be asked to compare two poems. • You should begin by annotating the question for the key words. This will help you to understand what you are being asked to do. E.g. Compare Search For My Tongue with one other poem, showing how the poets reveal ideas and feelings about their identity.

24. Planning • Spend between 5 and 10 minutes making a plan. This will help you to order your essay logically. • Make a note of any key ideas you are going to include. • Leave at least 5 minutes at the end to read through your work and check for any basic errors.

25. Structure A good answer should: • Write in paragraphs. • Don’t forget to P.E.E! Using a range of quotes that are properly embedded within your answer. • Begin with an introduction and end with a conclusion. The main body of the essay should follow these five steps to make a good answer: • Write a bit about the theme • Compare the structures of each poem • Compare the use of language in each poem • Compare the feelings of the poets • Write about how the poems make you feel.

26. Similarity Connectives Equally In the same way Similarly Likewise Just as…also Contrast Connectives In contrast However Whereas (best used in the middle of a sentence) On the other hand Making Connections Use a series of comparisons, using connectives to link ideas, both within paragraphs and between paragraphs. Refer back to the question repeating the key words from it.

27. Analysis Use the following words to link your Point -> Evidence -> Explain sentences. The use of these words will also help to ensure that your response is analytical. suggests implies gives the impression that shows highlights indicates To make the same point using a different example, try one of these: furthers emphasises reinforces

28. Recap • When you are comparing poems you will be asked to look for the similarities and the differences. • You should comment on the language they use. What poetic devices are present? Imagery, similes, metaphors, alliteration, onomatopoeia, personification, rhyme etc. What effect do they have on the reader? • You will need to comment on the structure of the poems. How are they set out? Does this add to their overall effect/meaning? • Consider the tone of the poems. What mood has the author created?

29. Links

30. Useful Stuff BBC Bitesize Poems From Other Cultures: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english/poemscult/searchrev1.shtml Brief Biography and additional links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sujata_Bhatt