IGCSE World Poetry 'Monologue' by Hone Tuwhare

The poetic form used in this poem is best described as

• a dramatic monologue

• Free verse

• A dramatic dialogue

• Sonnet

The narrator of 'Monologue' appears to be

• a poor Maori steelworker in New Zealand

• a poor Scottish Steelworker in New Zealand

• a poor Maori steelworker in Scotland

• a poor Scottish steelworker in Scotland

The title 'Monologue' suggests 'high culture' such as Greek or Roman Drama or perhaps Shakespeare which is a contrast with

• the different Maori culture in New Zealand.

• the subject matter of ordinary working men in factory.

• the use of poetic techniques such as alliteration.

• the written form of poetry.

The central symbol of the poem, which may suggest freedom, or insecurity or entrapment, is

• The lockers

• The doors

• The bench

• The steel

Why is it hard to work out what the narrator's attitude to his life is?

• His accent is too strong for others to understand

• He is lying so he can keep his job

• He seems unwilling to say exactly what he means

• He has forgotten

In the second stanza the cold of the winter and the heat of the summer are presented together suggesting this factory is never a comfortable place to work. This technique is called

• Positioning

• Paragraphing

• Parallelism

• Juxtaposition

In the third stanza, powerful present tense verbs and alliteration are combined to create a noisy, oppressive atmosphere which could be described as

• a cacophony

• ambient noise

• a catastrophe

• a campaign

Who is the narrator referring to when he describes "those who have to come down to shout/instructions in my ear"?

• His co-workers

• His bosses or managers

• His customers

• His family

Which repeated phrase suggests the narrator has empathy with his co-workers despite being very formal and restrained?

• I can always tell

• cannot easily forget

• The look on the faces

• they hurry away

Which words best describe the voice of the poem's narrator and his attitude?

• Angry and informal

• Engaged and formal

• resigned and colloquial

• amused and detached