Intermediate English: Literature (Poetry)

Intermediate English: Literature (Poetry) Brooklyn Cop by Norman MacCaig (C) FCB 2004

The Poet- Norman MacCaig • Norman MacCaig (14 November 1910 – 23 January 1996) • Born in Edinburgh • Divided his time, for the rest of his life, between his native city and Assynt in the Scottish Highlands. • Schooled at the Royal High School and studied classics at the University of Edinburgh • During World War II MacCaig registered as a conscientious objector, a move that many at the time criticized. • MacCaig often gave public readings of his work • These were extremely popular for many people (C) FCB 2004

His Work • He became a free verse poet with the publication of Surroundings in 1966. • ‘Brooklyn Cop’ written during this time whilst MacCaig lived in the States. • Ted Hughes wrote, 'whenever I meet his poems, I'm always struck by their undated freshness, everything about them is alive, as new and essential, as ever.' (C) FCB 2004

The Motto and the Means To Serve and To Protect ?

(C) FCB 2004

Stanza 1 Built like a gorilla but less timid, thick‑fleshed, steak‑coloured, with two hieroglyphs in his face that mean trouble, he walks the sidewalk and the thin tissue over violence. This morning, when he said, "See you, babe" to his wife, he hoped it, he truly hoped it. He is a gorilla to whom "Hiya, honey" is no cliché. (C) FCB 2004

Stanza 2 Should the tissue tear, should he plunge through into violence, what clubbings, what gunshots between Phoebe's Whamburger and Louie's Place. (C) FCB 2004

Stanza 3 and 4 Who would be him, gorilla with a nightstick, whose home is a place he might, this time, never get back to? And who would be who have to be his victims? (C) FCB 2004

Understanding • What is each stanza discussing? • Stanza 1: Introduction to the cop and his situation • Stanza 2: The potential for violence • Stanza 3: The City’s effect on the cop • Stanza 4: The Cop’s effect on the city. (C) FCB 2004

Built like a gorilla but less timid, Thick-fleshed,steak-coloured,with two hieroglyphs in his face that mean trouble, he walks the sidewalk and thin tissue over violence. Imagery: simile (unflattering) Stanza 1a List Enjambment / pun Contrast / Theme / Central Metaphor The social issue of violence is immediately clear due to MacCaig’s shocking description of a character who appears capable of considerable damage. Ironically, as we realise in line 4, it is the cop who is being described here. Violence is just ‘below the surface’ - both in the streets he patrols, and within his own heart.

... This morning when he said , ‘See you babe’ to his wife, he hoped it, he truly hoped it. He is a gorilla to whom ‘Hiya, honey’ is no cliché. Setting Stanza 1b Monosyllabic dialogue Repetition / sympathetic tone Metaphor - a notable transformation! Still, the cop does seem to have a meaningful relationship in his life. The suggestion is that his personal life will suffer in two main ways because of the violence he encounters on a daily basis: each day could be his last; his job negatively affects his personality.

Should the tissue tear, should he plunge through into violence, what clubbings, what gunshots between Phoebe’s Whamburger and Louie’s place. Repetition; alliteration/imagery; word choice; enjambment Stanza 2 Cacophony; rep.; enjamb. Onomatopoeia This second stanza - a one-sentence list of brutal acts - effectively conveys moral and social themes. The cop seems to enjoy this chance to express his violent nature; the gun and nightstick are symbols of masculinity and power. In turn, sound, in particular, is used to great effect to describe the ‘mean streets’ which the cop patrols.

Who would be him, gorilla with a nightsick whose home is a place he might, this time, never get back to? Stanza 3 Metaphor Emotive Parenthesis (for emphasis) This second-last stanza is the first of two rhetorical questions. There is a deep sense of sympathy here - MacCaig clearly does not envy the cop’s occupation or its hazards.

And who would be who have to be his victims? Stanza 4 Emphatic monosyllables; repetition and rhyme (euphony) Polysyllabic, shocking ‘punch-line’/climax Another one sentence stanza, which, despite its simplicity, is very revealing, thematically. The cop’s violence is inevitable and someone will suffer as he abuses his position in society.

Questions- Stanza 1 • Look at lines 1-4. Do you think this is a stereotypical image of a policeman? Quote two examples from the lines and explain why they make you feel this way. (3) • Quote the line that shows that the line between civilisation and violence is only ever paper thin and state what technique this is. (2) • Consider what you learn about the cop’s personality at home. Quote a line that shows the difference between his personality at work and his personality at home. Explain your answer fully, including how you feel about the character. (3) • The poet changes from the cop being ‘like a gorilla’ to actually being ‘a gorilla’. Explain fully how the techniques have changed and why you think the poet does this. (3) (C) FCB 2004

Answers- Stanza 1 Question 1 Stereotypical • “Built like a gorilla” – big and strong • “but less timid”- but brave Non-Stereotypical • “hieroglyphs in his face that mean trouble” he is a cop but looking for trouble (C) FCB 2004

