Page 141 - ELA_CA_HighSchool_Sampler_Flipbook

My Notes
Poetry
The Poor Man’s Burden by George McNeill
Pile on the Poor Man’s Burden— Drive out the beastly breed;
Go bind his sons in exile
To serve your pride and greed;
5 To wait in heavy harness, Upon your rich and grand; The common working peoples, The serfs of every land.
Pile on the Poor Man’s Burden— 10 His patience will abide;
He’ll veil the threat of terror And check the show of pride.
By pious cant and humbug
You’ll show his pathway plain, 15 To work for another’s profit
And suffer on in pain.
Pile on the Poor Man’s Burden— Your savage wars increase,
Give him his full of Famine,
20 Nor bid his sickness cease.
And when your goal is nearest Your glory’s dearly bought,
For the Poor Man in his fury, May bring your pride to naught.
25 Pile on the Poor Man’s Burden— Your Monopolistic rings
serfs: people of the lowest social class in medieval feudal society
cant: words that are insincere but sound honest and true
WORD CONNECTIONS
Etymology
The word serf refers to the lowest class in medieval feudal society: the peasants who worked the land under a lord. Serf is an Old French word derived from the Latin word servus, meaning “servant” or “slave.” Serfs were completely bound to the land owned by their lords, so they were, in a sense, slaves.
Unit 1 • Perception Is Everything 61
ACTIVITY 1.17
continued
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Born in Massachusetts in 1836, George McNeill grew up in an era when workers put in long hours and had few protections from poor or even dangerous working conditions. McNeill became a labor leader and activist who worked for improved working conditions (such as the eight-hour work day) and social reform. McNeill, not a fan of imperialism, responded to Kipling with this satirical offering in 1899, a few months after Kipling’s poem was published.
ACTIVITY 1.17 continued
Teacher Notes
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SCAFFOLDING THE TEXT-DEPENDENT QUESTIONS
3. Key Ideas and Details (RL.11–12.2) Based on details in stanzas 1–3, why is the “White Man’s” task a burden? What language and details reveal the speaker’s perspective about the “White Man’s” tasks? Why are these tasks a “burden” rather than a fulfilling calling?
4. Craft and Structure (RL.11–12.6) How do the “silent sullen peoples” feel about the White Man who calls them “captives” but also serves
their “need”? What do the words “silent” and “sullen” suggest about the speaker’s attitude toward them? Based on the language in the poem, what can you infer about the perspective of the people who are under the White Man’s rule? How do they contribute to the “White Man’s burden”? How must they be feeling and acting in order for the speaker to label them as “silent” and “sullen”?
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© 2017 College Board. All rights reserved.
© 2017 College Board. All rights reserved.