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Study guide · Short story

Checking Out Me History

by John Agard

Checking Out Me History is a short story by John Agard, first published 1996. Its central themes are education and knowledge, freedom, identity, power. This chapter-by-chapter study guide covers chapter summaries, characters, themes, symbols, and the key quotes worth pulling for an essay.

  • 1chapters
  • 6characters
  • 6themes
  • 4symbols
  • 8quotes
  • 9study tools

01·Chapter-by-chapter

What happens in Checking Out Me History?

1 chapters · click any chapter to expand its summary and analysis.

  1. Ch. 1Checking Out Me History (Complete Poem)

    Summary

    John Agard's "Checking Out Me History" is a powerful poem where the speaker, a Caribbean man, takes a stand against the Eurocentric education imposed by a colonial British curriculum. He starts by listing the figures he was taught in school: nursery-rhyme characters like Dick Whittington and Old King Cole, along with British historical events like the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and Guy Fawkes. Then, he shifts gears, forcefully highlighting the influential figures he was not taught about: Toussaint L'Ouverture, the Haitian revolutionary; Mary Seacole, the Jamaican nurse; and Nanny of the Maroons, an Amerindian leader. Each of these overlooked figures is presented in lyrical, italicized stanzas that starkly contrast with the blunt, dismissive lines about the colonial curriculum. The poem concludes with the speaker confidently claiming his right to reclaim his history — to "carve out me identity" — portraying self-education as a form of resistance and a means of survival.

    Analysis

    Agard engineers the poem's argument using contrasts in typography and tone. The stanzas that describe the colonial curriculum are clipped and almost contemptuous — featuring short, phonetically spelled lines ("Dem tell me / Dem tell me") that mimic rote recitation and reveal its emptiness. In contrast, the italicized stanzas that celebrate Toussaint, Seacole, and Nanny shift entirely in tone: they become incantatory, rich in imagery, and rhythmically expansive, embodying the very vitality that colonial education suppressed. This structural split is the argument — the form itself conveys meaning.

    The non-standard spelling ("Dem tell me," "wha dem want to tell me") isn’t just a stylistic choice but a political statement: Agard uses Caribbean creole to assert the legitimacy of a voice that the curriculum sought to silence. The nursery-rhyme references (Dick Whittington, Old King Cole) are deliberate — they compare lessons in colonial history with children's fantasies, trivializing the empire's self-mythology.

    Light and vision are recurring motifs: Toussaint is described as "a beacon," while Nanny is a "hopeful stream." These figures shed light on what colonial education intentionally kept in darkness. The repeated phrase "Dem tell me / Wha dem want to tell me" builds into a drumbeat of grievance before the final shift, where the speaker's tone moves from accusation to agency — "But now I checking out me own history" — signaling a resolution that is defiant instead of despairing.

    Key quotes

    • “Dem tell me / Dem tell me / Wha dem want to tell me”

      The poem's driving refrain, repeated throughout, exposing the curriculum as an act of deliberate selection rather than neutral education.

    • “Toussaint / a slave / with vision / lick back / Napoleon / battalion / and first Black / Republic born”

      One of the italicised celebratory stanzas, compressing the Haitian Revolution into urgent, percussive lines that contrast with the flat recitation of British history.

    • “But now I / checking out me own history / I carving out me identity”

      The poem's closing declaration, in which accusation transforms into agency and self-determined identity.

02·Characters

Who are the characters in Checking Out Me History?

  • Dick Whittington

    Dick Whittington features in John Agard's poem "Checking Out Me History" as a symbol of the dominant, Eurocentric curriculum that the Speaker encountered during his education. In contrast to the poem's celebrated historical figures — Toussaint L'Ouverture, Nanny de Maroon, and Mary Seacole — Dick Whittington is a character from English folklore, known for the story of a poor boy who goes to London with his cat and eventually becomes Lord Mayor. Within the poem, Whittington isn't depicted as a real historical figure but rather as a myth, a tale told to children that fills the void where genuine, substantive history — especially Black and Caribbean history — should have been taught.

    Whittington's role is entirely symbolic and unchanging; he has no personal development. He serves as a marker of cultural erasure, representing the trivial, fairy-tale content that overshadowed the lives of those who fought for freedom and dignity. By placing Whittington alongside Robin Hood and nursery-rhyme characters like Old King Cole, Agard intentionally portrays him as part of a pattern of miseducation — entertaining stories that detracted from and concealed the Speaker's own heritage. Whittington's presence is thus a deliberate critique: his legend was considered worthy of teaching to colonial-era and post-colonial schoolchildren, while the revolutionary and healing accomplishments of Black historical figures were overlooked. He signifies not malice but systemic neglect — the comfortable mythology of the colonizer taught instead of the true history of the colonized.

    Full analysis →
    Connected to The Speaker (Narrator) · Robin Hood · Toussaint L'Ouverture · Nanny de Maroon · Mary Seacole
  • Mary Seacole

    Mary Seacole features prominently in John Agard's dramatic monologue "Checking Out Me History" as one of the overlooked historical figures the Speaker seeks to reclaim from a Eurocentric education. She receives a dedicated stanza where she is introduced as "Mary Seacole" — a nurse from Jamaica who, despite being turned away by the British War Office, made her own way to the Crimean front to care for wounded soldiers in her "British Hotel." Agard depicts her with vibrant and celebratory imagery: she is portrayed as "a healing star" who "bind[s] the wounds" and "brave[s] the storm," language that casts her as a radiant and courageous healer whose compassion shines through despite official rejection. Her journey in the poem represents a shift from being erased (absent from the Speaker's education) to becoming a figure of illumination, embodying the poem's core argument that Black and Caribbean histories have been intentionally obscured. Key characteristics attributed to her include resilience (she acts without institutional approval), nurturing ability (as seen in the healing and binding themes), and quiet defiance (she achieves success where authorities have failed her). Although her presence in the poem is brief, it is structurally essential: she supports the Caribbean/female aspect of the Speaker's reclaimed identity alongside Nanny de Maroon, illustrating that heroism is not solely reserved for the white, male, fictional figures — Dick Whittington and Robin Hood — that the Speaker was taught about instead.

