Carol Ann Duffy: How Does Duffy Approach The Topic of Education in Her Poetry?
by “We always talk about the importance of education and its impact on society, but seldom think about how society affects our educational system.”
What connections have you found between the ways in which Duffy and Pugh approach education in their poetry?
Duffy paints a negative picture of teachers in ‘Head of English’; the persona patronises not only the guest but the students through the imperative “run along now girls”. The third-person collective noun “girls” places the pupils into a weak, powerless group, removing their credibility as independent, intelligent learners. The collective noun removes the individuality of the pupils, suggesting that education is never tailored to the needs of the individual in a quasi-industrial process. In the same breath, however, the persona called for the foreign students to “see [him/her] after break”, separating them from their peers, suggesting that British schools discriminate against students and therefore do not offer equal opportunities. In either case, Duffy blames the education system for society’s ills, as the echoing of “today…” as a statement of intent in both ‘Education for Leisure’ and ‘Head of English’ suggests that the British style of education fails for some, resulting in unemployment and “signing on”.
Both poets criticise the British education system as outdated and unproductive, even “peculiar…”, that ultimately fails to educate people such as the persona of ‘Education for Leisure” and is ultimately damaging to society, as he/she may “touch your arm”.
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