the planners poem essay question

• Ask LitCharts AI
• Discussion Question Generator
• Essay Prompt Generator
• Quiz Question Generator

• Literature Guides
• Poetry Guides
• Shakespeare Translations
• Literary Terms

The Planners Summary & Analysis by Kim Cheng Boey

• Introduction
• Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis
• Poetic Devices
• Vocabulary & References
• Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme
• Download PDF
• Line-by-Line Explanations

The Full Text of “The Planners”

“the planners” introduction.

• Read the full text of “The Planners”

“The Planners” Summary

“the planners” themes.

The Cost of Modernity

Human Progress vs. Nature

• Lines 21-23

Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis of “The Planners”

They plan. They ... ... permutations of possibilities.

The buildings are ... ... grace of mathematics.

They build and ... ... the skies surrender.

Lines 10-14

They erase the ... ... with gleaming gold.

Lines 15-17

The country wears ... ... Anaesthesia, amnesia, hypnosis.

Lines 18-23

They have the ... ... of last century.

Lines 24-27

But my heart ... ... our past’s tomorrow.

“The Planners” Symbols

• Lines 13-14: “All gaps are plugged / with gleaming gold.”

“The Planners” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language

• Line 1: “They,” “They”
• Line 7: “They”
• Line 10: “They”
• Line 18: “They have”
• Line 19: “They have”
• Line 21: “The”
• Line 22: “The”

Alliteration

• Line 2: “permutations,” “possibilities”
• Line 8: “sea”
• Line 9: “skies,” “surrender”
• Line 12: “dental,” “dexterity”
• Line 13: “gaps”
• Line 14: “gleaming,” “gold”
• Line 17: “Anaesthesia,” “amnesia”
• Line 19: “hurt”
• Line 20: “history”
• Lines 1-2: “All spaces are gridded, / filled with permutations of possibilities.”
• Lines 10-12: “They erase the flaws, / the blemishes of the past, knock off / useless blocks with dental dexterity.”
• Line 17: “Anaesthesia, amnesia, hypnosis.”
• Lines 19-20: “They have it all so it will not hurt, / so history is new again.”

Personification

• Lines 8-9: “Even the sea draws back / and the skies surrender.”
• Lines 15-16: “The country wears perfect rows / of shining teeth.”
• Line 9: “the skies surrender.”
• Lines 10-16: “They erase the flaws, / the blemishes of the past, knock off / useless blocks with dental dexterity. / All gaps are plugged / with gleaming gold. / The country wears perfect rows / of shining teeth.”
• Lines 24-27: “But my heart would not bleed / poetry. Not a single drop / to stain the blueprint / of our past’s tomorrow.”
• Lines 3-4: “roads / which”
• Lines 4-5: “points / linked”
• Lines 5-6: “hang / in”
• Lines 8-9: “back / and”
• Lines 11-12: “off / useless”
• Lines 13-14: “plugged / with”
• Lines 15-16: “rows / of”
• Lines 22-23: “through / the”
• Lines 24-25: “bleed / poetry”
• Lines 25-26: “drop / to”
• Lines 26-27: “blueprint / of”
• Line 1: “plan. They,” “build. All”
• Line 11: “past, knock”
• Line 25: “poetry. Not”

“The Planners” Vocabulary

Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.

• Permutations
• Desired points
• Dental dexterity
• Anaesthesia
• (Location in poem: Line 1: “All spaces are gridded,”)

Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “The Planners”

Rhyme scheme, “the planners” speaker, “the planners” setting, literary and historical context of “the planners”, more “the planners” resources, external resources.

Sydney Review Interview — Read an interview in which Boey discusses his literary influences and describes how being a transnational poet has shaped his work.

Cerise Press Interview — Read an interview in which Boey discusses his inspirations and processes.

A Brief Biography — Read a biography of Boey from Poetry.sg, a resource for poets and poetry from Singapore. 

A Reading of the Poem — Listen to "The Planners" read aloud by Rachel Lim. 

