An Easy Passage- Julia Copus Flashcards
Summary
Explores the contrast between an innocent and naïve ,young girl and an older woman who works as a secretary. The poems central concern is the exploration of the fleeting period between girlhood and womanhood.
Structure
One continuous stanza
Gives the poem a flow feel suggesting freedom. Life is continuous and has no said structure and this relates to how the girl sees her life ahead of her.
Structure
Use of tenses
Written in present tense but the reference to astrology, and the presence of the older secretary as well as the mention f the girls mother ,are reminders of what the future might hold in store.
Structure
Epic Poem
Example of an epic poem where the speaker goes through an internal or external journey showcasing their transition.
Wider Ideas
Adulthood
Explores the difficulties and dangers of a adult world, whilst alongside facing internal conflicts of finding your identity. As well as early maturing as you step away from your old identity. The expectation for girls to mature quicker.
Critical Perspectives
Feminists
There is an implicit critique of how women are observed and judged, as seen in the male onlooker and the secretary inside.
The girls freedom and innocence contrast with the future constraints she may face, reflecting on societal pressures on women.
Critical Perspectives
LGBT
Girl coming back inside the house symbolizes her being apart of the homosexual community and is afraid to be judged by society and what they would say to her. Afraid to face the truth.
“Once she is halfway up there”
A literal passage to enter the house of the figurative passage through childhood to womanhood.
Adverb of time= action and there’s more to the story. Liminal state between children and adults.
“Halfway”- away from childhood, growing up and maturing.
“crouched in her bikini”
Cold ,vulnerable ,exposing trying to appear older than she is ,when in reality it only solidifies her youth.
“the friend with whom she is half in love”
Pivotal point in childhood to womanhood.
First sign for her being apart of LGBT.
Developing her emotions and attitudes of life.
OR
Love= friendships can be important in coming to age and exploring platonic friendships.
” a square of petrified beach”
Squares=uniformed shapes ,joined together.
Juxtapose the fluid and natural experiences in the poem of being literally petrified of the natural form of nature or emotion of the beach, seeing the girl.
“dropping gracefully into the shade of the house”
“shade”- noun representing the dark and gloomy nature of the house, however its the girl home where she is safe and unable to be judged as she has a sense of belonging.
