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Flashcards in Catrin Deck (16)
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1
Q

Give a quote to Show that the hospital is sterile

A

“Hot white room”

2
Q

What does the phrase “watching people and cars taking turns at the traffic lights” show

A

It shows the contrast between people going about their everyday life and this life changing moment for her. But the similarities too as both the people at the traffic lights and she is waiting

3
Q

Tight red rope of love ??

A

Umbilical cord. Symbol of the connection between the mother and child. Red is the colour of love in contrast with the hospital surroundings

4
Q

Fought over ??

A

Brutality and pain of childbirth

5
Q

Words coloured clean squares ??

A

Saying she screamed as she gave birth

6
Q

Give an example of an oxymoron

A

“Wild tender circles. Shows contractions and may also show how the birth is going on and on

7
Q

What does the phrase “neither won or lost the struggle” suggest?

A

That they were still together but no longer connected. They were still struggling as the child wanted more independence

8
Q

From the hearts pool that old rope tightening around my life ??

A

She can never cut the rope emotionally. The relationship between her and her daughter is strangling her

9
Q

Who wrote it?

A

Gillian Clarke

10
Q

Give some context about Gillian Clarke

A

She was born in Cardiff in 1937 and speaks both Welsh and English. The poem is about her own daughter. She wants people to interpret her poems themselves. She says that she wrote the poem to answer the question “Why did my beautiful baby have to become a teenager”

11
Q

What is the structure like?

A

The poem consists of short lines divided into two stanzas. One of them dealing with Catrins birth and the other the skating incident. The pause between them makes us wider what happened in between them

12
Q

The poem could be universally about any mother and child

A

The skating incident could happen to anyone

13
Q

Gillian Clarke uses a lot of imagery to Show her love and struggle with her daughter

A

Tight red rope of love
Words coloured the clean squares
Hearts pool that old rope tightening around my life

14
Q

What does Clarke use enjambment for?

A

To show how all the events are flowing into one whilst she is waiting to give birth and prepare for the full stop before she gives birth

15
Q

Describe the effect of the rhythm

A

It is gentle and expresses the love the mother feels for the cgd. It is also not regular as if it were a spontaneous train of thought

16
Q

What are the main ideas of the poem

A

That love can evoke conflict