1
TITLE: 'Nice' is a word that has no precise meaning and is used to describe anything
that is seen as positive. It is generally regarded as a lazy word. The title SETSUP the
IRONY used in the poem to mock the English who are IRONICALLY described as 'nice'
when they are arrogant and generally superior in attitude to other.
Summary: This is a short, amusing
Oxymoron poem in which the poet Lawrence
1. The English are so nice
uses SATIRE to criticise both the
2. so awfully nice Hyperbole
3. they are the nicest people in the world. quintessential (prototypical) English
term 'nice', while also making a
4. And what’s more, they’re very nice about being nice
5. about your being nice as well! Rhetorical question: The use of a comment about the nation's sense
6. If you’re not nice they soon make you feel it. RHETORICAL QUESTION is intended
of superiority over those from other
to MANIPULATE the reader or
7. Americans and French and Germans and so on listener in to agreeing with the countries. By using IRONY &
8. they’re all very well speaker. SARCASM, Lawrence MOCKS and
9. but they’re not really nice, you know.
10. They’re not nice in our sense of the word, are they now? shows his contempt for the English
and their attitude to foreigners and'
11. That’s why one doesn’t have to take them seriously.
12. We must be nice to them, of course, others' who do not think the way
13. of course, naturally.
they door speak English. They have a
14. But it doesn’t really matter what you say to them,
15. they don’t really understand superior attitude and look down on
16. you can just say anything to them:
difference. He mocks them and use
17. be nice, you know, just nice
18. but you must never take them seriously, they wouldn’t understand, the meaningless word 'nice' to do so.
19. just be nice, you know! Oh, fairly nice,
20. not too nice of course, they take advantage
21. but nice enough, just nice enough
22. to let them feel they’re not quite as nice as they might be.
@Juffrou_Ansie
, LINES1–3: The word 'nice' is REPEATED three times. 2
1st line→ often heard and meaningless. 1. The English are so nice
2. so awfully nice
2nd line→ REPETITION of 'nice' diminishes the value of the word– 3. they are the nicest people in the world.
could mean something else.
4. And what’s more, they’re very nice about being nice
3rd line→ "nicest people in the world" is a HYPERBOLE because it 5. about your being nice as well!
is an absurd exaggeration. Remember it is a SATIRE and the 6. If you’re not nice they soon make you feel it.
TONE of the speaker is MOCKING. Try to 'hear' the mocking
voice in your mind–then the MEANING of the poem becomes 7. Americans and French and Germans and so on
clearer. 8. they’re all very well
9. but they’re not really nice, you know.
10. They’re not nice in our sense of the word, are they now?
The speaker lists different nationalities to REVEAL the 11. That’s why one doesn’t have to take them seriously.
12. We must be nice to them, of course,
PREJUDICES the English. Perhaps the Americans are named
13. of course, naturally.
first because they are slightly better than the others as they 14. But it doesn’t really matter what you say to them,
15. they don’t really understand
speak English and used to be a British colony.
16. you can just say anything to them:
17. be nice, you know, just nice
7th line→ The REPETITION of 'and' adds to the effect of the 18. but you must never take them seriously, they wouldn’t understand,
number of nations that are not English. 'and soon'-there is 19. just be nice, you know! Oh, fairly nice,
20. not too nice of course, they take advantage
such contempt for people who are not English they do not 21. but nice enough, just nice enough
even deserve to be mentioned. 22. to let them feel they’re not quite as nice as they might be.
FORM/STRUCTURE: the poem is written as a MONOLOGUE that mocks post-Victorian snugness or pride. The lack of any RHYME shows
the spoken word. The word 'nice' is bland and ambiguous. The poet creates a negative impression through his use of this
vagueness. The SIMPLE CONVERSATIONAL register that addresses the reader directly and the REPETITION of certain words and
phrases allow the speaker to use the language of the English to MOCK them. There is an overall IRONIC TONE to this poem.
SPEAKER: here we have a speaker mocking the arrogance and pride of the English. This is not necessarily the voice of Lawrence,
although it might be his sentiment sin the poem. He has created a PERSONA who does the talking.
