Essay
Derek Walcott - Example A Grade A Level Essay
This resource is an example of a Band 2 (20/25 80%) borderline A grade essay according to the CIE Cambridge mark scheme. CONTENTS Question Essay Grading How to Improve
[Show more]
Content preview
Derek WalcottExample A Grade A Level Essay
Walcott has said that the process of poetry is ‘one of excavation and of
self-discovery’. How far do you see this process in his work? In your answer you
should refer in detail to three poems.
Much of Walcott’s poetry displays excavation and self-discovery through the
exploration of themes such as nature, the environment and politics. By holding up a
mirror to the issues surrounding these themes, Walcott arguably recreates the past
and present as a form of excavation. Within his examination he is able to ignite an
awareness for the reader, around the issues of slavery, post-colonialism and
urbanisation. This awareness arguably awakens the reader to self-discovery, through
being informed on the aforementioned issues. Likewise, by speaking of these issues,
Walcott himself is also examining his own frustrations and expressing these views
through his poetry.
With reference to the poem, ‘Ebb’, Walcott sets out to explore the theme of
urbanisation and its harmful effects. The environment takes centre stage and is heavily
prominent throughout each stanza. For instance, the first verse of the poem describes
the endless cycle of how the earth is scorched and ‘fretted’ upon, how the earth
resembles a ‘frayed hide’. The verb, ‘fretted’ refers to how the land has been tampered
with and spoiled, and the adjective of ‘frayed’ shows the violent extent to which this
has happened. Lastly, the noun, ‘hide’ is used as a metaphor for a heavily lashed
animal hide. The use of this visual imagery effectively connotes how human greed
disrespects nature. This is arguably because Walcott strongly believed that since the
Caribbean islands left the federation and became independent islands like Jamaica, and
Trinidad and Tobago in 1962, and Walcott’s own native island, Saint Lucia in 1979,
they all suffered a lack of unity among the Caribbean as a whole. In turn this led
islands to be exploited for commercial greed. Another example of this can be found in
the line, ‘rainbow-muck’, which again is a metaphor used to describe oil. Of all of the
Caribbean Islands, Trinidad and Tobago is renowned for its copious oil supply, yet the
island itself appears not to prosper from it. Rather, the wealth generated from it is
passed directly into the pockets of other countries. Walcott further criticises the effects
of urbanisation by portraying nature as victim with the image of an ‘oil-crippled gull’.
Again ‘oil’ is used a symbol of urbanisation and greed, while the adjective of ‘crippled’
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller natashatabani. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £4.49. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
51683 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy revision notes and other study material for 15 years now