LitCharts on Other Poems by Kim Cheng Boey

Report to Wordsworth

• Quizzes, saving guides, requests, plus so much more.

The Planners

By boey kim cheng, the planners analysis.

These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own.

Written by Stanley Warhol

The sentiments aired by the speaker reflect Boey’s own experiences growing up and living in Singapore. As a Singaporean, Boey had the chance to experience the scene before the urbanization and developments in the late twentieth century. He left Singapore a few years after it became one of the fastest-growing cities with modern layouts and technology. The poet is renowned for addressing the topic of displacement in his works and “ The Planners ” is no exception. As such, through the speaker, he highlights the sense of alienation that he felt with the relentless modernization and degradation of the natural world.

The first stanza introduces the reader to the architecture of the unnamed city that emulates most modern cityscapes. It focuses on the obsession with functionality and efficiency that strips the nature and cultural identity of the geographical area. The modern scene lacks the humanity that is usually found in the imperfection of the natural world. In the second stanza, the speaker goes on to use dental terminology to refer to the process of urbanization. The flaws of the past are wiped clean and polished along the edges stealing away the essence of the city. The use of the terms hypnosis, anesthesia, and amnesia aims to illustrate the state of mind that people adopt over time. The speaker expounds this in the third stanza by asserting the lack of soul in urban progress and architecture. The new view of the country hardly evokes any emotion for him that poetry might get lost in the new world.

It is a free-verse poem comprising of three stanzas each with a different number of lines. It is written organically with no calculated schemes as an extended metaphor to its themes. The structure and tone are both sarcastic as a means of mocking the precision and calculations of modern planners.

Update this section!

You can help us out by revising, improving and updating this section.

After you claim a section you’ll have 24 hours to send in a draft. An editor will review the submission and either publish your submission or provide feedback.

The Planners Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Planners is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Study Guide for The Planners

The Planners study guide contains a biography of Boey Kim Cheng, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About The Planners
• The Planners Summary
• Character List

Essays for The Planners

The Planners essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Planners by Boey Kim Cheng.

• Analyzing Metaphors Hidden Within Boey Kim Cheng's 'The Planners'

Wikipedia Entries for The Planners

• Introduction

Class with Mason - School of Literary Studies

The list of favorite articles does not exist yet...

• Literary Articles
• Study Guides
• Shakespeare Studies
• Literary Theory
• Chart of Literary Terms
• Authors and Poets
• Color-Coded Translations
• Poetry Notes
• Prose Studies
• Short Story: Notes
• Drama: Notes
• Novels: Notes
• Literature 101
• Questions and Answers
• English Language
• Vocabulary Workshops
• Grammar Lab
• Writer's Lab
• Short Readings
• Free Audiobooks
• Free Podcasts
• Rich Results Test
• PageSpeed Insights

The Planners, Boey Kim Cheng: Analysis, Summary & Themes

Boey Kim Cheng's poem "The Planners" provides a thought-provoking exploration of the relentless nature of urban development and its impact on society. Through vivid imagery, powerful metaphors, and a nuanced use of language, the poem delves into themes of power, conformity, loss of cultural heritage, and individual resistance. It raises crucial questions about the consequences of unchecked progress, the erasure of history, and the struggle to maintain identity in the face of a homogenized and sanitized landscape. With its evocative portrayal of the planners' dominance and the powerlessness of individuals, "The Planners" invites readers to reflect on the complex relationship between development, heritage, and the human experience.

The Planners Poem Text

Critical analysis of the planners.

