Giuseppe- Roderick Ford

Question 1

Summary

Answer 1

Blends historical realism with a fairytale element to explore the darkest corners of human behaviors. It is about the war and how people make excuses for their actions.

Explores what makes us a human.

A narrative poem that looks at the killing of a mermaid in order to feed troops during WW2. Violent imagery indicates how women are treated as inferior by overpowering men/patriarchy.

Ongoing semantic field of aquatic fantasy.

Question 2

Structure

Enjambment and Caesura

Answer 2

Creates pauses in the middle of phrases implying that the speakers uncle is reluctant to continue telling his story, perhaps out of guilt or fear of judgment.

Changes the perception of the action from one comfort and gentility to restraint and coercion.

Question 3

Wider Ideas

Conflict

Answer 3

War forced these inhumane act ;emphasizing the brutality of warfare.

Traditional male power over women and the way society maintains power over those who are different, imparting guilt and shame onto them.

Question 4

Wider Ideas

Pinnocchio

Answer 4

Embodies the treatment of anti semantic behavior during WW2- Jewish people stereotypically have larger noses, indicating that they are liars and have a manipulative nature.

Pinocchio was made as an extended metaphor for children to learn to take control, unlike the mermaid who has no voice.

Set in Italy, Sicily during WW2.Italy was a place for refuge.

Question 5

Wider Ideas

Giuseppe

Answer 5

Italian rendition of the biblical name Joseph who was a laborer. He was a follower who was sold into slavery by his brothers.

Question 6

Critical Perspectives

Mythology

Answer 6

Mermaids have unrivaled beauty, but also their alluring voices which would make anyone who heard enter a trance (siren).

Mermaid is used to symbolize the atrocities of war, suggest reality of war can be dehumanizing.

Question 7

“My Uncle Giuseppe” and “my uncle”

Answer 7

First one- introduction of an elder figure gives the persona of a childlike voice causing the speaker to be impressionable/innocent. The accuracy of the story could depend on the level of rust on the adult.

Second one- decapitalization of ‘uncle’ shows the decrease in respect for the uncle in the nephews eyes after learning about the harsh reality/truth.

Question 8

“by a doctor, fishmonger” and “she was only a fish and fish cant speak”

Answer 8

1st- fishmonger sells fish, typically a male dominated work linking to how he sells her for the men’s use in hunger/desire. A doctor preserves life whilst the other kills= human capacity for evil.

2nd- link to ww2-ethnic cleansing of Jews. Power of words-existence is only worthy id you posses the power of communication.

Question 9

“she screamed like a woman in terrible fear”

Answer 9

juxtaposition between the justification and the real experience.

The simile to a woman is trying to associate with her being weaker than what she truly is.

Question 10

“an egg is not a child”

Answer 10

Link to abortion, how some people justify the removal of the egg by claiming it is not a real child.

hypocrisy- conflict between moral justification and conscience. Reminiscent of treatment towards Jews in WW2.

Question 11

“Starvation forgives men many things”

Answer 11

Justification for heinous deeds. Moral of the message shows the need humans have to justify their actions.

“men” are able to have power over men- women are inferior in a world full of patriarchy.

War time atrocities become justified in extreme survival situations.