piano Flashcards
(16 cards)
‘Softly in the dusk’
‘Softly’ is an adverb that creates a gentle atmosphere.
“Dusk” the use of pathetic fallacy creates a warm image which is visually calming.
This calm and gentle tone reflects Lawrence’s childhood.
‘Taking me back down the vista of years’
‘Taking me’ personifies the music, showing the power of song and the control that it has over his memories.
‘The vista of years’ is beautiful imagery which reflects his view of his mother and childhood
A child’
He refers to himself as ‘a child’.
This creates distance between him and his childhood self showing the past tense and reminiscent tone.
‘In the boom of tingling strings’
He says that he is ‘in’ the strings, perhaps this shows that piano was a part of his identity and highlights the effect on him.
‘boom’ and ‘tingling’ are onomatopoeia which allow us to imagine the musical experience.
‘poised feet’
‘poised’ described his mother as a gentle and graceful woman which shows security in his family and childhood.
Use of plosive sounds replicates the piano and the rhythm of the music, showing the comfort which he found in it.
smiles as she sings’
Use of sibilance creates a soothing tone.
‘smiling’ and ‘singing’ is calm imagery.
In spite of myself
‘spite’ is an emotive word which shows that he does not want to have this memory.
It shows that he has no control over it.
‘Insidious mastery […] betrays me’
‘Insidious’ creates an uncomfortable image which contrast the serenity of the first stanza.
‘betrays me’ shows the power of the memory and of song and that it can manipulate his emotions.
This contrasts the security that he found in his childhood.
heart of me weeps’
heart’ is personified and is a symbol of emotion, this highlights his grief.
‘weeps’ is an emotive verb which highlights his sadness
tinkling piano our guide’
‘tinkling’ is onomatopoeia which portrays the piano as calm and gentle.
‘guide’ personifies the piano and shows its power and effect on Lawrence, it guides him through his memory.
As is guides their afternoon reflects the lack of worry and that this was a simpler time for Lawrence.
winter outside […] cosy parlour
Two contrasting ideas highlight the comfort and security which Lawrence had among his family and through childhood.
‘cosy parlour’ is imagery so we can imagine the scene and is juxtapositioned for contrast.
Flood of remembrance’
This is a metaphor which shows the power that the memory has over him.
It shows the lack of control and that he cannot stop it, it also highlights the detrimental effect that it is having on him.
‘black piano appasionato’
plosive sounds reflect the loud nature of the piano and the passion of its player.
This reflects his own emotion and that it has peaked due to the music.
‘my manhood is cast
Alliteration highlights the societal view of being ‘a man’, it shows that they were not expected to show emotion.
‘cast’ emotive verb shows that he has no control over his emotions and consequently his ‘manhood’
‘I weep like a child’
weep’ is an emotive verb to highlight his sadness
the simile ‘like a child’ contrasts his ‘manhood’ and reflects his bond with his mother.
STRUCTURE
Rhyming couplets
They create a song-like tone which shows the power of music and its effect on the writer
They also reflect the relationship that Lawrence had with his mother and its importance to him.
enjambment
Enjambment shows the passing of time and highlights that his comfort lies in the past.
It reflects the flooding memory which he remembers and has no control over.
It shows the continuation of music and its continuing effect on his life
caesura
Slows down the rhythm and highlights high emotions and grief in the final stanza
trochaic meter
creates a song-like tone, similar to a nursery rhyme, this reflects his childhood and the power of music.
the meter is inconsistent which reflects his lack of control over his emotions
Overall it shows his longing to return to his childhood.
