chainsaw versus pampass, furthest distances, Flashcards
(23 cards)
what is the style of the poem and what is the significance of the title chainsaw versus pampass grass
The poem is conducted in an mock heroic tale with the chainsaw an ‘unlikely match’ for the pampass grass, initially expect their to be no competition with the chainsaw adament it will thrive and be victorious. Perhaps also alludes to the theme of feminine and masculinity with the chainsaw symbollic of rage and agression with the pampass feminine in nature
‘it seemed an unlikely match.’
The speaker is hubristic and adament the chainsaw will win with the end stop marking this as non-negotioable
how is the chainsaw depicted in the opening stanza (aggression and violence)
‘grinding its teeth’
‘knocked back a quarter pint’
rage is imminent and instantaneous, short and rapid movement hint at the aggressive nature and lurches for violence. The colloquial language offers a hyper masculine depiction and sense of urgency.
one last gulp of last years heat
synthesisea sustained anger and violence that is left unresolved, and contained in the summer house hints at restriction.
what is the effect of the repetiton and active verbs ‘then walked/then walked again/clipped them together/ gunned the trigger’
The speaker’s methodical approach to the meticulous and drawn out process of preparing the gun builds in anticipation for the power of the weapon and explosive power of the insendry device with ‘keg’.
no gearing up or getting to speed, just an instant rage,
The appositive signifies the chainsaw’s releases an instantanteous rage and pent up anger.
its mood to tangle with cloth, or jewellery or hair.’
sweet tooth bloody desire
The polysyndeton conveys how the chainsaw has no preferance to whom its ferocious anger is directed toward, pure destruction without out prejudice. The chainsaw has a gluttonous desire and relishes in the destruction of delicate and feminine features and the destruction picking competition it believe it can dominate.
‘hundred beat per second’
adrenaline and the speed at which anger is unleashed a tidalwave of fury.
what is the structure like? cs vs pp
The chainsaw’s arrogance and excessive preparation is exaggerated by the dominant line lengths, but is undermined in the bathos of the much shorter lines of the pampass grass and outlines the ‘unlikely match’ with its ‘ludicrous feathers’ almost taunting the speaker who is ridculous in his attitude taking offence to the beauty of the plant.
‘taking the warmth and light
stealing the show with its footstools cushions and tufts
the freedom and indulgement of the pampass grass contrasts to how the chainsaw is contained in the summer house which breeds resentment with the sibilance representative of the spat out anger.
probably all that was needed was a good push or shove
overkill.
the use of excessive and unncessary force from the speaker suggesting he too relishes in the violence which he aids to faciliatate, the speaker still underestimates the forces needed to destroy the pampass grass
the minor sentence reinforces the speaker’s pride, delighted with the extensive lengths.
how does the speaker perceive the violence he is complicit in.
Percieves the destructrion of the natural world as though a ‘game’ and revels in the act of brutality. The speaker’s extreme arrogance is highlighted in the minor efforts of ‘touched/dabbed’ with the major outcome where the reed ‘didnt exist’ and had ‘docked couple of heads’
i ripped into pockets of dark,secret warmth’
quasi sexual language where the speaker is incredibly invasive and disturbs the concealed privacy of the pampass reiterates underliying theme of masculinity persuing feminity
but the blade become choked with soil
argument marker signifies the volta as the chainsaw’s weaknesses are higlighted and apparent as its efforts becomes increasingly ineffective and futile evident in the simile ‘like cutting at water or air with a knife’ highlights the underlying power of the natural world where the speaker is eventually exhausted in his effor0ts and embraces a defeatists attitude having ‘left it at that.’ with the end stop suggestive that whilst his efforts have ceased the destruction is left incomplete.
how does the pampass grass regain glory in the last stanza
,wearing a new crown, in the corn of Egypt’ the pampass reclaims a sense of status with the intertextuality to the bible signifies a non-negotiable as the speaker is made redundant and out of place
what is the structure of furthest distances
stanza length decreases as activity decreases and excitment in the speaker’s life is reduced with the half rhymes and quatrains amplifying the constant movement of life when travelling
Like many folk
On the beaten track
element of conformity travel is a universal experience that is not individual or unique emphasized by the subversion of the idiom where the speaker rather than gains freedom conforms to generic expectations
I thought : Yes this is how to live.
The certainity of the speaker’s voice in youth and the expectation travelling will be a permanent feature in her life hints at her naievity and desire for lack of stability
It came as clear as over a tannoy that in restless annoy
mity:
The visual rhyme signifies the ambiguity around whether the speaker finds satisfaction with the restlesness perhaps physical exhaustion from life on the move. There is irony to the speaker’s statment as the tannoy is noutoriosuly unclear in sound and muffled and again how the experience is not individual but as though publically broadcasted.
stuffing smalls hatily into a holdhall
post office with a handfull of bills
how is this contrasted to everyday present life
overdue laundry
the sibilance conveys how the fast paced nature spontanuity and energy gained from travelling, where even the mudane and simpliest tasks bring enjoyment contrasting the responsibilities of her present permanent residency which seem mundane so much so the speaker puts them off and delays.
is really beyond me.
how does the speaker sound
speaker is conflicted as the end stop signifies how she cannot fathom why she has stopped travel and perhaps shows a sense of yearning for it as she reflects.
i discover
alien pants,cinema stubs,the throwaway comment on a post it
how is there a change to the value founded in travelling
Speaker still has an element of travel within her with the language suggestive she has uncovered these items, despite the eclectic mixture of items each are important and serve as remiders to the temporary relationships the speaker has made whilst travelling that are preserved through the items despite them being temporary and transient.
what is the effect of the rhyme scheme in the last stanza
‘unravelled/travelled/survives/lives’
speaker has come to the conclusion of the meaning of travel as she ‘briefly holidays in peoples lives’ where raltionships arent for the longevity like travel and the fleeting nature of connections.
