Ballad of Birmingham
Ballad of Birmingham
Dudley Randal
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Ballad of Birmingham
Dudley Randal
Let's read the text together
Before you take a look at the questions make sure:
1. You've read the text
You understand the text
a. Are there any words you do not understand?
b. Do you grasp what is going on?
c. What is the setting of the text?
Read the first stanza. What does the girl want to do?
She wants to go downtown to walk in a freedom march.
Learning objective
Why is the mother not allowing her, according to stanza 2 and 4?
She doesn't think it is a safe place for children.
Learning objective
Do you understand the mother's decision? Why?
Yes, she knew how dangerous it was for black Americans because of the violent racism and did not want her daughter to get hurt.
Learning objective
Line 17 is a metaphor. Explain what the metaphor stands for.
"Night-dark hair" = to show how dark her hair was being an African American
Learning objective
Line 18 is a metaphor. Explain what the metaphor stands for.
"Bathed rose-petal sweet" = she is bathed, clean, pure.
Learning objective
What do these metaphors do? What is the effect?
They create an image of an innocent, sweet and lovely girl.
Learning objective
What is the color white symbolic of in lines 19-20?
The color white stands for innocence, purity.
Also note the stark contrast between black and white and the little girl covering her black hands and feet with white to fit society's wishes.
What is the irony of the events in the poem?
Mother wants to protect her daughter from racist violence by not letting her go to the march, so she sends her to a sacred and safe place. But it is exactly that place where the girl is killed because of the same violence.
What type of irony is this? (See literary terms in the back of your reader)
Situational irony
Verbal irony
Dramatic irony
Answer D
What is the rhyme scheme of this poem?
ABCB DEFE GHIH
Always give the rhyme scheme of the first three stanzas in a longer poem.