Answers- Stanza 1 2. “he walks the sidewalk and the thin tissue over violence”- Metaphor. 3. Whilst at work he is fearless and savage, but he loves his wife and is scared that he may be killed in the line of duty. “when he said, ‘See you, babe’ to his wife, / he hoped it, he truly hoped it.” This makes us feel sorry for him because he loves his wife and now appears vulnerable. 4. Simile at start and metaphor at end of stanza. Emphasises savage nature of the cop. (C) FCB 2004

Questions- stanza 2 • Think about the place names in the poem. What kind of area is he policing? (2) • Explain how the word “plunge” is effective. You should comment on the connotations and structure of the word. (2) • How does stanza 2 remind us of the themes in the poem? (2) (C) FCB 2004

Answers- Stanza 2 • ‘Phoebe’s Whamburger’  onomatopoeia of the name suggests violence. • “Plunge” means to fall quickly, it has connotations of falling uncontrollable, perhaps from a great height into something terrible. MacCaig highlights the word by placing it in a list, as thought it too is falling into the violence of the poem. • The stanza reiterates the theme of violence and shows how quickly the cop can move from seeming safety into chaos. (C) FCB 2004

Questions- Stanza 3 • What do you notice about the structure of this stanza? (1) • Explain the significance of “gorilla with a nightstick”. (2) • Show how the poet tries to get us to sympathise with the cop. (4) (C) FCB 2004

Answers- stanza 3 • The whole stanza is written as a rhetorical question. • “gorilla”- connotations of being primitive, savage. We would expect police to have a gun but he has a nightstick- this is significant. Perhaps the cop enjoys using the nightstick violently to beat criminals. Poet may also intend for it to be a phallic symbol to emphasise the violent nature of the cop. • Reminds us that he may not return home. This appears the only place he is happy and safe so we sympathise now with the dangerous nature of his job. Poet asks, “who would be him” which makes the reader consider how hard it would be to do the job of the cop. (C) FCB 2004

Question- stanza 4 and overall • In stanza 4 who is poet referring to as “victims” and why do you think they are referred to as such? (2) • Why do you think the Brooklyn Cop remain anonymous? (2) • How successful do you think the poet is in conveying a complex picture of a cop? Explain your answer fully. (3) (C) FCB 2004

Answers- Stanza 4 and Overall • The poet refers to criminals who are caught by the cop as “victims” perhaps because the cop serves his own kind of violent justice. • Emphasises further how isolated he is from society. • Very successful any example that is explained e.g. realistic but very strong character. (C) FCB 2004

Poem as a whole. MacCaig neither wholly sympathises with nor wholly condemns the life and actions of the Brooklyn Cop. Give evidence from the poem which supports this statement. (10) (C) FCB 2004

(C) FCB 2004

Revision Questions: Imagery Say what you think is suggested by the following images: • “Built like a gorilla but less timid” • “Thick-fleshed” • “steak-coloured” • “Gorilla with a nightstick” • Why does the poet use the extended metaphor of “thin tissue over violence”? • Identify the simile which develops into a metaphor. Suggest a reason for its development. (C) FCB 2004

Revision Questions- Structure • What does the poet achieve with the repetition of “hoped”?Comment on the grammatical structure of: • “Should the tissues tear, should he plunge though into violence…” • “Who would be him…” • “And who would be who have to be…” (C) FCB 2004

Practice Critical Essay (Poetry) Norman MacCaig’s excellent ‘Brooklyn Cop’ examines the social issue of violence, a theme which remains all too relevant decades after the poem was written. This issue is effectively presented through word choice, imagery, structure and sound.

Practice Critical Essay (Poetry) Narrated in free verse, ‘Brooklyn Cop’ focuses on one individual, yet makes important points regarding violence in society as a whole. This is a portrayal of a cop who seems to have been de-humanised by his occupation; yet, the city streets, in turn, are made more dangerous by the fact that those like the cop walk ‘the sidewalk and the thin tissue over violence.’

Practice Critical Essay (Poetry) Further, in stanza two, the violence breaks through ‘the tissue’ and reaches a climax. Given the opportunity, the cop seems to relish the chance to exert his violent nature as he ‘plunge[s] through / into violence.’ The extent and effect of his rage is huge, as emphasised by skillful enjambment and, again, repetition: ‘what clubbings, what gunshots...’ It seems the cop leaps at the chance to use the tools of his trade. The portrayal of brutality here is almost cartoon-ish: a fast-paced fury set in a locale where even place names suggest violence.

Practice Critical Essay (Poetry) Thus, as I have shown, ‘Brooklyn Cop’ clearly examines the social and moral issue of violence. MacCaig has successfully conveyed - through his adept use of word choice, imagery, structure and sound - themes which go beyond a solitary cop. We are all affected, on some level, by the violence which surrounds us. Further, we all have a potential for violence within us. But, most importantly, we all have a choice as to how to behave in any situation we encounter: will we or won’t we tear ‘the tissue’?

Intermediate English: Literature (Poetry)