CHURCH GOING Flashcards
(28 cards)
church going
polysemic title - actually going to church-indicates speaker’s reflection on its importance OR the fading importance of church in modern secular society
another church
reflects speaker’s dismissal of significance/uniqueness of church- mundane OR shows that he frequently visits them and has an interest in them
little books
diminisher belittles the significance of the bible - ironically a sacrasanct text + the speaker views himself as superior to religion
sprawlings of flowers, cut for Sunday, brownish now; some brass and stuff
use of listing to describe the church+ lack of figurative lang reflects the mundanity and red significance
image of the flowers wilting and rotting + the brass as a worthless metal which rusts overtime reflects the decaying importance of the church overtime
musty, unignorable silence
mixing of senses and synaethaesia reflects the overwhelming lack of significance of the church
brewed God knows how long
comedic pun/reference to God suggests the speaker’s mocking of the terminology associated with churches- considers the role of God as he himself doesn’t care enough to find out
emph the prolonged decline in the importance of the church
hatless, I take off my cycle clips in awkward reverence
speaker’s sense of compromise and some respect to the church- jtxp prev dismissiveness
cleaned or restored? someone would know: I don’t
caesura emph the separation between the speaker and someone who is knowledgeable on the church- acknowledges his own ignorance
‘here endeth’ much more loudly than I’d meant/ The echoes snigger briefly
mocks the pompous tone of a priest - colloquial lang emph his dismissal of significance of church - jxtp prev reflective religious use of lang
childish/ juvenile mockery
I sign the book, donate an irish sixpence
donates a worthless currency - reflects dismissal of importance + superiority
OR
idea of compromise- still gives something - innate sense of reverence for the church
Yet stop I did: infact I often do
volta introduces stanza where the speaker reveals how he considers the prominence of the church in soc + some importance
more reflective + considers society in its absence
wondering what to look for; wondering too..when/ what
repetition of wondering reflects the speaker’s lack of knowledge and intrigue for the church and reflection
jxtp his prev sense of superiority
the few cathedrals chronically on show
image of church associated with illness/death reflects its purpose as slowly dying out but also the speaker’s pessimistic view on religion as a constant plague on society that will never go away
emph the power of innate human beliefs in maintaining the church
shall we avoid them as unlucky places? / pick simples for cancer/ walking a dead one now?
sf of superstition reflects how the church’s existence is tied to society’s innate need for beliefs and reliance on the intangible
in the absence of religion - soc will rely on other beliefs as its an innate part of human perception on the world/guidance
a superstition, like belief, must die
the fact that the church are based off the beliefs of humanity + fears = will inevitably die out + temporary ( religion as manmade) and futile power
grass, weedy pavement brambles, buttress, sky
fleeting nature of religion jxtp nature - continuously growing
a shape less recognisable each week/ a purpose more obscure
ties the fading purpose of religion to the physical ruins - idea that significance of church is tied to the manmade beliefs and humanity
its physical appearance will remain symbolic but will decay overtime- parallel phrasing reflects the inextricable connection between human identity and church
some ruin bibber randy for antique/ or christmas addict counting on whiff
asyndethic listing and linguistic dislocation reflects a mocking and condescending tone for churchgoers
sexual innuendos + images of drugs = subverts image of typical churchgoer- speaker critiques how church has become a facade of piety = lacks significance
bored uninformed…/ yet tending to this cross of ground
speaker acknowledges his own ignorance as the cause of his attitudes- doesn’t care to understand fully
jxtp with the nourishment and care offered by those who value the church
differing significances
only in separation- marriage, and birth, and death and thoughts of these - for which was built
church’s significance being tied to what it represents - key momentuous concepts in life - reinforces the idea of the church being tied with human identity (traditional view on significance)
this special shell?
expresses speaker’s own views on lack of importance of church - merely symbolic in society and is actually baseless and belief lacks substance
OR
idea of providing shelter/safety- relic-like belief that people will always rely on- makes it significant + innate part of humanity
a serious house on serious earth
establishes a sense of belonging and connection for the church to humanity - should be upheld as it meets the needs of people
robed destinies
mocks the prophesised beliefs in religion + superstitions
and that much never can be obsolete/ since someone will forever be surprising
antithesis reflects the longevity of the church - will always be tied to beliefs in one way or another = acceptance into society
