The Class Game (1981)

"The Class Game" By Mary Casey

Context

Mary Casey's The Class Game explores themes of social class and identity, challenging stereotypes and prejudices about working-class people. Written in the late 20th century, the poem reflects a time when class distinctions in Britain were widely felt, and individuals from working-class backgrounds often faced judgement and discrimination. Casey celebrates the pride and resilience of working-class identity, questioning societal attitudes and assumptions.

The Poem

How can you tell what class I'm from?

← Rhetorical question

I can talk posh like some

With an 'Olly in me mouth

Down me nose, wear an 'at not a scarf

With me second-hand clothes.

So why do you always wince when you hear

Me say 'Tara' to me 'Ma' instead of 'Bye Mummy dear'?

← Contrast

How can you tell what class I'm from?

'Cos we live in a corpy, not like some

In a pretty little semi, out Wirral way

And commute into Liverpool by train each day?

Or did I drop my unemployment card

Sitting on your patio (We have a yard)?

How can you tell what class I'm from?

Have I a label on me head, and another on me bum?

← Sarcastic tone

Or is it because my hands are stained with toil?

← Imagery

Instead of soft lily-white with perfume and oil?

Don't I crook me little finger when I drink me tea

Say toilet instead of bog when I want to pee?

Why do you care what class I'm from?

Does it stick in your gullet like a sour plum?

Well, mate! A cleaner is me mother

A docker is me brother

Bread pudding is wet nelly

And me stomach is me belly

And I'm proud of the class that I come from.

← Declarative statement

5 quotes + analysis to achieve a grade 9

1. "How can you tell what class I'm from?"

• Analysis: The rhetorical question sets the confrontational tone of the poem, challenging the reader to examine their biases and assumptions. It positions the speaker as assertive and unapologetic, immediately engaging the audience in a dialogue about class stereotypes.

2. "Me say 'Tara' to me 'Ma' instead of 'Bye Mummy dear'?"

• Analysis: This contrast in language highlights the speaker's pride in their working-class dialect and identity. The informal "Tara" contrasts with the stereotypical posh "Bye Mummy dear," mocking upper-class pretensions while celebrating the authenticity of working-class expression.

3. "Have I a label on me head, and another on me bum?"

• Analysis: The sarcastic tone questions the superficial judgements based on appearance or background. It critiques the reductive nature of class labelling, which disregards individuality and human worth.

4. "Or is it because my hands are stained with toil? / Instead of soft lily-white with perfume and oil?"

• Analysis: The imagery contrasts hard manual labour with the perceived leisure of the upper class. The "stained" hands symbolise pride in honest work, while "perfume and oil" critique the detachment of privilege from physical labour.

5. "And I'm proud of the class that I come from."

• Analysis: The declarative statement serves as the poem's climax, asserting the speaker's confidence and self-respect. It contrasts with the judgmental attitudes described earlier, leaving a powerful message of pride and resistance against prejudice.

Form & Structure

• Dramatic Monologue: The poem adopts a conversational and direct tone, drawing the reader into the speaker's perspective.
• Free Verse: The lack of a strict rhyme scheme mirrors the speaker's rejection of societal constraints and norms.
• Dialect: The use of colloquial language ("me," "Tara," "bog") reflects the speaker's working-class identity and reinforces the theme of pride in their roots.

Themes

1. Class and Identity: The poem critiques societal divisions and celebrates the authenticity and resilience of working-class identity.
2. Pride and Resistance: The speaker asserts their self-worth, challenging stereotypes and confronting societal prejudice.
3. Language and Prejudice: Through dialect and tone, the poem highlights how language can reflect identity and also become a source of judgement.

Example Paragraph for a Grade 9 Answer:

In The Class Game, Mary Casey explores the theme of class prejudice through rhetorical questions and imagery. The opening line, "How can you tell what class I'm from?" directly confronts the reader, challenging their assumptions. The vivid imagery of "my hands are stained with toil" juxtaposes the hard work of the working class with the "soft lily-white" hands of the upper class, symbolising a divide between labour and privilege. Through the use of dialect ("me Ma" and "Tara"), Casey reinforces the speaker's pride in their working-class identity while critiquing the superficial judgements of society. The final line, "And I'm proud of the class that I come from," asserts a powerful declaration of self-respect, leaving the reader with a message of defiance and dignity.