    Full analysis →
    Connected to The Speaker (Narrator) · Nanny de Maroon · Toussaint L'Ouverture · Dick Whittington · Robin Hood
  • Nanny de Maroon

    Nanny de Maroon is one of the historical freedom fighters that the Speaker honors in John Agard's "Checking Out Me History." She appears in one of the poem's italicized, lyrical stanzas, which stands out from the bitter, satirical sections that critique the colonial curriculum. In this moment, she is depicted as a radiant, almost mythical liberator: "Nanny de maroon / catch the bullet / wid her bare hand." This striking image of catching bullets with her bare hands draws from Maroon oral tradition, elevating Nanny to a nearly supernatural figure and illustrating that Black resistance is both genuine and remarkable. Historically, Nanny of the Maroons was an 18th-century Jamaican leader who commanded the Windward Maroons in guerrilla warfare against British colonial forces. Agard pays tribute to her legacy by portraying her in vibrant, rhythmic language that resonates with pride and urgency. Her presence in the poem is significant: she embodies the suppressed Afro-Caribbean history that the colonial education system intentionally overlooked, filling the gaps with figures like Dick Whittington and Robin Hood. Nanny's journey in the poem signifies resurrection — she transitions from being forgotten to being recognized as the Speaker emphasizes her significance. Her defining qualities include bravery, supernatural resilience, and symbolic power as a mother of liberation. She serves as both a historical figure and a poetic symbol, reinforcing that the Speaker's identity and heritage are anchored in a rich, heroic past that had been "blinding" him by being concealed.

    Full analysis →
    Connected to The Speaker (Narrator) · Toussaint L'Ouverture · Mary Seacole · Dick Whittington · Robin Hood
  • Robin Hood

    Robin Hood is one of several figures, both historical and legendary, mentioned by the Speaker in John Agard's dramatic monologue "Checking Out Me History." He doesn't come across as a character with his own story but rather as an example of the type of figure the British colonial education system chose to highlight — a white, English folk hero whose tale was shared with the Speaker during childhood, while the histories of Black liberators were intentionally left out.

    The Speaker brings up Robin Hood alongside Dick Whittington as symbols of a Eurocentric curriculum that filled young minds with myths and legends tied to English cultural identity. In the poem, Robin Hood's characteristics are more symbolic than personal: he embodies a romanticized version of heroism — the "acceptable" rebel who takes from the rich to give to the poor, yet whose story ultimately supports the very system that silences other narratives. His presence is ironic; he is an outlaw celebrated by the establishment, while true freedom fighters like Toussaint L'Ouverture and Nanny de Maroon remain overlooked.

    Robin Hood doesn’t experience any personal development. His function is strictly rhetorical — he serves to highlight the Speaker's anger and sense of cultural loss. By mentioning him, Agard reveals how selective storytelling influences identity and power, positioning Robin Hood as a passive tool in the poem's main argument: that deciding whose history to teach is, in itself, a form of control.

    Full analysis →
    Connected to The Speaker (Narrator) · Dick Whittington · Toussaint L'Ouverture · Nanny de Maroon · Mary Seacole
  • The Speaker (Narrator)

    The Speaker is the only human voice in John Agard's dramatic monologue "Checking Out Me History," serving as the narrator, protagonist, and political critic all at once. He transitions from a state of imposed ignorance — shaped by a colonial British education that presented nursery-rhyme figures like Dick Whittington and Robin Hood — to a conscious, defiant journey of self-education rooted in Caribbean and Black history. This process is active; the Speaker deliberately "checks out" the suppressed histories and takes ownership of them.

    Tonally, the Speaker shifts between bitter irony and fierce pride. His repeated line — "Dem tell me / Dem tell me / Wha dem want to tell me" — highlights his awareness that knowledge has been selectively curated against him, while the phonetic Caribbean dialect ("dem," "me," "wha") asserts his cultural identity as a form of resistance. The poem's visual layout further reflects his mindset: colonial figures are presented in flat, rhyming couplets, while Black historical figures — like Toussaint L'Ouverture, Nanny de Maroon, and Mary Seacole — are expressed in rich, lyrical free verse, showcasing the Speaker's emotional investment and respect for them.

    By the end of the poem, the Speaker sees himself as a lantern-bearer, illuminating his own path forward. His defining traits include intellectual curiosity, cultural pride, righteous anger, and resilience. He embodies a generation that is reclaiming control over the historical narrative.

    Full analysis →
    Connected to Toussaint L'Ouverture · Nanny de Maroon · Mary Seacole · Dick Whittington · Robin Hood
  • Toussaint L'Ouverture

    Toussaint L'Ouverture is one of three historical freedom fighters that the Speaker honors in John Agard's protest poem "Checking Out Me History." He is featured in a unique stanza sequence characterized by a rhythmically urgent voice, which stands in stark contrast to the nursery-rhyme rhythms used for British figures. Toussaint is introduced with the phrases "de thorn to de French" and "de beacon of de Haitian Revolution," immediately situating him in his historical role as the leader who inspired enslaved people in Saint-Domingue to rise against colonial rule in the late eighteenth century. The poem captures his essence with the lines "de Toussaint / a slave / with vision / lick back / Napoleon / battalion," condensing his remarkable journey—from enslaved individual to military and political genius—into powerful, defiant phrases. His defining qualities include resilience, visionary courage, and the ability to turn oppression into liberation. In the poem's structural argument, Toussaint serves as living evidence that the Speaker's ancestral history has been intentionally obscured: the colonial education system emphasized figures like Dick Whittington and Robin Hood while neglecting individuals like Toussaint. Thus, his presence embodies both historical significance and rhetorical strength—he is not just commemorated but utilized as proof of cultural erasure. By the poem's conclusion, the Speaker's act of reclaiming Toussaint's narrative transforms into an act of self-determination, reflecting Toussaint's own refusal to accept the identity imposed on him by colonial forces.

    Full analysis →
    Connected to The Speaker (Narrator) · Nanny de Maroon · Mary Seacole · Dick Whittington · Robin Hood

03·Themes

What are the themes in Checking Out Me History?

Education and KnowledgeFreedomIdentityPowerRace and RacismResilience

Education and Knowledge

In John Agard's "Checking Out Me History," the main conflict revolves around not just ignorance versus knowledge, but whose knowledge is valued as education. The speaker lists what a colonial British education drilled into him — figures like Guy Fawkes, Dick Whittington, and Robin Hood — all presented as integral to a civilized mind. These names appear in the poem with short, nursery-rhyme rhythms, mimicking the rote memorization of the classroom and revealing how official curricula infantilize colonized learners while claiming to enlighten them.

