The power of repetition, the repetition of power

Create a comment for your text (Zadie Smith: Speaking in Tongues, Sujata Bhatt: Search for my Tongue, Film: Educating Rita, John Agard: Mr. Oxford Don, Defoe: "Robinson Crusoe)

1. What role does standard/non-standard English play in the text?
2. What variations are presented or discussed (grammar, spelling, pronunciation...)?
3. What role does language play for our understanding of the character(s) in the text?
4. How is identity connected to language?
6. What are the attitudes and sympathies of the author regarding the language issues in the text (especially problems of personal and national identity)?
7. Put your text into perspective with one of the other texts - compare similarities or differences.

Your answers and notes will serve as shared notes for the theme so do your best! Don't forget your names :)

John Agard: Therapeutic Exercise with the Union Jack

1. Explain the title and discuss its connection to the theme/message of the poem

2. Explain connections in the poem: red-tongue-blood, white-bone-sceleton, blue-sea-sky. Comment on the coneection between the words red-white-blue and black-night-word

3. Discuss the last sentence "Think one beginning" at the end of the poem

See also the questions on the page.

John Agard: Mr Oxford Don

1. Find three grammatical irregularities in the poem. Correct them and EXPLAIN in Danish what the problem is. If all errors are found and explained you can elaborate or comment on the effect.
2. How would the poem and its message change if it were written in standard English?

Zadie Smith: Speaking in Tongues

1.      Find at least one good quote in the essay and explain why you find it important.

2.      Discuss how Zadie Smith has experienced her development of “voice”.

3.      Look at the passage about Eliza (p. 135). Characterize her change of voice (note that you have an excerpt of Pygmalion in the compendium)

4.      Put the text into a Danish perspective - could the text have been written by a Dane? If so, under which conditions? If not, why not?

5.      Explain how Zadie Smith sees the liminal/middling space of having multiple “voices” as strength. Provide textual examples (you may use the passage on Obama on p. 136ff as a reference point).

6.      Come up with a question for the next person to answer/discuss.

7.      Answer the question posted by the previous student (if you’re first - well, it’s your lucky day ;))

I want you to discuss and comment on each other's points rather than just answering the questions. Keep in mind that this work replaces 4 English lessons and is to replace a written assignment. Make an effort!

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