Activity 1

In the poem the poet/persona compares himself to mainly things found in the house. Refer to the
poem and fill in the things that the persona/poet compares himself to in each stanza.

Stanza 1

I. The _____________ from a drink can

II. The ______________ from a pan
III. The loose _______________ from an old toy

Stanza 2

I. An ______________ with no gum

II. A roll of ______________________ which cannot be peeled of
III. A stapleless _______________________
IV. A broken ________________________ clip
V. Dried-up _______________________
VI. An unsent ________________________

Stanza 3

The poet/persona compares himself to:

I. A flat ____________________
II. A broken down _____________________________
III. A bald ______________
IV. A lifeless ___________________________
V. A dirty _____________________________
VI. A dull _______________________________

Stanza 4

The poet/persona compares himself to:

I. An unkempt ___________________
II. An untouched ______________________________
III. An unfed ____________________________
IV. An unheeded piece of good____________________________

Synopsis/ Summary

The persona says that he is comparable to things that are __________________________ garbage
that is thrown out from homes like the __________________ ring from a drink can,
_______________ scrapings from a pan and a ______________________arm of an old toy. He is like
___________________ quality stationery : a _______________________ envelope, an
_____________________ sellotape, a ______________________ stapler a
_______________________ bulldog clip, _________________ liquid paper and an
_______________ letter. The persona feels __________________ like a __________ battery,
______________________ starter motor, a ____________________ sparking plug, a
__________________ carburetor and a _________________ chromium trim. He also feels
_____________________ like an ________________________garden, an
________________________ library book, an ____________________ stray and an
________________________ piece of good advice
Activity 2

1) Setting
The poam is set in an ordinary household. The persona feels like some of the broken down
things we see in the house.
2) Point of view
This poem is written in the __________________ person point of view. The persona talks
about himself as feeling ___________ and ______________________ like some of the
________________________/ broken things in the house.
3) Themes/ Messages
a. Feelings of being __________________/neglected/unloved.
b. Losing one’s _____________________/self esteem/ self confidence in life
4) Moral values
a. We should be ________________ about our status in life.
b. We should have feel _______________ in ourselves.
5) Tone and Mood
Tone – The persona is ______________ and _________________ about feeling unwanted/
neglected/unloved/ignored.
Useless/valueless.
Mood- The poem is _____________/depressing/negative.
6) Structure, Style and Language
a. The poem consist of _______________ stanzas.
b. It does _______________have fixed rhyme schemes.
c. The style is ____________ and direct. It describes how _____________/depressed
the poet/ persona feels as he feel ____________________/ neglected/
unloved/ignored/useless/valueless.
d. The language is ________________ and _______________ to understand.
7) Poetic devices/ Literary Devices
a. Symbol
It has both literal and ___________________ meaning.
Eg: ‘ Scrapings from an unwashed porridge pan’ (stanza 1 L4-5) is symbolic of
something left behind and _________________.
Eg ‘ The sellotape where you can’t find the end (Stanza 2 L4-5) is symbol of
something that is____________ functional.

b. Repetition
The repetition of a sound, syllable, phrase, line or stanza is the poet’s way of
_____________________ something to the readers.
Eg The words ‘ I am ‘ is repeated to give emphasis to the persona’s strong feeling of
_______________
Eg The word ‘ no one ‘ is repeated in Stanza 4 L5,7,8 is to give emphasis to the
persona’s feelings of ________________________/neglect/being ignored.

c. Pun
It is a form of word ___________________. It has two or ________________
meanings.
 Eg ‘the sparking plug…no sign of spark’ (stanza 3 L45) is a play of the word ‘spark’.
The poet is supposed to be ____________________ like a spark plug which helps
start the car engine but he is not any longer.

d. Metaphor
It is a figure of __________________ that compares two things that have something
in ______________.
Eg: The persona feels that is ‘ a piece of good advice’ (stanza 4 L8) or a good
________________ but no one seems to need it.

e. Personification
It is an object that is given ______________ characteristics/ qualities.
Eg: ‘the carburetor choked by bits of dirt’ (stanza 2 L6). The carburetor is personified
like a person who is ____________________ and dying.
Eg: ‘ the toothless stapler’ (stanza 2 L6). The stapler is personified like a person with
no ________________.

f. Assonance
It is repetition of ____________________ sounds in words that are close to each
other.
Eg: ‘unwashed porridge pan’
eg : ‘an empty cola can’

g. Alliteration
It is a series of words repeating the same _____________________ or sounds.
Eg: ‘ that mars instead of mends’
Eg: ‘the gum is gone’