In contrast, Agard introduces a counter-curriculum delivered in a more relaxed, Creole-inflected voice. Toussaint L'Ouverture is described as "a thorn to de French" and "beacon of de Haitian Revolution," language that resonates with pride, unlike the flat recitation used for the British figures. Mary Seacole, overlooked by the establishment that honored Florence Nightingale, is portrayed as a "yellow sunrise" healing the wounded — an image that presents Black Caribbean history as vibrant rather than marginal. Nanny of the Maroons becomes a "fire-woman," mythical and fierce, reclaimed from the silence imposed by the curriculum.

The repeated claim — that "dem" deliberately blinded him — reinterprets miseducation not as mere neglect but as an exercise of power: controlling what someone can envision about themselves. The act of "checking out" history thus serves as both an intellectual and a political act. By the poem's end, the speaker's self-directed exploration becomes a declaration of identity, implying that genuine knowledge is tied to the freedom to choose what — and who — to learn from.

Freedom

In John Agard's "Checking Out Me History," freedom acts as both a political demand and a way for the speaker to reconstruct himself — he doesn’t just protest against erasure but actively asserts his right to shape his own understanding of history.

The poem's central tension is clear from the start: a colonial education has "blinded" the speaker, feeding him stories of figures like Dick Whittington and Robin Hood while intentionally hiding Black and Caribbean history. This selective curriculum is a form of captivity — an intellectual prison that restricts identity to a past crafted by others. The repeated phrase "Dem tell me" rhythmically drives home this imposition, echoing the relentless conditioning of colonial schooling.

Freedom arises through the contrasting images of figures the speaker takes back for himself. Toussaint L'Ouverture is depicted as "a thorn to de French" and "beacon of de Haitian Revolution" — a man who fought for liberty when it was denied. Nanny of the Maroons, described as a "see-far woman," represents a freedom rooted in vision and resistance rather than permission. Mary Seacole, who was overlooked in favor of Florence Nightingale, symbolizes freedom through recognition: simply naming her becomes an act of liberation.

Agard emphasizes this through typography and dialect. The non-standard spellings — "dem," "de," "mih" — reject assimilation into standard English, showcasing linguistic freedom on the page. The fragmented layout, with its broken stanzas, visually represents the speaker's journey of reclaiming a suppressed heritage.

In the end, freedom is portrayed not as something given but as something taken through knowledge — the poem argues that controlling one’s history is essential to controlling one’s self.

Identity

In John Agard's "Checking Out Me History," identity is portrayed as a conscious act of recovery rather than something merely inherited. The main conflict arises when the speaker realizes that his formal education presented him with a version of history filled mainly with British and European figures — like Guy Fawkes, Dick Whittington, and Robin Hood — while systematically overlooking the people whose stories are more relevant to his own identity. Agard implies that identity can't be complete when significant parts of its foundation have been neglected.

The poem's visual and typographical layout reflects this disconnection. The stanzas that recount the "official" curriculum follow a standard format and adopt a dismissive, almost mocking nursery-rhyme rhythm, indicating how those lessons were absorbed without true ownership. In contrast, the sections focused on Toussaint L'Ouverture, Nanny of the Maroons, and Mary Seacole shift to italicized, fragmented lines that have a slower, more respectful rhythm — a stylistic choice that signifies these recovered figures belong to a different, more personal aspect of identity.

The repeated refrain — the speaker asserting that "dem" told him one thing while hiding another — builds into a claim of intentional erasure rather than simple oversight. The term "dem" is important: it places the speaker outside the system that influenced him, affirming a linguistic and cultural identity that the curriculum attempted to erase.

Ultimately, the act of "checking out" history serves as the poem's metaphor for self-authorship. By naming and honoring figures like Toussaint — portrayed as a beacon, a light in darkness — the speaker reclaims the ancestral connections needed to create a coherent, self-defined identity.

Power

John Agard's "Checking Out Me History" presents power not just as brute force but as the control over knowledge — particularly, the authority to determine whose stories are shared in a classroom and whose are ignored. The speaker's recurring frustration about being taught figures like Dick Whittington and Robin Hood while remaining unaware of Caribbean and African heroes reveals how a colonial curriculum acts as a tool of dominance. By filling a child's mind with the myths of the colonizers, the education system perpetuates hierarchy without any overt violence.

Agard sharpens this point through intentional contrasts in structure and typography. The stanzas dedicated to figures the speaker learned about — Toussaint L'Ouverture, Nanny de Maroon, Mary Seacole — are crafted in a looser, more lyrical dialect, visually indented and rhythmically vibrant, as if reclaiming these figures demands a different, more liberated language. In contrast, the stanzas detailing the official curriculum adopt a flat, almost mocking tone. This formal difference itself creates a power struggle on the page.

The motif of "blind me" and "dem" — the unnamed authorities who shaped the curriculum — maintains a quiet but persistent accusation throughout. Here, power is faceless and institutional rather than personal, making it more challenging to confront. Yet the speaker's act of "checking out" — researching, reclaiming, naming — is framed as a form of counter-power. By the end of the poem, self-education emerges as a means of resistance, implying that the first step toward dismantling inherited power is to refuse the version of history presented to you.

Race and Racism

John Agard's poem "Checking Out Me History" explores race and racism not through explicit violence but through the more subtle and damaging violence of erasure. The speaker's main complaint is that a colonial British education filled his mind with names like Dick Whittington and Robin Hood—mythologized white heroes—while systematically ignoring the histories of people who resemble him. The repeated mention of being blinded serves as the poem's strongest accusation: the curriculum was not only incomplete but also intentionally obscured, functioning as a tool of cultural subordination disguised as education.

In response to this imposed emptiness, Agard creates a counter-narrative. He vividly celebrates Toussaint L'Ouverture, the Haitian revolutionary, in striking, almost chant-like stanzas that visually and rhythmically break away from the rest of the poem—the irregular, compact lines convey the urgency of reclaiming a hidden story. Likewise, the healer Mary Seacole is portrayed as a "yellow sunrise" figure, her warmth and empowerment standing in stark contrast to the cold institutional amnesia that kept her absent from the speaker's curriculum. Nanny of the Maroons is depicted as a "see-far woman," her visionary resistance framed in spiritual terms that the colonial syllabus lacked the vocabulary to express.

