Decomposition - teaching resource

Decomposition by Zulfikar Ghose – WJEC Eduqas GCSE Poetry Anthology Teaching Resource

This detailed two-lesson mini-unit focuses on Zulfikar Ghose’s striking poem Decomposition, featured in the WJEC Eduqas GCSE English Literature Poetry Anthology. Designed to deepen students’ understanding of the poem, the resource explores the poem’s context, language, structure, and key themes, while providing exam-focused support for comparison with other anthology poems.

The teaching pack includes a 36-slide fully editable PowerPoint presentation and three accompanying worksheets packed with structured, engaging activities to support analysis and essay preparation.

Resource highlights:

• Contextual Background: Zulfikar Ghose’s life and the impact of Partition and poverty on his writing

• Close Reading: Line-by-line discussion of Decomposition with guided questions, key quotations, and model responses

• Language & Imagery: Exploration of Ghose’s vivid visual imagery, symbolism of decay, and emotional tone of guilt and reflection

• Structure & Form: Study of free verse, enjambment, shifts in time and perspective, and their links to theme and meaning

• Themes: Poverty, dehumanisation, guilt, exploitation, indifference and social inequality

• Exam Practice: Exam-style essay questions, planning frameworks, and sample paragraphs

• Comparison Guidance: Strategies for comparing Decomposition with other anthology poems such as War Photographer by Carol Ann Duffy

Ideal for classroom teaching or revision, this resource gives teachers everything they need to help students develop a confident understanding of Decomposition and to succeed in the WJEC Eduqas GCSE English Literature exam.

Get access to thousands of pages of resources. Find out more about membership here.