Scribd
Upload
330 views16 pages

Out of The Blue Lesson 5&6

The document discusses a poem titled "Out of the Blue" by Simon Armitage. It examines the form, structure, and language of the poem. The poem is spoken from the perspective of a victim in one of the burning World Trade Center towers on 9/11, waving a white shirt while pleading for help as he watches people on television. Throughout the poem, his desperation grows as the heat intensifies and his hope fades of being rescued before it's too late.

Uploaded by

AlexFry
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
330 views16 pages

Out of The Blue Lesson 5&6

The document discusses a poem titled "Out of the Blue" by Simon Armitage. It examines the form, structure, and language of the poem. The poem is spoken from the perspective of a victim in one of the burning World Trade Center towers on 9/11, waving a white shirt while pleading for help as he watches people on television. Throughout the poem, his desperation grows as the heat intensifies and his hope fades of being rescued before it's too late.

Uploaded by

AlexFry
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 16

L.

O To examine the
form, structure and
language in the poem
Out of the Blue

OUT OF THE BLUE


1. Where have you heard this saying before?
2. Has anything ever happened to you out of
the blue?
3. Was it a positive or negative
experience?
L.O To examine the form, structure and
language in the poem Out of the Blue

TASK
1. Read through the poem Extract from Out
of the Blue by Simon Armitage.
2. What do you think that this extract is
about?
3. Do you think that this poem is about a
positive out of the blue experience or a
negative out of the blue experience?
4. Why? Highlight any positive words/imagery
in one colour and any negative words
imagery in another colour.
L.O To examine the form, structure and
language in the poem Out of the Blue

Look what happened Out of the Blue


on the 11th September 2001

Whats the poem about?


1. The poem is spoken by a victim of
the 9/11 terrorist attack in 2001
2. He describes being in one of the
burning buildings. He is talking to
someone watching this on TV.
3. He is pleading for help, but its
useless. He is going to die.
L.O To examine the form, structure and
language in the poem Out of the Blue

The reader is watching


the events on TV.

Alliteration- emphasises
the distance from the
people on the ground.

You have picked me out.


Through a distant shot of a building burning
you have noticed now
that a white cotton shirt is twirling, turning.

Gentle, calm movementsthis is misleading.


L.O To examine the form, structure and
language in the poem Out of the Blue

Repetition- emphasises
the regular movement.

In fact I am waving, waving.


Small in the clouds, but waving, waving.
Does anyone see
a soul worth saving?
He thinks that people are
able to help, but they wont.
L.O To examine the form, structure and
language in the poem Out of the Blue

He is expecting to
be rescued.

Repetition- But no
one is coming to save
him

So when will you come?


Do you think you are watching, watching
a man shaking crumbs
or pegging out washing?
Ordinary action
contrasts the serious
events.

L.O To examine the form, structure and


language in the poem Out of the Blue

Energetic words to
describe the flames

I am trying and trying.


The heat behind me is bullying, driving,
but the white of surrender is not yet flying.
I am not at the point of launching, diving.

A reminder that he has been


waving a white shirt. Has his
hope been surrendered?
L.O To examine the form, structure and
language in the poem Out of the Blue

Usually a peaceful image,


but it shows that he is high
up in the sky.

A bird goes by.


The depth is appalling. Appalling
that others like me
should be wind-milling, wheeling, spiralling, falling.
Out of control movement.

L.O To examine the form, structure and


language in the poem Out of the Blue

Are your eyes believing,


believing
there in the gills
I am still breathing.
Suggest a fish gasping for air.

L.O To examine the form, structure and


language in the poem Out of the Blue

Onomatopoeia- the noise of


the emergency vehicles. He is
desperate.

But tiring, tiring.


Sirens below me are wailing, firing.
My arm is numb and my nerves are sagging.
Do you see me, my love. I am failing, flagging.
His loved ones, are
they watching on
TV?

He was waving a flag


for help, but now he
has lost hope.

L.O To examine the form, structure and


language in the poem Out of the Blue

Find a quotation to
match the images

F.S.L
Form- its like a elegy, a sad poem about
someone who has died. The poem is full of
rhyming words. This helps to create the
sadness
Structure- in the final four stanzas the voice
is more urgent as the danger gets closer and
the hope is fading. He becomes more
desperate.
Language- ing verbs (present continuous)
gives the feeling that the tragedy is
happening like watching it on TV.
The narrator is asking for help but cant
understand why he isn't being rescued.

Answer these questions

1. What is significant about the narrator


waving a white shirt?
2. What does the narrator describe he
can see and how does he react?
3. Why effect does the poet have
addressing you as a reader directly?
4. The narrator feels insignificant. Why?
5. There are 2 meanings of 'flagging'.
Why does Simon Armitage use this as
the last word of the poem?

You might also like