• Use of Third Person Collective Pronoun "They": The choice of the third person collective pronoun "they" emphasizes the speaker's disavowal of the planners' project. It creates a sense of detachment and highlights the speaker's distance from the planners and their actions.
• Perfect: The term "perfect" signifies the planners' achievement of their desired outcome, but it also carries a connotation of coldness and soullessness. It suggests that while the city may appear flawless and meticulously planned, it lacks the warmth and human touch that come with organic growth and historical significance.
• Gridded: The term "gridded" not only conveys the idea of fitting into confined spaces but also implies the imposition of conformity. It suggests that the planners' approach turns vibrant and diverse spaces into rigid, box-like structures, stifling individuality and creativity.
• Permutations of Possibilities: The phrase "permutations of possibilities" carries irony by juxtaposing the open-ended nature of possibilities with their confinement into predetermined sets. It suggests that the planners' actions restrict the potential outcomes and limit the scope of imagination and innovation.
• Dental Braces Imagery: The comparison of buildings to dental braces evokes a sense of forced alignment and rigidity. It symbolizes the planners' desire to control and manipulate the environment, imposing their will upon the cityscape and shaping it according to their predetermined vision.
• Sea Draws Back and Skies Surrender: These lines employ vivid imagery to depict the planners' tyrannical drive. The reference to the sea drawing back alludes to land reclamation, where even natural elements are coerced into submission. Similarly, the phrase "skies surrender" implies the overpowering dominance of skyscrapers, which block out the sky and diminish the vastness and freedom associated with nature.
• Blemishes and Dental Dexterity: The word "blemishes" carries a negative connotation, associating the past with imperfections or flaws that need to be eradicated. The metaphor of "dental dexterity" further emphasizes the harshness of urban renewal, likening the demolishing of old buildings to the extraction of unwanted teeth. This portrayal challenges the notion of urban development as a pleasant or positive process.
• Gleaming Gold and Wears: The phrase "gleaming gold" suggests an artificial and superficial beauty, lacking warmth or authenticity. The word "wears" conveys the idea of dressing up or masking something, implying that the perfect exteriors presented by the planners may hide a lack of depth or soul.
• Anaesthesia, Amnesia, Hypnosis: The progression of these words from "anaesthesia" to "amnesia" and finally to "hypnosis" signifies an increasing level of control exerted by the planners. It suggests that the initial stages of urban renewal may numb or desensitize individuals, leading to forgetfulness and eventually a state of indoctrination. This transformation erases historical memory and distorts the true narrative of the past.
• Piling: The metaphorical depiction of a dentist piling on teeth and jaws intensifies the brutality and violence associated with the process of urban renewal. It conveys a sense of aggression, bloodshed, and anguish, underscoring the destructive and painful nature of the planners' actions.
• Fossils of Last Century: The word "piling" evokes a sense of brutality and violence, likening the construction process to an aggressive act. The imagery of "fossils of last century" reinforces the idea that the buildings of the past are treated as relics to be destroyed and discarded, erasing the tangible connections to history and heritage.
• Change in Pronouns (My and Our): The shift in pronouns from "my" to "our" highlights the speaker's transition from a personal perspective to a collective one. It signifies the significance of the planners' actions, affecting not only the speaker but also the entire community. The use of "our" underscores the powerlessness of individuals in the face of overwhelming urban development.
• Past's Tomorrow and Blueprint: The phrase "past's tomorrow" implies the potential future of the past, which the planners seek to destroy. The reference to the blueprint represents the detailed plan laid out for the eradication of history and heritage. The speaker's desire to "bleed poetry" and disrupt the blueprint reflects their longing to resist the systematic destruction of the past, even though they recognize the futility of their efforts.
• Means: The word "means" carries a pun, indicating both the ability and the financial resources possessed by the planners. They have the means to execute their plans, both in terms of capability and monetary power, further solidifying their dominance over the urban landscape.
• So history is new: The phrase "so history is new" employs irony, as history, by its nature, is rooted in the past. However, in the context of the poem, the planners' actions aim to recreate history in a new and fabricated form. The line underscores the paradoxical notion of reconstructing the past, distorting its authenticity, and presenting it as something fresh and novel.

Summary of the Planners

Themes of boey kim cheng's the planners, stylistic analysis, attitudes/feelings:, linking poems:.