The poem's spelling and Creole-influenced syntax serve as acts of defiance against the standard English that the colonial classroom enforced. By using "dem" and "dat," Agard refuses to conform to linguistic assimilation while critiquing the education system that demanded it. In this way, race and racism permeate the poem at every level—theme, structure, and language—making the form itself a statement that identity cannot be checked out like a library book and returned unchanged.

Resilience

In John Agard's "Checking Out Me History," resilience is seen not as quiet endurance but as a conscious act of reclamation. The poem’s main tension — between the colonial education the speaker was forced to accept and the hidden histories he discovers — frames resilience as an act of intellectual and cultural defiance.

The recurring line where the speaker asserts he is "checking out" his own history indicates a continuous, active resistance rather than mere survival. Each repetition builds momentum, reflecting the determination needed to reclaim what was intentionally buried. The contrast between the nursery-rhyme rhythms used for figures like Dick Whittington and Guy Fawkes — trivial, sing-song, almost derisive — and the strong, fragmented free verse reserved for Toussaint L'Ouverture, Nanny of the Maroons, and Mary Seacole embodies resilience in its form: the poem's structure defies the colonizer's neat, dismissive rhythms.

Toussaint is depicted as a beacon and light cutting through darkness, imagery that positions him not just as a historical figure but as evidence that resistance endures despite efforts to erase it. Nanny is portrayed as a fire woman, a warrior spirit deeply connected to the land — her presence in the poem acts as a restoration in itself. Mary Seacole's healing work on the battlefield subtly counters the erasure of Black contributions to British history.

Importantly, the speaker’s resilience is collective rather than individual. By naming these figures, he weaves together a lineage of people who refused to be defeated, placing himself as their successor. The poem concludes not with anger but with a sense of purposeful self-ownership — the speaker shaping his own identity, suggesting that resilience here involves the ongoing effort of understanding who you are.

04·Symbols & motifs

What are the symbols in Checking Out Me History?

  • British Nursery Rhyme Figures

    In John Agard's "Checking Out Me History," the British nursery rhyme characters — like Dick Whittington, Old King Cole, and the cow that jumps over the moon — represent the trivial and Eurocentric version of history that was imposed on Caribbean colonial subjects. These figures demonstrate a calculated effort to blind people to their own culture: by filling young minds with fanciful English tales, the colonial education system pushed aside the knowledge of real Black and Caribbean heroes. Consequently, the nursery rhyme characters symbolize cultural erasure, the infantilization of colonized peoples, and how the empire shaped identity by determining which stories were deemed worthy of remembrance.

    Evidence

    Agard starts with the direct challenge, "Dem tell me / Dem tell me / Wha dem want to tell me," setting the tone for colonial education as both selective and manipulative. He lists familiar nursery rhyme characters — "Dick Whittington and he cat," "Old King Cole," and "the cow who jump over the moon" — portraying them as the empty curriculum of his schooling. The playful, rhythmic style he uses when mentioning these characters echoes the form of nursery rhymes, poking fun at their childishness. Importantly, these figures are contrasted sharply with the poem's revered Black heroes — Toussaint L'Ouverture, Nanny of the Maroons, and Mary Seacole — who are depicted with vibrant, striking imagery. The nursery rhyme characters fill the void where genuine history should be, turning their presence into a form of colonial violence masked as innocent childhood education.

  • Caribbean Historical Figures

    In John Agard's poem "Checking Out Me History," figures from Caribbean history — such as Toussaint L'Ouverture, Nanny of the Maroons, and Mary Seacole — embody suppressed identity and reclaimed cultural pride. They reflect the vibrant heritage that was intentionally kept from the speaker due to a Eurocentric colonial education. By bringing these figures into the conversation, Agard emphasizes that understanding one's own ancestors and their struggles is essential for building true self-identity. These heroes demonstrate that Black and Caribbean history is not just an afterthought but a crucial part of our foundation — and reclaiming this history serves as both a political and personal act of liberation.

    Evidence

    Agard contrasts Caribbean figures with the trivial British nursery-rhyme characters he learned about, like "Humpty Dumpty" and "Dick Whittington," pointing out how colonial education overshadowed meaningful heritage. Toussaint L'Ouverture is portrayed as "a thorn / to de French" and "de beacon / of de Haitian Revolution," positioning him as a symbol of resistance and freedom. Nanny of the Maroons is depicted in vivid, almost mythic terms — "see-far woman / of mountain dream" — giving her both spiritual and historical significance. Mary Seacole, the Jamaican nurse, is referred to as "a yellow sunrise / to the dying," restoring her to a prominence that the speaker was denied. Each figure is introduced through the speaker's Creole voice and italicized verse, formally marking them as part of a different, reclaimed register of truth. Together, they represent the "me history" that the speaker insists on "checking out" for himself.

  • Light and Flame

    In John Agard's "Checking Out Me History," light and flame represent the enduring power of Black and Caribbean historical figures and their legacies that have been suppressed. In contrast to the darkness of colonial education, which left the speaker unaware of his own heritage, flame symbolizes self-determination, resistance, and the enlightening force of reclaimed identity. The figures Agard honors aren't just names to memorize; they are vibrant flames that pierce through the fog of forced ignorance. Light, then, signifies truth, cultural pride, and the clarity that comes from seeing oneself after generations of deliberate blindness imposed by a Eurocentric curriculum.

    Evidence

    The symbol stands out most in the stanza about Toussaint L'Ouverture, the Haitian revolutionary. Agard describes him as "a thorn" and "a beacon," portraying him as a guiding light in the face of colonial oppression. Nanny of the Maroons is referred to as "a fire-woman" who embodies a "struggle/hopeful stream to freedom river," with her fiery spirit driving the quest for liberation. These bright metaphors sharply contrast with the poem's references to "Dick Whittington and his cat" and "1066 and all dat" — dull, irrelevant facts that the colonial education system offered instead of the speaker's real history. The recurring phrase "Dem tell me" suggests that official education represents a sort of darkness, whereas the speaker's journey to uncover Caribbean and African heroes symbolizes stepping into the light. Overall, the imagery of flame serves as the poem's key metaphor for an awakened historical consciousness.

