The Furthest Distances I've Travelled By Leontia Flynn Flashcards
(12 cards)
Title: The Furthest Distances I’ve Travelled
Paradox as its not a geographical distance the speaker refers to at the end but rather an emotional one
Structure
Lack of structure implies that the speaker has no structure in her life however towards the end of the poem a rigorous structure is presented as the speaker comes to a realisation of the inconsistency of her emotions
Half rhyme creates a sort of beat throughout the poem replicating the steady pattern of climbing a mounting and keeping an even pace
Context
Western Union is a global financial service that allows people to send and receive money internationally and is often used by travellers, immigrants, or people without stable bank accounts
Flynn has also travelled extensively , and her experiences inform much of her poetry
She visited many literary sites such as a flat where Elizabeth Bishop stayed in Paris
Agenda
Reality of travel is not always glamorous
The poet wants to reflect on personal transformation using travel as a metaphor for how people grow and change. The speaker’s journey from physical adventure to emotional realisation shows how life experiences shape identity especially in youth.
Flynn suggests we often overlook the complexity and value of relationships
Themes
Society
Transience and disconnect
Cultural identity
Youthful exploration
Stanza 1:
“Like many folk, when I first saddled a rucksack”
“my spine curved under it like a meridian-“
Hint of elitism as the speaker assumes “many folk” embark on such journeys and indicate she is like everyone else
Her rucksack causing her spine to curve can be symbolic of how as she grows up entering adulthood the weight of the worlds expectations grow
Colloquial language
Simile - meridian can be within the body or be a geographical reference of travelling the globe
Stanza 2:
“I thought: Yes. This is how to live.”
“sherpa pass, between Krakow and Zagreb, or the Siberian white”
Form of assertion where the speaker is convinced travelling is the way in which everyone should live
Use of past tense “I thought” suggests the speakers no longer thinks this
Use of punctuation creates an abrupt stop to her opinions on how to live life indicating how she refused to lead any other way of life, she left no room for a different outlook or perspective
Sherpa pass - used metaphorically to evoke the image of a well-worn, adventurous root
Hippie trail reference taken by western travellers in the 1960’s and 1970’s seeking spiritual enlightenment
Erratically enjambed lines and contrasting places shows the extent to which the speaker is willing to travel
Siberian white connotates isolation and remoteness as it is geographically isolated on the corner of a map
Stanza 3:
“in anony
mity:”
“some kind of destiny.”
The poet intentionally broken down the word anonymity between two lines through enjambment which creates a feeling of uneasiness as you explore the world
Represents how travellers are viewed as anonymous and can escape realities of their personal life
Word play as “mity” may reference ‘mighty’
Strong infinitive sentence echoes the line “This is how to live”
Use of punctuation represents clear divide from the narrator’s past to their present opinions on travelling
Stanza 4:
“scare stories about Larium”
“- the threats of delirium”
Sibilance alliteration invokes sense of fear towards the readers
Larium is an anti-malarial drug - the speaker is talking about the possible side effects from taking such a drug
Delirium is the speakers worry of having psychosis from being out of touch with reality as travelling is her form of escapism without facing any problems head on
Consonant rhyme creates emphasis reinforcing a philosophical and emotional drive that motivated the speaker
Half rhyme with Larium and delirium
Stanza 5:
“giro”
“hastily into a holdall” and “Madison to Milwaukee”
refers to a banking system for direct electronic payments
It is a method of transferring money from one bank account to another without using a check or cash and is commonly used by jobseekers
Alliterative rhythmic feel contrasting with previous exotic locations previously mentioned
Stanza 6:
“is really beyond me”
“However,”
“I discover”
“I know these are my souvenirs”
Use of punctuation ends the speakers second thought before shifting to the next thought or opinion they are sharing
Isolation of the conjunction however on its own line draws the readers to focus on this new shift of thought
Verb suggests maybe the reader has in fact reached a sense of enlightenment from her travels
The listed items represents the speakers memories
Stanza 7:
“crushed valentines”
“the furthest distance I’ve travelled have been those between people”
“what survives of holidaying briefly in their lives”
Suggests the speaker had romances on her journey or she romanticises the journey itself rather than a person
The speaker acknowledges the most wonderful aspect of travelling is not the place itself but the people who she met along the way
The speaker could possible be saddened when parting with people from different cultures she has met as they may have provided a feeling of inclusivity and warmth
Instead of visiting different places the speaker rather visits different lives and becomes apart of them for a while before moving on to the next
“briefly” suggests a short lived nature of time and how it is very precious as important moments soon become fleeting
