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- Casey introduces the idea of a ‘Class Game’ in the poem, whereby people guess and assume the social class of others, akin to a quiz or guessing game. The poem itself is a dramatic monologue directed at the person who is doing just this to the speaker and it captures Casey’s contempt towards the class system.
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Jun 6, 2020 · Casey focuses on the concept of social class in her poem ‘The Class Game’. The class system is a society that is divided into groups of people based on their social hierarchy that is derived from socioeconomic factors including wealth, race, gender, education and social status.
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The speaker of ‘The Class Game’ begins with a challenging toneof voice, and the readers can immediately sense her intent to call out certain people and challenge their way of thinking. She asks, “How can you tell what class I’m from” and then she describes some specifics about her attire that she believes others are using to guess her social class....
In these lines of ‘The Class Game’, speaker continues to challenge her audience, asking them why they “wince” when they hear her say things a certain way. For example, she says “Tara to me Ma” rather than the more proper way of saying, “Bye Mummy dear”. The speaker clearly wonders why it matters how she says goodbye to her mother, and why it should...
Again, the speaker points out things about her that make her social class stand out. She asks her hearers if they know her social class because she happened to drop her unemployment card. Her distinctly asking whether she dropped in on their “patio” reveals that she does not have a patio…just a yard. Again, she asks her hearers how they can tell wh...
The speaker reiterates a few of the points she has already made. She questions the onlooker, asking if he or she knows her social class because of the oil stains on her hands. She points out that her hands are not “soft-lily white with perfume and oil” like the rich women surrounding her. She questions her audience whether they have guessed her soc...
With these last few lines of ‘The Class Game’, the speaker finally comes right out and says what she has been implying all along – that her social class should not concern others. She asks, blatantly, “Why do you care what class I’m from?” Then, in a critical tone of voice, she asks, “Does it stick in your gullet, like a sour plum?” With this quest...
THE CLASS GAME. Mary Casey. Brief Summary. ‘The Class Game’ is a poet responding to the differences she’s observed between herself, as a member of the working class, and those who identify as from the middle and upper classes. It’s a poem which centralises around these differences, culminating in the poet stating that she is proud of ...
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The Class Game by Mary Casey is a poem that delves into the complexities of social class and identity. Through the speaker's reflection on the perceptions and judgments of others, the poem highlights the prejudices and stereotypes associated with class distinctions.
This poem is about class divisions and the ‘games’ we play when making judgments about others or when we try to present ourselves in a way that affects how others see us.
The poem is written in a deliberately colloquial manner to reflect the pride in Casey's roots. Rhetorical questions are used to force the reader to challenge their own prejudices. Contrasting images are used throughout the poem to contrast the differences between the social classes.
Casey shows pride in her working class roots. The poem was written when Margaret Thatcher came to power as UK Prime Minister. Some people argue Thatcher waged a 'class war' against the working classes. Casey's poem reflects the way some people looked down on the working class.
