‘OUTCAST’ POEM

Read the poem below and answer the questions that follow.
OUT-CAST

They met by accident
He proposed the idea
She gave her consent
All the way to the altar

The casualty was male
And his pigment was pale
Unlike his alleged sire
Who was black with ire

The recourse was legitimate
He disclaimed responsibility
So they had to separate
The boy remains illegitimate

Last month, not long ago
They both took their go
Coincidentally by accident
No will, no estate
Nothing to inherit

The poor boy is hardly ten
And knows no next-of-kin
He roams the streets of town
Like a wind-sown out-cast

G. GathemiaQUESTIONS

a) Briefly explain what the poem is about. (4 marks)
b) Describe two character traits of the mother in the poem (4 marks)
c) Explain the meaning of the following as used in the poem. (3 marks)
(i) Disclaimed.
(ii) Unlike his alleged sire who was black with ire
d) Identify and explain one instance of irony in the poem (3 marks)
e) What is the persona’s attitude towards the boy in the poem? (3 marks)
f) Rewrite the following in your own words. (1 marks)
(‘They both took their go’)
g) Give a proverb that appropriately summarizes this poem. (2 marks)

ANSWERS

a) (N.B.: This may take two approaches: The plot approach and the thematic approach)
The Plot Approach
i) They meet and marry
ii) A pale child is born
iii) The man denies responsibility
iv) They separate/divorce
v) They both die
vi) The child is left with no inheritance/there is no next-of-kin/the boy roams the streets
(Any 4 points each 1mk = 4mks)
The Thematic Approach
i) Immorality
ii) Deception
iii) Irresponsibility
iv) Promiscuity
v) The plight of street children
(Identification of theme = 2mks, Illustration = 2mks, two illustrations per theme each 1mk =2mks or 1 illustration and 1 explanation = 2mks)
b) The mother is unreliable/unreliable/untrustworthy/immoral/unfaithful/deceitful/dishonest/promiscuous/treacherous/traitorous
She wants the man to accept responsibility for a child that he obviously has not fathered. The man is black while the child is white.

• She is secretive
• She is irresponsible/uncaring/unconcerned – \she leaves no inheritance for the child. She has not introduced the child to any of his kin.
• Calculating/cunning/scheming – makes the man think he is the father until the child is born (1mk for identification, 1mk for illustration. Any two traits =4mks) c) i. disclaimed – denied/refused/disagreed/did not agree/disowned (1mk) ii. The mother’s husband is not the biological father of the child. This infuriated him for being cheated. (1mk) d) i. We have a pale child from a black father (3mks) ii. An illegitimate child from a legitimate marriage iii. The birth of a child should consolidate a marriage but this one leads to a break up. iv. The child who has done no wrong is declared an out-cast (Any 1 point each 3mks = 3mks.) e) Attitude – Pities/pitying/sympathetic/piteous/compassionate. The persona recognizes that the poor boy suffers because of other people’s mistakes. He refers to the boy as a ‘’poor child’’, ‘’casualty’’ and says he is ‘’hardly ten’’. (Any 1 point each 3mks = 3mks.) f) – All that glitters is not gold (2mks)
  • hurry hurry has no blessing(s) (2mks)
  • Look before you leap (2mks)
  • Marry in haste, repent at leisure (2mks)
  • when two bulls fight, it is the grass that suffers (2mks)
  • As you make your bed, so must you lie on it. (2mks)