Faith Healing

Question 1

Theme:

Answer 1

religion, meaning of life

Question 2

‘Each dwells some twenty seconds’

Answer 2

-juxtaposition to the kinds of ‘the deep American voice’
-suggests that although the women feel care it is short and limited
-maybe again used to emphasis + highlight the suspicious nature behind the religious ritual

Question 3

‘Now, dear child, What’s wrong, the deep American voice demands’

Answer 3

-uses direct speech to create a powerful impact for the reader + as though the healer is directly addressing us + the American voice could perhaps have an element of kindness as he is comforting the women + but could maybe be suggesting some degree of fraud and attempting to sell an idea and there isn’t real care
-the moment would be hugely impactful for the women as they are being directly addressed

Question 4

‘Some stay stiff, twitching and loud With deep hoarse tears, as if a kind of dumb And idiot child’

Answer 4

-grotesque and unnatural image is created as the people are completely overpowered and overwhelmed by the healing
-almost a hypnotic like effect + completely taking them over
-has some kind of overwhelming joy and happiness from the healing + cast outside their bodies
-perhaps animalistic
-simile: childlike joy has been awoken inside them in the moment of healing + acts as a moment of happiness unlike one they haven’t experienced the happiness before
-‘idiot’ may imply a lack of care/nurturing previously + moment of catharsis as all the emotion has been released

Question 5

‘To lift and lighten; and such joy arrives’

Question 6

‘Their thick tongues blort’

Question 7

‘The voice above Saying Dear Child, and all time has disproved’

Answer 7

-direct speech again is used to suggest that the inner child has been deprived of love + within everybody is some degree of happiness

Question 8

Context:

Answer 8

-Billy Connelly and Evangelical Christian preacher
-Larkin himself wasn’t religious and believed there was no God or hope for the planet

Question 9

Critic: Andrew Motion ‘Glum…

Answer 9

…accuracy’

Question 10

Critic: Larkin stated there was no such thing as ‘true love’…

Answer 10

…just ‘deprivation and ignorance’

Question 11

Critic: Swarbrick described love for Larkin as…

Answer 11

an ‘deal which condemns us to disappoint’