Windrush Child
By John Agard, taken from Over the Moon and Under the Sea, 2002
By John Agard, taken from Over the Moon and Under the Sea, 2002
In this assignment, you are going to analyse the poem Windrush Child on cultural stereotypes. You will first learn about immigration history from the Caribbean, more specifically Jamaica, to the UK. Then you will analyse the poem that is about a child boarding the ship towards the UK. You will look for stereotypes that came about when people immigrated from the Caribbean. In the end, you will reflect on how it would be to immigrate and think about several immigrant groups that have settled in your own area.
This assignment will take about 60-90 minutes.
apply a historical perspective to Windrush Child
analyse and explain how both Caribbean and British identity are represented in the poem
explain and criticise stereotypes about people from the Caribbean
For teachers who want to adapt this assignment into the classroom, a small set of instructions can be found here. It is highly advisable to do this assignment first, and then follow up with "Listen Mr. Oxford don".
John Agard is a poet born in Guyana, South America, in 1949 and he moved to England in the 1970s. He uses humour to discuss serious subjects in his poems, such as cultural differences, class differences, and racial stereotypes.
Part 1: The history of Windrush Child
Before you read the poem, it is important to gain some background knowledge about the history behind it in order for it to be easier to read and to understand. This will also help you reach the goal of applying a historical perspective on the poem.
Watch this introductory video (the one on top of the site).
Read this article. Look up any words you may not know.
Part 2: Listening to and reading Windrush Child
First you are going to listen to and read the poem. Then you are going to analyse it.
First, listen to John Agard introducing and reading his poem.
Now, listen again and read along.
Part 3: Analysing the poem
What does Windrush child leave behind?
What does Windrush child bring to England?
The words ‘Windrush Child’ are repeated four times.
a. Why do you think this is repeated?
b. In what way does naming the child Windrush child have to do with both Caribbean and British identity?
What does stepping into history (line 30) suggest in connection with Grandmother asking don’t forget to write (line 22)? Relate to the culture of writing, immigrant culture and identity.
Think of the last two lines: in a mind-opening / meeting of snow and sun.
a. For who will it be mind-opening, why?
b. Who or what are represented by snow, and by sun?
c. What other representations of your answers to b can you find in the poem?
d. What do you think Windrush child will encounter in England? Use examples from the article you read and the video you watched.
Part 3: Reflection
Imagine you are one of the people who travelled to Britain on the Windrush. Write a short letter of approximately 150 words to your family back home. Describe what Britain is like compared to home (houses, culture, language etc.) and how people in Britain are treating you. How do you feel about it? Was it what you expected?
Alternatively you can also pick two different countries to represent home and the new country.
Most of the passengers who came to Britain on the Windrush were housed in Clapham, a district of south-west London. After that, most people from the same ethnic group also settled in this area. Similar settlements also happened in other parts of London with different ethnic groups, making it highly multicultural. Find out about the different communities that have settled in near you. How do you relate to them? What stereotypes exist about them? Keeping the poem in mind, align with the community you have chosen and describe from their perspective how their journey could have been to where they have settled now, in about 150 words.
Reflection assignment 2 has been adapted from Multicultural Britain by Cloake & Tudor (2001, p.61)