Context, Conflict and Poetry – A Case Study of Amanda Gorman’s poem ‘The

Hill We Climb’

Lesson 1 - Context Activity 1:

1. Use the following websites to create an infographic for other Year 10 students explaining
what happened in America on January 6th 2021 in Washington D.C. USA.
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_storming_of_the_United_States_Capitol
New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/01/12/us/capitol-mob-
timeline.html
The Global Observer: https://english.elpais.com/the_global_observer/2021-01-12/how-will-
we-remember-january-6.html

In your infographic explain the following:

- Who was involved?
- What happened?
- When did it take place?
- Where did it take place?
- Why did it happen?
- How did it happen?

Lesson 2 – Context Activity 2:

Watch the following You Tube clip of ‘Inaugration Day Highlights Jan 21 2021’. As you watch,
brainstorm all of the words/phrases and images linked to the concept of conflict.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avXe3EQlDNU

1. Write a paragraph explaining how America has experienced conflict in 2020/2021

Lesson 2 – 4 – Read and view the following poem:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_U6IKviDWFs

The Hill We Climb

Amanda Gorman (2021)
When day comes we ask ourselves,
where can we find light in this never-ending shade?
The loss we carry,
a sea we must wade.
We've braved the belly of the beast,
We've learned that quiet isn't always peace,
and the norms and notions
of what just is
isn't always just-ice.
And yet the dawn is ours
before we knew it.
Somehow we do it.
Somehow we've weathered and witnessed
a nation that isn't broken,
but simply unfinished.
We the successors of a country and a time
where a skinny Black girl
descended from slaves and raised by a single mother
can dream of becoming president
only to find herself reciting for one.
And yes we are far from polished.
Far from pristine.
But that doesn't mean we are
striving to form a union that is perfect.
We are striving to forge a union with purpose,
to compose a country committed to all cultures, colors, characters and
conditions of man.
And so we lift our gazes not to what stands between us,
but what stands before us.
We close the divide because we know, to put our future first,
we must first put our differences aside.
We lay down our arms
so we can reach out our arms
to one another.
We seek harm to none and harmony for all.
Let the globe, if nothing else, say this is true,
that even as we grieved, we grew,
that even as we hurt, we hoped,
that even as we tired, we tried,
that we'll forever be tied together, victorious.
Not because we will never again know defeat,
but because we will never again sow division.
Scripture tells us to envision
that everyone shall sit under their own vine and fig tree
and no one shall make them afraid.
If we're to live up to our own time,
then victory won't lie in the blade.
But in all the bridges we've made,
that is the promise to glade,
the hill we climb.
If only we dare.
It's because being American is more than a pride we inherit,
it's the past we step into
and how we repair it.
We've seen a force that would shatter our nation
rather than share it.
Would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy.
And this effort very nearly succeeded.
But while democracy can be periodically delayed,
it can never be permanently defeated.
In this truth,
in this faith we trust.
For while we have our eyes on the future,
history has its eyes on us.
This is the era of just redemption
we feared at its inception.
We did not feel prepared to be the heirs
of such a terrifying hour
but within it we found the power
to author a new chapter.
To offer hope and laughter to ourselves.
So while once we asked,
how could we possibly prevail over catastrophe?
Now we assert,
How could catastrophe possibly prevail over us?
We will not march back to what was,
but move to what shall be.
A country that is bruised but whole,
benevolent but bold,
fierce and free.
We will not be turned around
or interrupted by intimidation,
because we know our inaction and inertia
will be the inheritance of the next generation.
Our blunders become their burdens.
But one thing is certain,
If we merge mercy with might,
and might with right,
then love becomes our legacy,
and change our children's birthright.
So let us leave behind a country
better than the one we were left with.
Every breath from my bronze-pounded chest,
we will raise this wounded world into a wondrous one.
 We will rise from the gold-limbed hills of the west.
We will rise from the windswept northeast,
where our forefathers first realized revolution.
We will rise from the lake-rimmed cities of the midwestern states.
We will rise from the sunbaked south.
We will rebuild, reconcile and recover.
And every known nook of our nation and
every corner called our country,
our people diverse and beautiful will emerge,
battered and beautiful.
When day comes we step out of the shade,
aflame and unafraid,
the new dawn blooms as we free it.
For there is always light,
if only we're brave enough to see it.
If only we're brave enough to be it.

1) What is this poem about? What are the main ideas communicated in this poem?
2) How do you think this poem reflects the context in which it was written? Explain
with specific examples from your contextual research.
3) How is conflict dealt with in this poem? What are Gorman’s messages about conflict?
4) Individually, in small groups, or as a class, annotate the poetic techniques used in the
poem.

Lesson 5-6 – Blog Post

The origin of the word ‘blog’ is as an abbreviation for ‘web-log’ – that is, an online diary.
Blogs are written by many people all over the world, for lots of different purposes. They can
be diaries, or records of what you cook, a travel log for people visiting different destinations
or book review blogs, or many other sorts of blogs. The purpose of the writing depends on
what kind of blog it is.

Form

 Will loosely adhere to the following structure: an introduction (which introduces the topic
of the blog post); body (several paragraphs that continue the reflection or thoughts being
given by the author); and a conclusion (a short paragraph that tries to finalise the topic in
terms of the authors thinking)
 often have lots of pictures to make them look attractive
 vary the size, font and appearance of text for effect
 use links to connect to other web-pages
 can include video clips
 Features

 are usually quite personal – written in the first person and written partly for the author’s
own benefit
 personal and reflective tone
 the language is often informal and colloquial
 may not have a clear audience other than ‘anyone who’s interested’
 emotive language
 anecdote
 examples/references, quotes or statistics to support the author’s ideas
 Figurative language
 Hyperbole
Blogs can also be used by organisations to communicate informally with their audience.
Because they are online, they can be regular, and respond to events quickly.

Read the following blog post about Gorman’s poem and complete the question and
activities that follow:
https://blogs.loc.gov/catbird/2021/01/for-there-is-always-light-amanda-gormans-
inaugural-poem-the-hill-we-climb-delivers-message-of-unity/
1. What is the title of the blog? What does this reveal to the reader?
2. Where is the blog published? What does this indicate about the purpose and
intended audience?
3. Identify 3 elements of the form. Explain their effect.
4. Identify 3 language techniques used throughout the blog post. Give examples and
explain the effect.
5. What is the main message of the blog post?
6. Write your own blog post reflecting on your study of this poem in relation to conflict
and context. Use the scaffold below to help you.
Blog Post

Title – try to capture the essence of your

post clearly
Introduction – Introduces the poem and
your study of it

Language features:
- Anecdote
- Personal tone
- First person language
- Informal register
 - Colloquial language
Body – Builds reflection on the poem in
relation to conflict and context in a series of
paragraphs

- Details of context
- Factual information about the
author

- Aspects of conflict reflected in

poem

- Key messages of the poem and

how these are conveyed using
language techniques

- Impact the poem had on you

studying poetry, context and
conflict

Language features
- Personal tone
- First person language
- Informal register
- Colloquial language
- Emotive language
- Figurative language
- Hyperbole
Conclusion – Conveys what you think we
can learn about conflict from the poem –
what did you take away from Gorman’s
words?

Language features
- Personal tone
- First person language
- Informal register
- Colloquial language
- Emotive language