The poems No Problem written by Benjamin Zephania and Half-Caste written by John Aguard illustrate strong feelings towards race

In the poem half – caste John Agard writes about how the term half caste is used he starts off by using it in the usual context which makes it seem like it is bad to be a half caste “ when I’m introduced to yu I’m sure you’ll understand why I offer yu half a hand” this shows me that he is treated as less than a whole person because of it and that he is being sarcastic. When people call him a half caste he does everything by half so offers half a hand to shake and sleeping with one eye shut I think that was his way of dealing with being called it. At the end he turns it back round on them by saying “come back tomorrow wid de whole of yu eye an de whole of yu ear an de whole of yu mind an I will tell you de other half of my story.” This turns it back on the people that look down upon him for being half–caste and shows that the word half caste should not be used in a derogatory way. It asks the reader to listen to what he has to say and not just ignore him and others like him that are trying to put there point across. The poem also asks the reader to be more open minded. Not just stuck in there ways by being single minded about half caste people.

John Agard uses the word half-caste a lot in his poem this is to emphasis his point and strengthen his argument. His poem uses contrasts to show how stupid it is to say that things like half colours are unworthy. He says “yu mean when Picasso mix red an green” this says that if being half-caste isn’t good and that you should be a lower race of people if your one then Picasso one of the greatest painters of all time should also be classed as a lesser person because he mixed the colours in his paintings. Also the English weather should be made fun of because it constantly changes hour by hour between light and dark clouds in the sky. I think that he ridicules the use of the word half-caste and jokes about it but deep down it hurts him to think that he is less of a person than somebody else or that he is only worth half of a white man.

The structure of the poem is jumbled up at the start it is a very short stanza then a long one then another long one the a short one to close it this is a mix of the two different types this emphasises the half-caste theme of the poem. The overall tone of the poem is quite sad because John Agard is having to defend himself as a person because some people are narrow minded.

John Agard uses several literary techniques to enhance his argument such as a technique called ‘repetition’ this is where a poet repeats a certain phrase to give it a more powerful representation in the poem. The poem uses lots of comparisons throughout to make it obvious how simple it is to use the term half-caste. Would you call Picasso or Tchaikovsky half-castes? If you wouldn’t then why should you call anyone else a half-caste because everyone is a person? He also uses humour throughout the poem I think this is because he believed that “humour can be very powerful. Humour breaks down boundaries, it topples our self-importance, it connects people and because it engages and entertains, it ultimately enlightens.” This is why he used humour in his poem I think he uses humour to great affect as it strengthens his argument. John Agard writes in non standard dialect he uses a Caribbean style of writing that shows he himself could be half-caste and that he is defending himself and others from the abuse that they suffer. Even though he is trying to stop the use of the word half-caste he still manages to add humour into his poem a lot this makes me feel that the poem should be read in a humorous tone. At the start of the poem it is set out like an apology “excuse me standing on one leg I’m half-caste” but by the end of the poem he has built up his momentum and is saying look I shouldn’t be apologising for what I am you should listen to the whole story “come back tomorrow with the whole of yu eye an de whole of yu ear an I will tell yu de other half of my story” this quotation shows me that.