> Thesis Guidance: Your essay should present a clear, arguable claim about how and why Agard's poetic choices succeed (or complicate) his challenge to racial labeling — not just what those choices are.

Remember to back up every claim with close textual evidence and careful analysis of language.

• Identify and analyze at least two specific literary or linguistic techniques (e.g., irony, metaphor, code-switching, phonetic dialect spelling, repetition)
• Explain how these techniques support Agard's main argument that the term "half-caste" belittles and misrepresents mixed-heritage identity
• Consider how the speaker's tone shifts throughout the poem and the impact this has on the reader
• Evaluate the effectiveness of Agard's approach: does employing humor, wit, and vernacular enhance or weaken the critique compared to a more straightforward protest poem?

Pre-writing Considerations

• In what ways does Agard's use of non-standard English (like dropped letters and Creole-influenced syntax) serve as a counterargument to the label "half-caste"?
• What do the mentions of Picasso, Tchaikovsky, and the weather reveal about the absurdity of the term?
• How does the tone of the poem change, and what impact does that shift create for the reader?
• What is the importance of the poem's conclusion — the speaker's invitation to "come back tomorrow" with "de whole of yu eye"?

Thesis Guidance

Your thesis should present a clear, defendable claim about how specific literary devices collaborate to express the poem's main argument. Avoid merely summarizing the poem's message; instead, analyze the craft that shapes it.

Requirements

• Minimum of 5 paragraphs (introduction, 3 body paragraphs, conclusion)
• Textual evidence with analysis (avoid simply dropping quotes)
• Focus on both form and content