Climbing My Grandfather - Quotes Flashcards
(4 cards)
“without a rope or net”
1 - evokes themes of peril and danger - he may be cautious to get to know his grandfather - generational gap? - risk of uncovering something unwanted in his grandfather
2 - “rope” and “net” are tangible forms of safety - yet he instead finds safety within his grandfather
3 - mountain he must climb seen as an obstacle - he must climb it to therefore get better acquainted with his grandfather
“places his feet gently on the old stitches and move on”
1 - going past the wounds carefully, reflecting the speaker’s empathetic nature he beholds in regards to his grandfather - by exploring his grandfather, he is learning empathy - value of healthy familial relationships
2 - he is not conquesting this mountain, but “gently” treading up it, shows how he values his grandfather and is aware of his sorrows
“slow pulse of his good heart”
1 - synonymous with good health - dismisses the signs of aging within his grandpa and instead, due to exploring him, wishes him good health
2 - monosyllabic language mimics the described heartbeat - sense of finality - shows he has summitted his grandfather and is now encompassed with love
3 - heart is connoted with love - he can physically and spiritually feel the love pouring out of his heart due to exploring him
“watches the clouds and birds circle”
1 - natural imagery, cyclical image of nature of created in the idea of “circle” of life - getting to know someone is a natural process, and it should flow like a natural circle of life
2 - “watching” juxtaposes the earlier “climbing” - he has reached a position of emotional clarity and peace - brings the poem to a soft close - observing the world from a new viewpoint - life is better once connected with someone
