How would you describe the

person in the picture?

List as many words as

you can to describe the

person in the picture.

Do any of the words

you have used

contradict each other?

To know the structure of the poem.

To understand how structure effects the audience.

To be able to explore how ‘The Right Word’ has been structured and explain how

its structure contribute to Dharker’s presentation of ideas.

‘The Right Word’

Objective: To know the structure of the poem.

To understand how structure affects the audience.

To be able to explore how ‘The Right Word’ has been structured and explain how its structure contributes to Dharker’spresentation of ideas.

Success Criteria AO2 (Higher)Band Criteria

Band 6 * evaluation of writers’ uses of language and/or structure

and/or form and effects on readers

*convincing/imaginative interpretation of ideas/themes

Band 5 * analysis of writers’ uses of language and/or structure and/or

form and effects on readers

* exploration of ideas/themes

Band 4 * appreciation/consideration of writers’ uses of language and/or

structure and/or form and effects on readers

* thoughtful consideration of ideas/themes

Band 3 * explanation of effect(s) of writers’ uses of language and/or

structure and/or form and effects on readers

* understanding of ideas/themes/feelings/attitudes

Band 2 * identification of effect(s) of writer’s choices of language

and/or structure and/or form intended/achieved

* awareness of ideas/themes/feelings/attitudes

Band 1 * awareness of writer making choice(s) of language and/or

structure and/or form

* generalisation(s) about ideas/themes/feelings/attitudes

Success Criteria AO2 (Foundation)Band Criteria

Band 6 * appreciation/consideration of writers’ uses of language

and/or structure and/or form and effects on readers

* thoughtful consideration of ideas/themes

Band 5 * explanation of effect(s) of writers’ uses of language and/or

structure and/or form and effects on readers

* understanding of ideas/themes/feelings/attitudes

Band 4 * identification of effect(s) of writers’ choices of language

and/or structure and/or form intended/achieved

* awareness of ideas/themes/feelings/attitudes

Band 3 * awareness of writer making choice(s) of language and/or

structure and/or form

* generalisation(s) about ideas/themes/feelings/attitudes

Band 2 * simple identification of method(s)

* some range of explicit meanings given

Band 1 * reference to writers’ method(s)

* simple comment on meaning(s)

Keywords

freedom fighter-a person who takes

part in a revolutionary struggle to

achieve a political goal

stanza-a grouped set of lines within a

poem

Terrorist or Freedom Fighter?

What is the

difference

between a

freedom fighter

and a terrorist?

In pairs discuss if

you would label

the people in the

pictures terrorist

or a freedom

fighter? Why?

To know the structure of the poem.

To understand how structure effects the audience.

To be able to explore how ‘The Right Word’ has been structured and explain how

its structure contribute to Dharker’s presentation of ideas.

Keywords: freedom

fighter, stanza

Context

Imtiaz Dharker calls herself a Scottish Muslim Calvinist. Her poems are often about speaking up rather than herself. Set against the sensitive post-9/11 backdrop of political and

religious tensions. The use of questions and alternative ways of describing

someone suggests a poem full of doubt. However, the poem dramatises the search to know one’s own

mind. It is when it moves from considering the problem at the

political level (‘one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom-fighter’) to the personal (‘I saw his face’) that the doubt and

fear is removed.

To know the structure of the poem.

To understand how structure effects the audience.

To be able to explore how ‘The Right Word’ has been structured and explain how

its structure contribute to Dharker’s presentation of ideas.

To know the structure of the poem.

To understand how structure effects the audience.

To be able to explore how ‘The Right Word’ has been structured and explain how

its structure contribute to Dharker’s presentation of ideas.

The Right Word

Outside the door,

lurking in the shadows,

is a terrorist.

Is that the wrong description?

Outside that door,

taking shelter in the shadows,

is a freedom-fighter.

I haven’t got this right.

Outside, waiting in the shadows,

is a hostile militant.

Two

different

words for

the same

action

EMOTIVE choice of noun

to seem threatening

REPETITION

reminds reader

that extremist

often feels like

an outsider.

Ironic tone

suggests there is

no right answer

Sounds noble in contrast

with stanza 1

To know the structure of the poem.

To understand how structure effects the audience.

To be able to explore how ‘The Right Word’ has been structured and explain how

its structure contribute to Dharker’s presentation of ideas.

Are words no more

than waving, wavering flags?

Outside your door,

watchful in the shadows,

is a guerrilla warrior.

God help me.

Outside, defying every shadow,

stands a martyr.

I saw his face.

No words can help me now.

Just outside the door,

lost in shadows,

is a child who looks like mine.

EMOTIVE description

takes away the threat

and links the speaker

and the activist.

Frightening idea of someone

willing to die and kill for their

religious beliefs.The activist is

just as unsure as

the speaker

REPEATED image

suggests threat of the

unknown

One word for you.

Outside my door,

his hand too steady,

his eyes too hard

is a boy who looks like your son, too.

I open the door.

Come in, I say.

Come in and eat with us.

The child steps in

and carefully, at my door,

takes off his shoes.

Symbolic of taking down

barriers created by

language

After all the threatening

descriptions, this may be “the

right word”

Response is considerate –

shows how things could be.

Tone changes here as

speaker has given up

searching for the right

term and wants to talk

clearly.

To know the structure of the poem.

To understand how structure effects the audience.

To be able to explore how ‘The Right Word’ has been structured and explain how

its structure contribute to Dharker’s presentation of ideas.

Structure

How does each stanza develop

the ideas about conflict from

different perspectives?

Don’t forget to use PETER.

To know the structure of the poem.

To understand how structure effects the audience.

To be able to explore how ‘The Right Word’ has been structured and explain how

its structure contribute to Dharker’s presentation of ideas.

How does each stanza develop the ideas about

conflict from different perspectives?

The structure of ‘The Right Word’ helps to reflect the uncertainty of the poet. Each stanza consists of abrupt lines expressing dread caused by the stranger “outside that door” then followed by the possibility of sympathy. The repetitionof the word “outside” highlights the speaker’s view that the person on the other side of the door is different from them, an outsider who could be a threat. However, this changes when she catches sight of their face, describing this person as a “child” this immediately makes the reader and speaker feel protective of the character, so the speaker has no choice but to help the child. Dharker has used the description of the outsider to encourage the reader to question their ideas

about who is the enemy in any conflict, and to realise as the speaker eventually does, that it is a matter of perspective.

To know the structure of the poem.

To understand how structure effects the audience.

To be able to explore how ‘The Right Word’ has been structured and explain how its structure

contribute to Dharker’s presentation of ideas.

Homework

Below are four conflicts mentioned in

poems in the conflict cluster:

The Crimean War

World War I

World War II

The First Gulf War.

Select the conflict you feel you most need to

research, and write at least two paragraphs

summarising your findings.

To know the structure of the poem.

To understand how structure effects the audience.

To be able to explore how ‘The Right Word’ has been structured and explain how

its structure contribute to Dharker’s presentation of ideas.

Peer Assessment

Strengths

Opportunities Targets

Weaknesses

To know the structure of the poem.

To understand how structure effects the audience.

To be able to explore how ‘The Right Word’ has been structured and explain how

its structure contribute to Dharker’s presentation of ideas.