By the end of studying the poem ‘No Problem’ by Benjamin Zephaniah I need to know;

Meaning: The speaker (poet) explores his own experiences of racial stereotyping, in England, but hopes for change.

Ideas: By establishing an emotional attachment to the speaker, the poet hopes the reader will reflect upon / challenge their own stereotypical views and those of society as a whole.

Benjamin’s education was mixed. He suffered from racial abuse and the stereotypes of the day. He says that he was often dubbed a failure,and argues that it was the education system that failed him.
His experiences inspired his poem 'No Problem'

Reading
Vocabulary Racism Performance Poetry / Dub
Discrimination
poetry
Prejudice
Inequality Watch /listen to the
Racial stereotyping following clip on You Tube.
Autobiographical
Prejudice https://www.youtube.com/wa
Timbuktu -Timbuktu is a city located near the Niger River in modern-day Mali in West Africa . Timbuktu was an intellectual and spiritual capital throughout Africa in tch?v=ZhaXDfIGGzA
the 15th and 16th centuries. It’s also a place that is synonymous with somewhere exotic, far-flung and foreign. Zephaniah uses this as a figure of mockery
to mock the stereotyping of his race.
Context Benjamin Zephaniah was born in Birmingham in 1958. His parents are Caribbean and his Jamaican heritage often influences his poetry.
‘No Problem’ explores his own experiences of discrimination and racism. It was published in 1996.

He grew up in Jamaica and the Handsworth district of Birmingham, England, leaving school at 14. Later he was identified as being dyslexic. Benjamin Zephaniah’s
background seems unlikely for a poet: a dyslexic who left school unable to properly read and write. His teenage years of petty crime culminated in a prison spell.
For a poet associated with protest literature, many of Zephaniah’s poems are tempered by hope, humour and laughter.

Zephaniah is writing at a time where challenging society’s ideas is more common (in contrast to ‘Cousin Kate’ where challenging society’s beliefs is more
problematic). As a result, Zephaniah is able to be more direct in his criticism levelled at society than Rosetti is able to.

Themes Oppression
Hope - A theme throughout most of Zephaniah’s poems.
Racial stereotyping
Conflict – Internal conflict – Man vs Society
Discrimination
Racism

Deeper Oppression - The speaker reveals the racism and adversity they have faced. They have battled abuse and limitations due to the colour of their skin,
understanding whilst growing up. Interestingly, however, he offers a jovial and relaxed perspective- this is because he is writing from the perspective of a teenage
Zephaniah. He does, however, offer hints that if this does not change then he could grow bitter: ‘these conditions may affect me as I get older’-
offering a concerned view over te psychological impact this could have on him. The use of humour and rhyme throughout the poem do convey his current
relaxed attitudes towards the racism and stereotyping he is subjected to.

Hope – Despite past prejudice , the speaker remains hopeful. They know they are ‘not the problem’ and understand that change can exist if people ‘get it
right’ and stop harmful racial stereotyping.
Quotes ‘I am not de problem’ Ironic as there is a problem as we read on. Repetition of this phrase throughout the poem. Each refrain reveals another problem. Links to other poems:
‘But I bear de brunt’ Plosive ‘b’ mimics the physical blows landing as the speaker experiences playground bullying.
‘I am born academic’ Zephaniah uses a declarative to highlight how he is naturally intelligent. ‘Half Caste’ and ‘The Class
‘Now I am branded athletic’ another challenge to the stereotype. Connotations to slavery are attached to ‘branded’ the individual experience of the Game’ Compare how speakers
speaker linked to a much wider issue. The language that ‘dey got me on de run’ reinforces how he is being forced into that stereotype. It alludes to the in these poems stand up for
criminal stereotype - they are expected to be on the run form police, not academic therefore no opportunity for employment . their different cultural
‘If yu give I a change’ – Non standard grammar helps to create an authentic voice and makes the plea more heartfelt. It also reflects his pride in his identities. Also consider how
culture- that he uses phonetic spelling to reflect his accent. all three poems are relatively
‘I can’ Repetition of ‘I can’ implies that there is potential for change to happen. modern- the free verse
‘But I am versatile’ Defiance - the speaker resists the constraints society may place upon him.
perhaps reflective of the
‘Yu put me in a pigeon hole’ Putting complex things into small restrictive places – stereotyping; yet he asserts how he is ‘versailte’ challenging the
freedom of speech afforded
stereotype with an enthusiastic and light-hearted rhyme.
to the modern poets.
‘I can teach yu of Timbuktu’- Zephaniah mocks the narrow-minded views of society. The assumption that he is from ‘Timbuktu’ because he is black, even
though he is from Jamaica. Loss of heritage and cultural
identity can also be explored
‘I am positively sure’ Double positive stresses the sincerity of the speaker. His informal language adds to the casual tone. in ‘What Were They Like?’
‘I have no chips on my shoulder’ A powerful quote demonstrating moral defiance. The speaker does not demonstrate anger - which the reader might
expect. Cousin Kate- compare the
‘Black is not the problem’ The move from ‘I’ now includes everyone who has been similarly oppressed , highlighting how widespread the issues explored in freedom Zephaniah has with
the poem are . This shift (volta) reflects how these issues are universal, but also highlights what is causing all of these issues- the colour of his skin. how much more subtle Rosetti
‘Mother country get it right’ Could be seen as a reference to ancestral motherlands which were colonised by the British, again referencing the oppression has to be in her poem. This
experienced or alternatively affection for England as the speaker’s home. Also, his ‘Mother country’ is Britain so he is ordering British society to change. reflects the views and
The fact he uses a collective, rather than speaks to an individual, reflects how he is trying to change society as a whole, it also makes his speech less attitudes of the society at
aggressive. He isn’t criticising an individual. Multiple interpretations must be explored.
the time.
‘Sum of me best friends are white’ Parodies a typical excuse used to justify saying racially problematic things. The poet reduces it to a joke to expose
how weak an excuse it is. Interestingly the last word in the poem is ‘white’.
Terminology Form – Use of personal pronouns throughout the poem highlight how this is a real story. The reader develops an emotional attachment to the speaker.
Rhyming scheme – The poem has a regular ABCD rhyme scheme and looks at a new part of the problems experienced every four lines.
Structure – The poem is split into two parts . The first stanza describes how the speaker has been affected by racist stereotypes. The second stanza
looks to the future where the speaker hopes for change.
Phonetic Caribbean English – The words are spelt phonetically (the way the sound when spoken aloud).This makes the speaker sound authentic and reveals
how proud they are of their cultural heritage. The use of this ‘voice’ demonstrated their strength and defiance to conform to these stereotypes.
Language of victimisation – by presenting themselves as a victim of racism, the speaker creates a sympathetic response and makes the reader question
the impact of their own stereotyping.
Language of defiance – The speaker repeatedly demonstrates how they are more complex than people expect them to be, and their demand for change
emphasises their determination and spirit.