  • The Blindfold

    In John Agard's "Checking Out Me History," the blindfold symbolizes the intentional suppression of cultural identity and the control of knowledge by colonial powers. The speaker suggests that a Eurocentric education has figuratively blindfolded him, limiting his perspective to accepted, dominant narratives and hiding the histories of Black and Caribbean figures. This blindfold signifies not just ignorance, but a forced ignorance — a systemic erasure that prevents colonized people from accessing their own heritage. By naming and honoring figures like Toussaint L'Ouverture and Nanny of the Maroons, the speaker aims to remove the blindfold, reclaiming the self-awareness that colonial education withheld.

    Evidence

    Agard opens with the bold statement "Dem tell me / Dem tell me / Wha dem want to tell me," setting the stage for education as something selective and controlling. The repeated line "Bandage up me eye with me own history" clearly brings out the blindfold imagery: the speaker’s own cultural background is what blinds him, creating a sharp irony. In contrast, the following stanzas highlight figures like Dick Whittington and Old King Cole, presented in simple, nursery-rhyme rhythms that suggest a trivial and sanitized version of history. In opposition to this, the vibrant, lyrical descriptions of Toussaint, "de Toussaint / a slave / with vision," and Nanny, who moves "like a river," burst forth with life and color, marking the moment the blindfold is removed. The poem’s structure powerfully illustrates the gradual lifting of imposed blindness and the reclaiming of a more complete, self-defined understanding of history.

05·Key quotes

What are the most famous quotes in Checking Out Me History?

“Toussaint / a slave / with vision / lick back / Napoleon / battalion”

This powerful passage is from "Checking Out Me History" by John Agard, a poet from Guyana who now lives in Britain. The speaker, a narrator from the Caribbean, tells the inspiring tale of Toussaint L'Ouverture, the formerly enslaved leader who spearheaded the Haitian Revolution (1791–1804) and ultimately overcame Napoleon Bonaparte's forces, achieving Haiti's independence. The poem's fragmented, staccato lines — "a slave / with vision / lick back / Napoleon / battalion" — reflect the oral, creole-influenced voice Agard employs throughout, contrasting the overlooked Black history with the Eurocentric education he received. The term "lick back" is Caribbean slang meaning "struck back" or "fought back," highlighting themes of defiance and empowerment. Thematically, this phrase is crucial to the poem's message: figures like Toussaint symbolize a rich, empowering legacy that has been deliberately hidden from colonized peoples. By placing Toussaint alongside his defeat of Napoleon, Agard reclaims a narrative of Black resistance and victory, challenging the notion that history is solely the domain of European conquerors. Consequently, the poem acts as a declaration of self-determination — "checking out" one’s own history instead of accepting a version handed down by others.

Poetic narrator (Caribbean voice) · Toussaint L'Ouverture stanza — reclaiming suppressed Caribbean history

“Dem tell me bout / Dick Whittington and he cat / But Toussaint L'Ouverture / no dem never tell me bout dat”

This opening stanza is delivered by the unnamed Caribbean narrator in John Agard's "Checking Out Me History," which is included in Half-Caste and Other Poems (2005). The speaker addresses an implied colonial education system — and by extension, the reader — listing the figures and tales he learned about (like Dick Whittington, Robin Hood, and Old King Cole) alongside the Black and Caribbean heroes that were intentionally omitted from his education, such as Toussaint L'Ouverture, the leader of the Haitian Revolution. The stark contrast between the trivial English folk figure of Dick Whittington and the historically significant revolutionary Toussaint is steeped in irony: the narrator was fed nursery-rhyme stories while being denied knowledge of his own liberatory heritage. This quote captures the poem's central argument — that colonial curricula act as a means of cultural erasure and identity suppression. The use of Creole dialect ("Dem tell me," "he cat") serves as a political statement, asserting the narrator's true voice against the Standard English of the imposed curriculum. Ultimately, the poem becomes a reclamation: by naming Toussaint and other erased figures, the speaker rewrites his own history.

Unnamed Caribbean narrator (poet's voice) · to The reader / implied colonial education system · Opening stanza — the speaker contrasts figures from his colonial schooling with suppressed Black historical heroes

“I carving out me identity”

This line is from "Checking Out Me History" by John Agard, a poet of Guyanese-British descent. The speaker—a Caribbean man reflecting on his colonial education—makes this bold statement near the end of the poem. Throughout the piece, the speaker contrasts the Eurocentric history he learned in school, like "Toussaint de thorn / to de French," with nursery-rhyme characters such as Dick Whittington, while also bringing attention to the overlooked histories of Black and Caribbean figures like Toussaint L'Ouverture, Nanny of the Maroons, and Mary Seacole. "I carving out me identity" represents the emotional and thematic high point of the poem: by reclaiming these marginalized figures, the speaker actively shapes a sense of self that colonial education attempted to erase. The use of non-standard dialect—"me" instead of "my"—is a form of resistance, asserting a Caribbean linguistic identity rather than adhering to Standard English. Thematically, this line captures the poem's main argument: identity, history, and language are intertwined, and self-determination starts with owning one's own story. It serves as an important work for examining postcolonial identity, power, and voice.

The poetic speaker (Caribbean man / John Agard's persona) · Closing section of the poem, following the celebration of suppressed Black and Caribbean historical figures

“Dem tell me / Dem tell me / Wha dem want to tell me”

This opening refrain is spoken by the unnamed Caribbean narrator of John Agard's poem "Checking Out Me History" (published in Half-Caste and Other Poems, 2005). The repeated line "Dem tell me / Dem tell me / Wha dem want to tell me" establishes the poem's central conflict right away: the speaker has been given a selective, Eurocentric version of history by colonial educators ("dem" — a Creole pronoun that distances the speaker from those in power). The intentional repetition reflects the mechanical nature of colonial education, while the use of Guyanese Creole serves as an act of resistance — the speaker reclaims his linguistic identity while critiquing what he was taught. Thematically, this line captures the poem's main argument: that the British curriculum overlooked figures like Toussaint L'Ouverture and Nanny de Maroons in favor of figures like Dick Whittington and Florence Nightingale. The question "wha dem want to tell me" suggests that educators have their own agency and agenda, indicating that knowledge is never neutral. This makes the poem a compelling exploration of identity, colonial legacy, and the politics of historical memory.

