english Flashcards
(9 cards)
Whats “Storm on the Island”
by Seamus Heaney
About the political uproar due to the differences in catholic and protestant church.
His goal - relate conflict as natural but also overwhelming and unpredictable.
*“spits like a tame cat turned savage” *- the people never really understood and could control nature. Also reflecting domestic language - felt that the political disturbance effects him personally
“we are prepared: we build our houses squat” - shows their arrogance in what is going on. People are unwilling to change
*“we are bombarded by the empty air” * - there is an overwhelming power of the storm. Being attacked by something invisable and powerful.
What’s Kamikaze
by Beatrice Garland
**A daughter of a Kamikaze pilot telling her children about what her father went through.
“This was no longer the father we loved” - shows either the people around him are changing or it was him who changed
“*Which had been the better way to die” *- left feeling empty as he valued family more
*“shoals of fishes flashing silver as their bellies swivelled towards the sun” * - sibilance implies grace and peace. increases the pace to make the poem emotional. Nature imagery.
What’s Remains
by Simon Armitage
About a solider experiences post war. He is left with PTSD
“his bloody life in my bloody hands” - colloquial language makes him seem casual. Highlights the guilt that the conflict has left .
“I blink and he bursts again” - - enjambent across stanzas - distortion between reality and memories. The flashbacks were coming back. Plosives are violent.
“probably armed, possibly not.” - Ambiguous and unsettling, perhaps left unfair and it was the guilt knowing what he may have been unjustly killing people
What’s Emigree
by Carol Rumens
A narrator talking about her memories of her home country
*“There once was a country” *- Temporal deixis - makes the place seem like a false mystery that doesnt exist - infantilises to a tale.
“I cant get it off my tongue. It tastes of sunlight” - imagery that the person may not remove. Its part of their identity and will not change. Delight of the memory in sunlight
*“I have no passport” *- Alludes to the pain and conflict thats inflicted by manmade borders.
Whats London
by William Blake
Sees corruption and dirt on the streets of London, all of societies issues.
“mark in every face I meet Marks of weakness, marks of woe.” - “marks” repetition demonstrates how permanent the effects of unfair places power. Also suggests that there cannot be anything to remove the impact of suffering,
“The mind-forged manacles I hear” - Metaphor used to highlight how people trapped in their social position are trapped and have no escape.
“Runs in blood down palace walls.” - Symbolises the suffering and sacrifices of the common people, contrasting the power and privilege of the elite
Whats Bayonet Charge
by Ted Hughes
A soldier is thrown into a battle without an preparation
“bullets smacking the belly of the air” - violent imagery - impacts of the shots
“king, honour, human dignitity, etctetera” - coloquial language - shows the absurdity of propaganda that war is okay and normal
“cold clockwork of stars and nations” - the soldiers are like machines working for a bigger evil cause
by Ted Hughes
Whos Shiela significance
“but these girls arent cheap labour - theyre people” - her moral awakening and ability to empathise
“I know im to blame - and im desperately sorry.” - she accepts her fate
“It frightens me the way you talk” - she is becoming aware and upset at her parents denial, she is still thinking about herself but also the bigger picture too.
Whos Mr Birlings significance
“A man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own” - he is selfish and looking out for himself over others at all times
“youd think everybody has to look after everybody else” - dramatic irony as thats exactly what we should do
“mixed up together like bees in a hive… all that nonsense” - he doesnt understand we are all equal
