Aunt Julia

Question 1

Aunt Julia spoke Gaelic

Answer 1

Word choice of Gaelic suggests that aunt Julia is different and stands out as she speaks a rare and dying out language

Question 2

Very loud and very fast

Answer 2

Word choice of “loud” has connotations of standing out and wanting to be heard showing that she was quite extroverted and proud of her culture as she wants it to be heard.

Question 3

I could not answer her -

I could not understand her

Answer 3

Repetition emphasises speakers helplessness

Question 4

She wore men’s boots

Answer 4

Word choice of “men’s” suggests that the boots are designed and usually worn by a male - this shows that Aunt Julia is unconventional.

Question 5

I can see her strong foot

Answer 5

Word choice of strong has connotations of power and independence showing she is a very tough and burly character.

Question 6

Her strong foot stained with peat

Answer 6

Word choice of peat suggests the tightly packed dirt used for lighting fires. Since her feet are stained by peat we can see that she in inextricably linked to the landscape - it is her and she is it.

Question 7

While her right hand drew yarn marvellously out of the air.

Word choice

Answer 7

Word choice of “marvellously” has connotations of awe and amazement suggesting the speaker was incredibly impressed at his aunts ability to draw the yarn.

Question 8

While her right hand drew yarn marvellously out of the air

Metaphor

Answer 8

Literally drawing something out of the air is a form of magic - creating something out of nothing, like magic the speaker thought that his aunts ability to draw yarn out of nothing was a form of witchcraft - emphasising how incredible he found it.

Question 9

Only house where I’ve lain at night

Answer 9

Word choice of “lain” suggest relaxed lying down, since he is so comfortable at his au te house even at night when people are typically scared showing just how safe he felt in his aunts house.

Question 10

She was buckets and water flouncing into them

Answer 10

This metaphor compares the speakers aunt to buckets and water moving vigorously within. Literally buckets are basic frugal items and water flouncing is bold brash movements of water. Like water flouncing in buckets and Julia is very bold and powerfully also she lives a rudimentary lifestyle.

Question 11

She was winds pouring wetly

Answer 11

Metaphors conveys power and strength of Aunt Julia

Question 12

She was brown eggs and black skirts

Answer 12

Brown and black relate to bleak landscape showing how she is one with the nature of the island.
Black could possibly wan she is widowed

Question 13

Silenced in the absolute black

Answer 13

Black has connotations of death and bleakness.

Question 14

But I hear her still

Answer 14

Inversion, still has been moved to the end of the line to emphasises the word still showing that even now he remembers her emphasising his care for his Aunt.

Question 15

Welcoming me with a seagulls voice

Answer 15

Seagulls voice is harsh and screechy but despite this writer still feels welcome showing how much he cared for his aunt.

Question 16

Getting angry, getting angry

Answer 16

Repetition emphasises his anger, this anger is aimed at both the loss of his aunt and the loss of the culture she represented.

Question 17

So many questions unanswered

Answer 17

Enjambement emphasises that his questions will never be answered and when someone dies there skills, knowledge and stories die too