@Juffrou_Ansie
TITLE: 'Nice' is a word that has no precise meaning and is used to describe anything
that is seen as positive. It is generally regarded as a lazy word. The title SETSUP the
IRONY used in the poem to mock the English who are IRONICALLY described as 'nice'
when they are arrogant and generally superior in attitude to other.
Summary: This is a short, amusing
Oxymoron poem in which the poet Lawrence
1. The English are so nice
uses SATIRE to criticise both the
2. so awfully nice Hyperbole
3. they are the nicest people in the world. quintessential (prototypical) English
term 'nice', while also making a
4. And what’s more, they’re very nice about being nice
5. about your being nice as well! Rhetorical question: The use of a comment about the nation's sense
6. If you’re not nice they soon make you feel it. RHETORICAL QUESTION is intended
of superiority over those from other
to MANIPULATE the reader or
7. Americans and French and Germans and so on listener in to agreeing with the countries. By using IRONY &
8. they’re all very well speaker. SARCASM, Lawrence MOCKS and
9. but they’re not really nice, you know.
10. They’re not nice in our sense of the word, are they now? shows his contempt for the English
and their attitude to foreigners and'
11. That’s why one doesn’t have to take them seriously.
12. We must be nice to them, of course, others' who do not think the way
13. of course, naturally.
they door speak English. They have a
14. But it doesn’t really matter what you say to them,
15. they don’t really understand superior attitude and look down on
16. you can just say anything to them:
difference. He mocks them and use
17. be nice, you know, just nice
18. but you must never take them seriously, they wouldn’t understand, the meaningless word 'nice' to do so.
19. just be nice, you know! Oh, fairly nice,
20. not too nice of course, they take advantage
21. but nice enough, just nice enough
22. to let them feel they’re not quite as nice as they might be.
@Juffrou_Ansie
, LINES1–3: The word 'nice' is REPEATED three times. 2
1st line→ often heard and meaningless. 1. The English are so nice
2. so awfully nice
2nd line→ REPETITION of 'nice' diminishes the value of the word– 3. they are the nicest people in the world.
could mean something else.
4. And what’s more, they’re very nice about being nice
3rd line→ "nicest people in the world" is a HYPERBOLE because it 5. about your being nice as well!
is an absurd exaggeration. Remember it is a SATIRE and the 6. If you’re not nice they soon make you feel it.
TONE of the speaker is MOCKING. Try to 'hear' the mocking
voice in your mind–then the MEANING of the poem becomes 7. Americans and French and Germans and so on
clearer. 8. they’re all very well
9. but they’re not really nice, you know.
10. They’re not nice in our sense of the word, are they now?
The speaker lists different nationalities to REVEAL the 11. That’s why one doesn’t have to take them seriously.
12. We must be nice to them, of course,
PREJUDICES the English. Perhaps the Americans are named
13. of course, naturally.
first because they are slightly better than the others as they 14. But it doesn’t really matter what you say to them,
15. they don’t really understand
speak English and used to be a British colony.
16. you can just say anything to them:
17. be nice, you know, just nice
7th line→ The REPETITION of 'and' adds to the effect of the 18. but you must never take them seriously, they wouldn’t understand,
number of nations that are not English. 'and soon'-there is 19. just be nice, you know! Oh, fairly nice,
20. not too nice of course, they take advantage
such contempt for people who are not English they do not 21. but nice enough, just nice enough
even deserve to be mentioned. 22. to let them feel they’re not quite as nice as they might be.
FORM/STRUCTURE: the poem is written as a MONOLOGUE that mocks post-Victorian snugness or pride. The lack of any RHYME shows
the spoken word. The word 'nice' is bland and ambiguous. The poet creates a negative impression through his use of this
vagueness. The SIMPLE CONVERSATIONAL register that addresses the reader directly and the REPETITION of certain words and
phrases allow the speaker to use the language of the English to MOCK them. There is an overall IRONIC TONE to this poem.
SPEAKER: here we have a speaker mocking the arrogance and pride of the English. This is not necessarily the voice of Lawrence,
although it might be his sentiment sin the poem. He has created a PERSONA who does the talking.
@Juffrou_Ansie
