London vs Checking Out Me History: AQA Power and Conflict Poetry Comparison (Grade 9 Guide)
Introduction
London by William Blake and Checking Out Me History by John Agard are two significant poems in the AQA Power and Conflict anthology that explore power, oppression, and identity. Both poets criticise systems that control people’s thinking and limit freedom. However, Blake focuses on social and political oppression in eighteenth-century London, while Agard challenges the way colonial education erases Black history and identity.
This Grade 9 comparison guide will help you compare both poems confidently in exams.
Quick Comparison Summary
| Theme | London | Checking Out Me History |
|---|---|---|
| Oppression | Social and political control | Educational and cultural control |
| Identity | Citizens trapped by society | Identity reclaimed through history |
| Power | Institutions dominate people | Authorities control knowledge |
| Tone | Bitter and bleak | Angry but empowering |
| Voice | Observer walking city | Personal speaker resisting system |
Similarity 1: Both poems criticise systems of control
In London, Blake describes “mind-forg’d manacles”, suggesting people are mentally imprisoned by society.
In Checking Out Me History, Agard repeats “Dem tell me”, showing authority figures controlling what the speaker learns.
Grade 9 Comparison Point:
Both poets show power working through ideas and institutions, not just physical force.
Similarity 2: Both poems expose injustice
Blake hears suffering in “every cry of every Man”, presenting widespread misery.
Agard highlights unfair exclusion by saying “Dem tell me wha dem want to tell me”.
Grade 9 Comparison Point:
Both poets reveal how those in power silence or harm ordinary people.
Similarity 3: Both use strong voices to challenge oppression
Blake’s speaker witnesses and condemns corruption.
Agard’s speaker directly resists the system by reclaiming history.
Grade 9 Comparison Point:
Both poems use voice as a tool of protest.
Difference 1: Tone and outcome
London
Bleak, hopeless, pessimistic.
Checking Out Me History
Defiant, energetic, hopeful.
Grade 9 Comparison Point:
Blake emphasises suffering, while Agard emphasises resistance and recovery.
Difference 2: Identity
In London, individuals lose identity within a damaged society.
In Checking Out Me History, the speaker rebuilds identity through hidden historical figures.
Grade 9 Comparison Point:
Blake shows identity suppressed; Agard shows identity reclaimed.
Difference 3: Structure
London
- Four regular quatrains
- Repetition of “every”
- Tight controlled structure mirrors oppression
- Cyclical misery
Checking Out Me History
- Irregular stanzas
- Alternation between official history and hidden heroes
- Use of italics and varied rhythm
- Structural rebellion
Grade 9 Comparison Point:
Blake uses control to mirror oppression, while Agard breaks form to reject control.
Key Quotes Comparison Table
| London | Checking Out Me History |
| “mind-forg’d manacles” | “Dem tell me” |
| “every cry of every Man” | “Dem tell me wha dem want to tell me” |
| “Runs in blood down Palace walls” | “Bandage up me eye with me own history” |
| “marks of weakness, marks of woe” | “I carving out me identity” |
Context Comparison
London
- Blake criticised industrial society, monarchy, and Church corruption.
- Written during social inequality and political unrest.
Checking Out Me History
- Agard responds to colonial education systems.
- Celebrates Black historical figures ignored in mainstream teaching.
Grade 9 Comparison Point:
Both poets challenge powerful institutions shaping public thought in their eras.
How to Write a Grade 9 Comparison Paragraph
Both Blake and Agard criticise systems that control people mentally. In London, “mind-forg’d manacles” suggests citizens are trapped by harmful ideas and institutions. Similarly, Agard’s repeated “Dem tell me” shows authority figures deciding what knowledge the speaker receives. However, Blake presents people as largely powerless, whereas Agard ends by reclaiming control through “I carving out me identity”.
Exam Question 1
Compare how poets present power and control in London and Checking Out Me History.
Grade 9 Model Response
Both poets present power as something that shapes people’s minds. In London, Blake’s phrase “mind-forg’d manacles” suggests oppression becomes internalised. Citizens are mentally imprisoned by institutions such as the monarchy and Church.
Similarly, in Checking Out Me History, Agard shows control through education. The repeated phrase “Dem tell me” suggests authority figures dominate what the speaker is taught. This creates a narrow version of history.
However, the endings differ. Blake offers little hope, describing continued suffering. Agard ends positively with “I carving out me identity”, showing resistance. Therefore, both poets criticise control, but Agard presents the possibility of liberation.
Exam Question 2
Compare how poets present identity in London and Checking Out Me History.
Grade 9 Model Response
Identity is presented very differently in the two poems. In London, people lose individuality within a damaged city. Blake’s repeated “every” reduces citizens to part of a mass suffering population.
In contrast, Agard focuses on personal identity. He says authorities “Bandage up me eye with me own history”, suggesting blindness caused by distorted education. Yet by the end he actively rebuilds selfhood.
Structurally, Blake’s regular form traps people in repetition, while Agard’s freer structure reflects independence. Therefore, Blake shows identity crushed by society, whereas Agard shows identity rediscovered through truth.
Exam Question 3
Compare how poets use structure to challenge oppression in London and Checking Out Me History.
Grade 9 Model Response
Blake and Agard both use structure meaningfully. London uses four regular quatrains and repeated patterns. This creates a sense of order and inevitability, mirroring how oppressive systems control city life.
In contrast, Checking Out Me History uses irregular stanzas and changing rhythms. The contrast between nursery-rhyme style sections and lyrical passages about heroes highlights the difference between trivial official history and inspiring hidden history.
Both poets also use repetition: Blake repeats “every” to show widespread suffering, while Agard repeats “Dem tell me” to expose imposed narratives. Therefore, Blake uses structure to represent oppression, whereas Agard uses structure to resist it.
Further Revision Links
To strengthen your comparison skills, read the full anthology hub and detailed poem guides:
- AQA Power and Conflict Poetry Anthology (All 15 Poems): https://englishmadesimple.org/aqa-power-and-conflict-poetry-anthology-revision-guide/
- London by William Blake – GCSE Poetry Guide: https://englishmadesimple.org/london-by-william-blake-gcse-poetry/
- Checking Out Me History by John Agard – GCSE Poetry Guide: https://englishmadesimple.org/checking-out-me-historyby-john-agard-gcse-poetry/
Use these pages to revise quotes, context, themes, and Grade 9 essay ideas before attempting comparison questions.
Final Grade 9 Tip
When comparing these poems, remember: Blake exposes people trapped by oppression, while Agard shows identity being reclaimed from oppression.
