Assisi Commonality Statement

Question 1

Assisi summary

Answer 1

‘Assisi’ is about MacCaig encountering a beggar during a visit to the Basilica of St Francis of Assisi in Italy

Question 2

Isolation

Answer 2

MacCaig explores the idle of isolation through the no one helping the beggar.
‘The ruined temple outside’
‘sat, slumped like a half-filled sack’

Question 3

Suffering

Answer 3

MacCaig explores the idea of suffering through the beggars physical disabliltys
‘Sat, slumped like a half-filled sack’
‘Hands on backwards’

Question 4

Interesting people

Answer 4

MacCaig explores the idea of interesting people through the beggar and his physical characteristics
‘In a voice as sweet as a child when she speaks to her mother’
‘Whose eyes wept of pus, whose back was higher then his head, whose lopsided mouth’

Question 5

Good and bad

Answer 5

MacCaig explores the idea of Good and Bad through the beggar compared to the church and the tourists.
‘A rush of tourists,clucking contentedly fluttered after him as he scattered the grain of the word’
‘Outside the three tiers of the churches built/ in honour of St Francis’

Question 6

Elicits sympathy

Answer 6

MacCaig explores the idea of sympathy through the beggars physical disabliltys
‘Sat, slumped like a half-filled sack’
‘Hands on backwards’

Question 7

Contrast

Answer 7

MacCaig uses contrast to compare the size of the church to the beggar
‘Three tiers of church built in honour of St Francis”

Question 8

Imagery

Answer 8

MacCaig uses imagery to describe the beggar
‘Sat, slumped like a half-filled sack’
‘The ruined temple outside’