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Lesson Objective:
We are going to explore Simon Armitages
poem About His Person, discover the poems
hidden meaning and imagine ourselves in the
life of this Person.
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Simon Armitage - About His Person
A pocket-size diary slashed with a pencil A giveaway photograph stashed in his wallet,
from March twenty-fourth to the first of April. a keepsake banked in the heart of a locket.
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About His Person Simon Armitage
Mini Task 1:
Write down what you think the poem is about.
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About His Person Simon Armitage
Mini Task 1: What the poem is about
The poem lists the objects found on the body of a
man who has killed himself because his wife has
left him.
But this list does not tell the whole truth, Simon
Armitage leaves that for you to work out.
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About His Person Simon Armitage
Mini Task 2: What the poem is about
The Clues.
Write down a list of 10 clues from the poem,
one from each stanza, that help tell you what
it is about.
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About His Person Simon Armitage
Mini Task 2: What the poem is about - The Clues
Five pounds fifty in change, exactly. He has money on him so he has not been mugged.
A postcard, The picture shows a place where someone (his wife) is staying .
Stamped but franked But it has been sent through the post.
diary slashed from 24th March - 1st April. Nine days crossed out. The days since she left
brace of keys Two Keys for the same lock. She has returned her house keys to him.
watch, self-winding A watch that is wound by movement.
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About His Person Simon Armitage
Mini Task 2: What the poem is about - The Clues
A final demand. You must do something (like pay a bill) or else!
In his own hand The demand is written by him it may read come back or
In his fist a shopping list A list of things he must do before he kills himself.
That was everything No it isnt. There is more to this story than a list of items
found on a body.
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About His Person Simon Armitage
Mini Task 3 : Key Feature
Write down what you think the Key Feature of the
poem is
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About His Person Simon Armitage
Mini Task 3 : Key Feature
The key technical feature in this poem is imagery.
In the poem, Simon Armitage creates a series of
snapshots that describe the objects found on this
body.
From these objects we are able to piece together the
final few days of this tragic life.
Even though Simon Armitage does not describe the
man at all, after reading the poem a few times you
begin to feel that you do know him.
And all of this is just from a list!
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About His Person Simon Armitage
How it is written Form & Structure
The Form of the poem is a list and/or a report. (Form=what
type of poem it is.)
A postcard, stamped,
unwritten, but franked.
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About His Person Simon Armitage
How it is written Poetic Devices
The poem also has some alliteration, eg.
Five pounds fifty
from March twenty-fourth to the first
but beheaded
There are also several examples of enjambment, eg.
A pocket-size diary slashed with a pencil
from March twenty-fourth to the first of April.
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About His Person Simon Armitage
Mini Task 4 : Interesting words and phrases
For me these would be:
A postcard, stamped, unwritten, but franked.
Remember to use the clues to help you write your entries and
try to show how the emotional pressure has built up on this
man so that he feels his only way out is to take his own life.