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ENG1501 Assignment 1 - 2025

This assignment requires students to write a reflective essay on poetry and answer short questions related to the poem 'they call you mister steve biko now you’re dead' by Shabbir Banoobhai. Section A focuses on personal reflections regarding the poetry unit, while Section B consists of analytical questions about the poem's content, form, and themes. The total marks for the assignment are 35, and students must avoid plagiarism by properly referencing any external sources used.

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81 views3 pages

ENG1501 Assignment 1 - 2025

This assignment requires students to write a reflective essay on poetry and answer short questions related to the poem 'they call you mister steve biko now you’re dead' by Shabbir Banoobhai. Section A focuses on personal reflections regarding the poetry unit, while Section B consists of analytical questions about the poem's content, form, and themes. The total marks for the assignment are 35, and students must avoid plagiarism by properly referencing any external sources used.

Uploaded by

leratobaloyi386
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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ASSIGNMENT 01: Poetry

‘they call you mister steve biko now you’re dead’ by Shabbir Banoobhai

Due date: 23 April 2025

This assignment comprises TWO sections. Both sections are COMPULSORY.

Section A: Reflective essay: Poetry (Unit 2)

Now that you have worked through Unit 2 (Poetry) in the study guide, write a reflective
essay of 250-350 words in which you reflect on the exercises provided as part of this unit.

In your answer, respond to the following:


• Did you complete your activity journal? If not, why?
• Which of the activities did you find manageable, and what do they have in
common?
• Which of the activities did you find challenging, and why?
• Which aspect of this unit did you find the least enjoyable or difficult to understand?

Please be as specific as possible (quote from the section and provide page references).

Section A: 10 marks

We use the following as a rubric for marking the reflexive essay:


Level Mark Descriptor
Range
Good 6-10 demonstration of engagement with the Study Guide
using the given prompts
Adequate 5 • generic response that skims the surface
• poorly structured essay
• response that is not always clear

Inadequate 0-4 • AI-generated response


• sourced response
• unconvincing reflection

Section B: Short questions

Read the poem ‘they call you mister steve biko now you’re dead’ by Shabbir Banoobhai
(page 227 in The New Century of South African Poetry, available as an e-reserve on the
library website) before answering the questions that follow.
You must answer in full sentences, and you should support your answers by quoting
from the poem.

Note: You will notice that each question includes a mark allocation. This is to indicate how
much you should write to support your answer. One mark represents one main point or
reason. If a question counts four marks, that means that you will need to supply four points
or reasons.

Remember that you can use an example from a poem only once; you cannot use the
same example for each of your answers.

1. Consider the first stanza of the poem.


1.1 Comment on what the diction suggests about how Steve Biko was treated while
he was alive. (2 marks)

1.2 Who is the “they” referred to here? (1 mark)

1.3 Who was Steve Biko, and why should he be remembered? (If you do not know and
need to refer to online sources for this information, remember to reference your
sources correctly!) (2 marks)

2. Refer to the title of the poem.


2.1 The title is repeated throughout. What is the effect of this in terms of the content
and form of the poem? (2 marks)

2.2 In the title, the poet refers to Steve Biko as ‘mister’. How does this influence the
reader’s perception of him? Consider instances when the title: “mister” is normally
used. (2 marks)

3. Explore the use of irony in the poem. In your answer, consider the treatment of
Steve Biko before and after his death. (3 marks)

4. How does the poet use imagery and symbolism to convey the idea of
remembrance and legacy in the poem? (4 marks)

5. How does the poet create rhythm in the poem? (2 marks)

6. Refer to stanza 3. Lines 11-12 state that “the best advocate in the land/ was your
voice”. Why is this ironic? (1 mark)

7. Identify the tone of the poem. Remember to justify your answer by referring to two
examples. (4 marks)

8. This poem is an example of protest poetry. South Africa has a rich history of this
type of poetry. Do you think this poem is effective as a protest poem? Explain. (2
marks)
Section B: 25 marks

GRAND TOTAL: 35 MARKS

For information about correct quoting and referencing, consult Unit 1 of the Study Guide
(Tutorial Letter 501).

Warning!
Using ideas and facts from other people, books or web pages without saying where they
come from is the same as stealing those ideas and facts. This is plagiarism and it is a
serious offence. If you are found guilty of plagiarism, you will fail this assignment.

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