Unnamed Caribbean narrator / the poet's persona · Opening stanza · Reflection on a colonial British education and its deliberate omissions

“Checkoutmehistory / checkoutmehistory”

"Checking Out Me History" is a spoken-word poem by John Agard, a poet from Guyana who now resides in Britain. The refrain "Checkoutmehistory / checkoutmehistory" is delivered by the poem's speaker — a narrator from the Caribbean — and is implicitly directed at the British educational system and, by extension, at the reader. The poem opens with and often returns to this chant-like refrain, mirroring Caribbean Creole speech patterns to assert the speaker's right to reclaim his cultural and ancestral history. According to the speaker, the British colonial curriculum taught him figures from nursery rhymes like Dick Whittington and Old King Cole while intentionally ignoring Black and Caribbean heroes such as Toussaint L'Ouverture, Nanny de Maroon, and Mary Seacole. The repetition of the refrain serves as both a protest and a declaration: the speaker is not asking for permission to know his history — he is demanding that it be recognized. Thematically, the poem delves into identity, colonialism, and cultural erasure, positing that controlling a people's historical narrative constitutes a form of ongoing oppression. The Creole spelling of "checkout" as one word emphasizes that the speaker's voice and heritage are deeply intertwined with his political message.

The Caribbean narrator / John Agard's poetic persona · to The British educational establishment / the reader · Opening and recurring refrain throughout the poem

“Mary Seacole / dih healing of / de Crimea”

This line comes from John Agard's well-known poem "Checking Out Me History," published in Half-Caste and Other Poems in 2005. The speaker, a Caribbean man reflecting on his colonial education in Britain, seeks to reclaim the overlooked or silenced histories of Black and non-European figures. Here, he mentions Mary Seacole, the Jamaican-British nurse who went to the Crimea during the 1850s to care for wounded soldiers, presenting her as a counter-narrative to the dominant Eurocentric history he learned in school. The use of phonetic Creole spelling ("dih," "de") is intentional: Agard employs Caribbean dialect as a form of cultural resistance, emphasizing that his linguistic and ethnic identity is deeply tied to the history he aims to reclaim. Seacole's story has often been eclipsed by that of Florence Nightingale, making her a striking symbol of erasure. Thematically, this quote captures the poem's main argument — that colonial education intentionally left out the contributions of people of colour, and that reclaiming these figures serves as an act of identity, dignity, and decolonisation.

The poetic speaker (John Agard's persona) · Stanza celebrating Mary Seacole as a reclaimed historical figure, contrasted with figures taught in British colonial schooling

“Bandage up me eye with me own history / Blind me to me own identity”

These opening lines are delivered by the unnamed Caribbean narrator in John Agard's "Checking Out Me History," which appears in Half-Caste and Other Poems (2005). The speaker expresses frustration with a colonial British education that inundated him with figures like Dick Whittington and Robin Hood while intentionally neglecting the stories of Black and Caribbean heroes. The metaphor of the "bandage" is powerful: history itself — particularly a selective, Eurocentric version — is used as a tool to blind the speaker to his cultural roots and identity. The choice of "me" instead of "my" reflects Caribbean Creole dialect, emphasizing the identity that colonial education sought to erase. This contradiction — where a tool intended for education ends up blinding — is the poem's key thematic conflict. It touches on wider postcolonial issues of cultural erasure, identity, and the politics surrounding whose narratives are shared. This quote is significant because it sets the stage for the entire poem as an act of reclamation: by identifying what has been concealed from him, the speaker starts to remove the bandage from his eyes and reclaim his identity.

The Caribbean narrator (voice of the poet, John Agard) · Opening stanza — the speaker reflects on his colonial British education and its erasure of Caribbean history

“Nanny de maroon / see-far woman / of mountain dream”

This striking three-line verse is drawn from John Agard's spoken-word poem Checking Out Me History (published in Half-Caste and Other Poems, 2005). The poem features an unnamed Caribbean speaker — a descendant of colonized peoples — who seeks to reclaim historical figures left out of his British education. In this stanza, he honors Nanny of the Maroons, the 18th-century Jamaican freedom fighter and spiritual leader who led escaped enslaved Africans (Maroons) in guerrilla warfare against British colonial forces in Jamaica's Blue Mountains. Agard's concise, incantatory language — "see-far woman / of mountain dream" — elevates Nanny to a near-mythic figure: she is a visionary ("see-far") and a liberator deeply connected to the mountain landscapes she fought for. The stanza appears in italics and dialect-inflected Creole, visually and linguistically setting apart this reclaimed Black history from the nursery-rhyme English found in colonial educational texts. Thematically, this quote captures the poem's central argument: that identity and self-worth are tied to understanding whose history is taught, and that the erasure of figures like Nanny represents an act of cultural suppression and power.

The poem's Caribbean speaker (voice of John Agard) · Checking Out Me History (single poem) · Stanza celebrating Nanny of the Maroons, contrasted with colonial British history lessons

06·Study tools

Discussion questions, essay prompts, and quizzes for Checking Out Me History

Discussion questions2 items ·

  • Discussion Questions: "Checking Out Me History" by John Agard

    1. Identity & Ownership of History: The speaker points a finger at an unnamed "dem" for controlling his history education. Who do you think "dem" refers to, and what does this say about the power dynamics between the speaker and those who influenced his schooling?
    1. Structure & Language: Agard employs two different voices in the poem — one in Creole dialect and another in standard English. What impact does this contrast have, and what might it imply about the connection between language and cultural identity?
    1. Figures of Resistance: The poem highlights figures like Toussaint L'Ouverture, Nanny de Maroon, and Mary Seacole. Why do you think Agard selected these specific historical figures, and what common traits do they share?
    1. Imagery & Metaphor: The speaker describes reclaiming his history as "carving out me identity." What does the act of carving suggest about the journey of self-discovery and cultural reclamation?
    1. Nursery Rhymes vs. Real History: Agard contrasts characters like Dick Whittington and Robin Hood with Black historical heroes. What argument is he making about which stories are deemed worth telling, and why is this significant?
    1. Universal Themes: While the poem is rooted in a specific Caribbean-British experience, do you believe its themes of cultural erasure and self-determination resonate universally? Can you relate it to other texts or real-world situations you’re familiar with?

    gcse_english_lit · aqa · edexcel · wjec

  • Discussion Questions: "Checking Out Me History" by John Agard

    1. Identity & Ownership of History: The speaker criticizes an unnamed "dem" for controlling the history he learned. Who do you think "dem" refers to, and what does this suggest about the power dynamics within colonial education?
    1. Structure & Voice: Agard employs two different styles in the poem—one for figures from British history (in standard English) and another for Caribbean/Black historical figures (in Creole dialect). What effect does this contrast create, and what might Agard be indicating about whose history is deemed "legitimate"?
    1. Imagery & Symbolism: Several Caribbean heroes are depicted using striking natural imagery (e.g., Toussaint L'Ouverture as "a beacon" and "a river"). Why might Agard opt to celebrate these figures through nature imagery instead of straightforward factual description?
    1. Tone & Emotion: How would you characterize the speaker's tone throughout the poem—angry, defiant, celebratory, or something else? Does the tone change at any point, and if so, what prompts this shift?
    1. Relevance Today: The poem prompts questions about whose stories are included in national curricula. Do you think this remains a relevant issue in education today? What histories do you believe are absent from what you have been taught?
    1. Title: The title features the phrase "checking out," which can signify both examining and borrowing (as from a library). How does this dual meaning enhance your understanding of the poem's central argument?

    gcse_english_lit · aqa · edexcel · ocr · ib_lang_lit

Essay prompts2 items ·

  • Essay Prompt: Checking Out Me History by John Agard

    Prompt:

    In Checking Out Me History, John Agard presents the idea that the erasure of Black and Caribbean history in colonial education is a form of cultural oppression that robs people of their identity and sense of self.

    Write a well-structured essay in which you argue how Agard employs poetic form, language, and structure to illustrate that reclaiming one’s history is a form of resistance and self-empowerment. In your response, consider:

    • How the contrast in form and typography between the "Dem tell me" stanzas and the celebratory stanzas highlights the poem's central conflict.
    • How dialect, tone, and voice are utilized to challenge the dominance of colonial narratives.
    • How the choice of historical figures (e.g., Toussaint L'Ouverture, Nanny de Maroon) strengthens the speaker's argument regarding which histories are prioritized.

    > Support your argument with close reference to specific lines, imagery, and structural choices from the poem.

    aqa · gcse_english_literature · edexcel · cambridge_igcse

  • Essay Prompt: Checking Out Me History by John Agard

    *"In Checking Out Me History, Agard employs form, language, and historical contrast to suggest that colonial education has stifled his cultural identity."*

    Write a well-organized essay where you either support, oppose, or provide a nuanced view of this assertion. Your essay should:

    1. Analyze Agard's use of form and structure — think about how the alternating stanzas (Standard English versus Creole dialect) illustrate the speaker's conflicted identity and challenge to colonial power.
    2. Examine language and voice — investigate how Agard's use of Creole dialect, phonetic spelling, and direct address serve as forms of resistance and reclamation.
    3. Discuss historical contrast — assess how the comparison of Eurocentric historical figures (like Dick Whittington and Robin Hood) with individuals from African and Caribbean histories (such as Toussaint L'Ouverture and Nanny de Maroon) either supports or complicates the poem's main argument.
    4. Consider the poem's tone and purpose — evaluate whether the speaker's tone conveys anger, celebration, defiance, or a mix of these emotions, and how this influences the reader's interpretation.

    Your essay must include:

    • A clear, arguable thesis statement
    • Close textual analysis with integrated quotations
    • Consideration of at least two poetic techniques
    • A concluding paragraph that reflects on the poem's significance in relation to broader themes of identity, power, and representation

    > Word count guidance: 800–1,200 words (GCSE) / 1,000–1,500 words (A-Level)

    gcse_english_lit · aqa · edexcel · a_level_english_lit

Quiz questions3 items ·

  • Quiz Question: "Checking Out Me History" by John Agard

    Who wrote the poem "Checking Out Me History"?

    • A) Benjamin Zephaniah
    • B) Grace Nichols
    • C) John Agard
    • D) Linton Kwesi Johnson

    Correct Answer: C) John Agard

    Explanation: "Checking Out Me History" is penned by John Agard, a poet of Guyanese-British heritage. The poem critiques the colonial British education system for focusing on myths and characters from British history, like Dick Whittington and Robin Hood, while neglecting important figures from Black and Caribbean history, such as Toussaint L'Ouverture and Nanny de Maroon.

    gcse_english_lit · aqa · edexcel · ocr

  • Quiz Question: "Checking Out Me History" by John Agard

    Who wrote the poem "Checking Out Me History"?

    • A) Benjamin Zephaniah
    • B) Grace Nichols
    • C) John Agard
    • D) Linton Kwesi Johnson

    Correct Answer: C) John Agard

    Explanation: "Checking Out Me History" is penned by John Agard, a poet of Guyanese-British heritage. In this poem, the speaker critiques the Eurocentric education they received and seeks to reclaim the narratives of Black and Caribbean figures like Toussaint L'Ouverture and Nanny de Maroon, juxtaposing them with the British historical figures and nursery rhymes that were emphasized in his schooling.

    gcse_english_lit · aqa · edexcel · ocr

  • Quiz Question: "Checking Out Me History" by John Agard

    Who wrote the poem "Checking Out Me History"?

    • A) Benjamin Zephaniah
    • B) Grace Nichols
    • C) John Agard
    • D) Linton Kwesi Johnson

    Correct Answer: C) John Agard

    Explanation: John Agard, a poet of Guyanese-British heritage, penned "Checking Out Me History." In this poem, the speaker questions the Eurocentric narratives taught in schools and highlights important figures from Black and Caribbean history, setting them against the familiar nursery-rhyme characters found in the British colonial education system.

    gcse_english_literature · aqa · edexcel · ocr

Teacher handout2 items ·

  • Teacher Handout: "Checking Out Me History" by John Agard

    Mini-Lecture: Context & Background

    Author: John Agard (b. 1949, Guyana; now living in the UK) Published: 1996, in Get Back Pimple Genre: Protest / Identity Poetry

    John Agard is a British-Guyanese poet recognized for his use of Creole dialect and a unique spoken-word performance style. "Checking Out Me History" serves as a strong protest poem where the speaker critiques the Eurocentric education received in British schools. He aims to reclaim marginalized Black and Caribbean historical figures, asserting them as sources of pride and identity.

    Key Vocabulary

    | Term | Definition | |---|---| | Creole dialect | A blend of English with Caribbean linguistic features; used here to affirm cultural identity | | Juxtaposition | Placing two contrasting ideas side by side for effect (e.g., nursery-rhyme figures vs. Black historical heroes) | | Anaphora | The repetition of a phrase at the beginning of successive lines (e.g., "Dem tell me") | | Refrain | A repeated line or section that emphasizes a central idea | | Colonialism | A policy where a nation extends its power over others, often suppressing indigenous culture and history | | Agency | The ability of an individual to act independently and make their own choices |

    Poem Structure at a Glance

    • Free verse with varied stanza lengths
    • Alternates between mocking stanzas (trivial British figures in a playful rhythm) and celebratory stanzas (serious, respectful tone for Black historical figures)
    • Dialect spelling (e.g., "Dem tell me", "wha") is intentional — a political act of linguistic resistance

    Historical & Cultural Figures Referenced

    | Figure | Significance | |---|---| | Toussaint L'Ouverture | Leader of the Haitian Revolution; emblem of Black liberation | | Nanny of the Maroons | Jamaican freedom fighter; national hero of Jamaica | | Mary Seacole | Jamaican nurse during the Crimean War; often overshadowed by Florence Nightingale | | Dick Whittington / Robin Hood / Old King Cole | Figures from British nursery rhymes/folklore — presented as trivial in contrast |

    Scaffolded Discussion Prompts

    Level 1 – Recall

    1. Who does the speaker claim has influenced his history education? Support your answer with a quote.
    2. Name two Black historical figures the speaker reclaims in the poem.

    Level 2 – Analysis

    1. How does Agard use dialect to make a political statement? What impact does this have on the reader?
    2. Why does Agard contrast nursery-rhyme figures with real historical heroes? What does this juxtaposition imply?

    Level 3 – Evaluation

    1. How effectively does Agard use structure and form to convey his message about identity and power?
    2. How relevant is this poem today compared to when it was written in 1996? Justify your opinion.

    Key Themes

    • Identity & Self-determination — The speaker actively reclaims his own history
    • Power & Education — Schooling as a means of colonial control
    • Cultural Pride — Celebration of Caribbean and African heritage
    • Resistance — Linguistic and thematic defiance of dominant narratives

    Assessment Focus Pointers (AQA Power & Conflict cluster)

    • AO1: Explore the speaker's anger and pride; track how the tone shifts throughout the poem
    • AO2: Analyse dialect, anaphora, juxtaposition, and structural contrasts
    • AO3: Reflect on the colonial context and Agard's British-Guyanese background
    • AO4: Ensure accurate spelling, punctuation, and grammar in written responses

    aqa · gcse_english_literature · edexcel_gcse

  • Teacher Handout: "Checking Out Me History" by John Agard

    Mini-Lecture: Context & Background

    Author: John Agard (b. 1949, Guyana; currently in the UK) Published: 1996, in Get Back Pimple Form: Free verse / spoken word poetry

    John Agard is a British-Guyanese poet recognized for incorporating Creole dialect and performance poetry into his work. "Checking Out Me History" stands out as one of his most famous pieces, where the speaker confronts the Eurocentric narrative of history taught in British schools, highlighting the significance of Caribbean and Black historical figures.

    Key Vocabulary

    | Term | Definition | |---|---| | Creole dialect | A language form that mixes English with Caribbean linguistic elements (e.g., "dem," "dat," "wha") | | Juxtaposition | The act of placing two contrasting ideas or images next to each other for effect | | Anaphora | The repetition of a phrase at the start of successive lines (e.g., "Dem tell me") | | Stanza | A grouped collection of lines in a poem | | Identity | An individual's understanding of who they are, shaped by culture, history, and personal experiences | | Colonialism | The policy of taking political control over another country and exploiting its resources | | Subversion | The act of undermining an established system or authority |

    Poem Structure at a Glance

    • The poem alternates between two types of stanzas:
    • "Dem tell me" stanzas (in standard English, italicised) → figures from British/European history depicted as trivial or resembling nursery rhymes (e.g., Dick Whittington, Robin Hood)
    • Celebration stanzas (in Creole dialect) → figures from Caribbean/African history portrayed with vivid and empowering imagery (e.g., Toussaint L'Ouverture, Nanny of the Maroons, Mary Seacole)
    • Using Creole dialect is a form of resistance — Agard embraces the language of his heritage, opting not to adhere to "standard" English.

    Historical Figures Referenced

    | Figure | Significance | |---|---| | Toussaint L'Ouverture | Leader of the Haitian Revolution (1791); liberated Haiti from French colonial rule | | Nanny of the Maroons | 18th-century Jamaican freedom fighter; led escaped enslaved individuals against British forces | | Mary Seacole | Jamaican-British nurse who served during the Crimean War; often eclipsed by Florence Nightingale | | Dick Whittington / Robin Hood | Figures from British folklore, depicted in the poem as the kind of history the speaker was taught |

    Scaffolded Discussion Prompts

    Level 1 – Recall:

    1. List two historical figures the speaker claims he was taught about. Name two he asserts he was not taught about.
    2. What does "Checking out me history" signify within the poem's context?

    Level 2 – Analysis:

    1. In what ways does Agard's use of Creole dialect enhance the poem's message regarding identity?
    2. Why do you think British/European figures are described using nursery-rhyme language? What impact does this have?

    Level 3 – Evaluation:

    1. How does the poem's structure (the alternating stanzas) strengthen the speaker's argument?
    2. To what degree is this poem about personal identity as well as political protest?

    Key Themes

    • Identity & belonging — The speaker reclaims a history that was denied to him
    • Power & education — Schools as tools of colonial ideology
    • Cultural resistance — Language and poetry as means of empowerment
    • Colonialism & its legacy — The erasure of non-European histories

    Suggested Exam-Style Focus (AQA)

    > How does Agard present ideas about identity and history in "Checking Out Me History"?

    Encourage students to explore: form, structure, language, context, and theme. Compare with poems like "The Emigrée" (Carol Rumens) or "Kamikaze" (Beatrice Garland) for the AQA Power & Conflict cluster.

    aqa · gcse_english_literature · edexcel_gcse

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