Analysis of "Give" by Simon Armitage: Homelessness and Language Features
Simon Armitage's poem "Give" delves into the plight of a homeless individual, portraying a mix of sadness, desperation, and bitterness through the speaker's narrative. The poet uses language features like ambiguity to highlight the complexity of the persona's situation beyond mere poverty. Through repetition, alliteration, and imagery, Armitage evokes a range of emotions in the reader, prompting reflection on societal issues around homelessness. The structural devices in the poem, including rhyme, half-rhyme, and patterns, contribute to the overall impact and meaning of the piece.
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Question What do you think the poet is saying about homelessness? How does he present his ideas?
Spider Diagram What is the subject of the poem? (What is it about?) What is the tone? Give
First Paragraph Subject Simon Armitage adopts the voice of a homeless person in his poem Give . He is explaining to an unknown person, and to us, the reader, why he has chosen to sleep in that particular doorway. The tone alternates between sadness, desperation and bitterness, since we learn he will do anything for money, but the tea he finally receives will not really help him. He sarcastically states in the penultimate line, That s big of you .
Spider Diagram What is the subject of the poem? (What is it about?) What is the tone? Give What language features does it have? What effects do these create? How does it make you feel? (What is your personalresponse?) What is the structure of the poem? How does this affect the meaning?
Language In pairs, identify two language features in the poem. Look out for the following: Repetition Alliteration Imagery Ambiguity (a word that has two or three different meanings)
Second Paragraph (language) Armitage uses ambiguity to show that the predicament of the homeless person is more complex than mere poverty. For example, It s not as if I m holding out For frankincense or myrrh, just change (lines 9-10). The phrase holding out can be meant both literally, and as another way of saying surviving . He desperately needs change , that is, money, but more significantly, for his life to change.
Now its your turn Individually, write two PEE paragraphs using your language features.
Structure In pairs, find two structural devices used in the poem. Look for: Rhyme Half-rhyme (words that sound similar but don t rhyme fully) Full stops Patterns (how the poem is presented visually)
Individually write one PEE paragraph on structure...... ....and one final paragraph on how the poem makes you feel (your personal response) Subject - Tone- Language- Structure- Personal response Some Teens Love Studying Poetry