Join the conversation

• International
• Education Jobs
• Schools directory
• Resources Education Jobs Schools directory News Search

'The Planners' by Boey Kim Cheng - Complete Study Guide

Subject: English

Age range: 11-14

Resource type: Lesson (complete)

Last updated

27 November 2024

• Share through email
• Share through twitter
• Share through linkedin
• Share through facebook
• Share through pinterest

A full study guide for the poem ‘The Planners’ by Boey Kim Cheng - perfect for teaching and revision!

Suitable for students of all levels, including those studying the 2023-2025 CAIE / Cambridge IGCSE and O Level Poetry Anthology (Songs of Ourselves, Volume 1, Part 4).

This digital pdf, printable pdf, PowerPoint (ppt) + worksheet resource includes:

VOCABULARY STORY + SUMMARY SPEAKER + VOICE ATTITUDES LANGUAGE FEATURES STRUCTURE / FORM CONTEXT THEMES ATTITUDES TASKS + EXERCISES POSSIBLE ESSAY QUESTIONS

Take a look at this FREE study guide of the poem ‘From Long Distance II’ to see whether it’s suitable for you!

Teaching or studying the whole collection? Take a look at our complete CAMBRIDGE IGCSE POETRY BUNDLE here!

Please review our content! We always value feedback and are looking for ways to improve our resources, so all reviews are more than welcome.

VIEW OUR SHOP for other literature and language resources.

Tes paid licence How can I reuse this?

Get this resource as part of a bundle and save up to 50%

A bundle is a package of resources grouped together to teach a particular topic, or a series of lessons, in one place.

The Complete Cambridge Poetry Bundle, CAIE IGCSE Vol.1, Part 4 (2023-25)

A full set of study guides for each poem in the CAIE / Cambridge IGCSE Poetry collection: **Songs of Ourselves, Volume 1, Part 4** (2023-25). [If you're looking for the other IGCSE poetry collection, CLICK HERE](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/caie-cambridge-igcse-poetry-anthology-2023-2025-songs-of-ourselves-volume-2-part-4-12722377). There are also tasks, exercises, themes and essay questions that are tailored towards helping students achieve the very highest level! Have a resource on us! Download our [From Long Distance II by Tony Harrison - COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12766580) for FREE to see whether these documents are right for you. POEMS INCLUDED: 'A Consumers Report' - Peter Porter 'Away, Melancholy' - Stevie Smith From 'Long Distance II' - Tony Harrison 'Funeral Blues' - W.H. Auden 'He Never Expected Much' - Thomas Hardy 'Night Sweat' - Robert Lowell 'On Finding a Small Fly Crushed in a Book' - Charles Tennyson Turner 'Ozymandias' - Percy Bysshe Shelley 'Request to a Year' - Judith Wright 'The City Planners' - Margaret Atwood 'The Man with Night Sweats' - Thom Gunn 'The Planners' - Boey Kim Cheng 'The Spirit is too Blunt an Instrument' - Anne Stevenson 'The Telephone Call' - Fleur Adcock 'Rain' - Edward Thomas Each digital pdf, printable pdf, PowerPoint (ppt) + worksheet resource includes: * VOCABULARY * STORY / SUMMARY * SPEAKER / VOICE * ATTITUDES * LANGUAGE FEATURES * STRUCTURE / FORM * CONTEXT * THEMES * TASKS AND EXERCISES * POSSIBLE ESSAY QUESTIONS BONUS MATERIAL: How To Write Essays and Understand the Mark Scheme 'The Planners' - Poetry Essay (B-A Grade L6-L7) Ozymandias + Power: Example A/L7 Grade GCSE/IGCSE Essay* Please review our content! We always value feedback and are looking for ways to improve our resources, so all reviews are more than welcome. [VIEW OUR SHOP](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/Scrbbly) for other literature and language resources.

Your rating is required to reflect your happiness.

It's good to leave some feedback.

Something went wrong, please try again later.

This resource hasn't been reviewed yet

To ensure quality for our reviews, only customers who have purchased this resource can review it

Report this resource to let us know if it violates our terms and conditions. Our customer service team will review your report and will be in touch.

Not quite what you were looking for? Search by keyword to find the right resource: