Follower - Seamus Heaney

Question 1

My father worked with a horse-plough,
His shoulders globed like a full sail strung
Between the shafts and the furrow.
The horses strained at his clicking tongue.

Answer 1

‘my’ is possessive, connotes sense of belonging
‘horse-plough’ archaic tool, symbol for labour-intensive time.
‘shoulders globed like… strung’ simile evokes imagery of father’s strong physique
‘between the… furrow’ imagery illustrates his central role in guiding the plough
‘stained at his clicking tongue’ connotes control and authority over animals

Question 2

An expert. He would set the wing
And fit the bright steel-pointed sock.
The sod rolled over without breaking.
At the headrig, with a single pluck

Answer 2

‘An expert’ assertive fact. Caesura draws attention to father’s skill and authority.
‘sod rolled over’ assonance of ‘o’ sound creates smooth rhythm like plough moving. Wave-like feeling, calm sea.
Auditory imagery of ‘pluck’ is a sharp, percussive sound which mirrors the father’s precision and accuracy of control over horses..

Question 2

Of reins, the sweating team turned round
And back into the land. His eye
Narrowed and angled at the ground,
Mapping the furrow exactly.

Answer 2

Enjambment after ‘round’ mimics the continuous movement of the horses.
‘narrowed’ and ‘angled’ verbs which show father’s intense concentration & precision.

Question 3

I stumbled in his hobnailed wake,
Fell sometimes on the polished sod;
Sometimes he rode me on his back
Dipping and rising to his plod.

Answer 3

‘stumbled’ implies inexperience & uncertainty of author to be able to follow in his father’s footsteps
‘hobnailed wake’ symbolizes following parent’s footsteps
‘fell’ contrasts with ‘polished’ showing the author’s clumsiness and experience next to his father’s high quality work (polished connotes clean, high quality)
‘he rode me’ passive tone, so the attention is on the actions of his father and the author is just passive.

Question 4

I wanted to grow up and plough,
To close one eye, stiffen my arm.
All I ever did was follow
In his broad shadow round the farm.

Answer 4

‘broad shadow’ metaphor for his father’s legacy
‘wanted to grow up and plough’ vs ‘all I ever did was follow’ represents dreams vs reality, shows disappointment during author’s childhood that he wasn’t as skilled as his father.

Question 5

I was a nuisance, tripping, falling,
Yapping always. But today
It is my father who keeps stumbling
Behind me, and will not go away

Answer 5

‘nuisance, tripping, falling’ reflects childhood vulnerability and being dependent on his father.
repetition of ‘stumbling’ only this time to describe his father shows the cycle of life, and the role reversal as both the author and his father age.
caesura after ‘yapping always.’ creates a sharp switch in time and tone. From childhood inexperience to adult maturity.

Question 6

Key themes

Answer 6

Familial relationships
Admiration
Passage of time
Living up to legacy

Question 7

What was his father’s job?

Answer 7

Potato farmer

Question 8

Connotations of follower

Answer 8

Guidance, leadership, familial hierarchy. Tone of respect and admiration.