Valentine

Question 1

Not a red rose or a satin heart

Answer 1

Rejects traditional commercialised tropes of Valentine’s Day

Question 2

Onion

Answer 2

Mundane common and cheap makes you cry

Question 3

I give you

Answer 3

Direct address from leaves reader shocked

Question 4

It is a moon

Answer 4

Similar shape to onion

Question 5

it promises light

Answer 5

suggests sexual awakening of speaker.
light has positive connotations reflects happiness at the start of relationships but then flakes off the skin of.

Question 6

careful undressing of life

Answer 6

suggests excitement delicate nature of love, peeling the onion layers like taking off clothes.

Question 7

here.

Answer 7

direct request to take gift. as if the erson is reluctant to take it, forceful tone

Question 8

blind you with tears

Answer 8

inability to see, loss of power in relationship. Possibly tears from cutting the onion or from toxic relationship

Question 9

like a lover

Answer 9

simile- lovers source of pain not happiness.

Question 10

will

Answer 10

it is un

Question 11

wobbling

Question 12

greif

Answer 12

powerful ending to stanza makes clear the lodd that love can cause, suggests that love makes you vulnerable

Question 13

trying to be truthful word choice

Answer 13

alliteration links in a memorable way speaker can’t guarantee honesty.

Question 14

trying to be truthful- structure

Answer 14

single lined stanza, emphasises theme of honesty, speaker finds it difficult to be truthful or lover doesnt want to hear the truth

Question 15

not a cute card or a kissogram-
structure

Answer 15

one lined stanza repeats. idea from stanza 1 of rejecting conventional romantic objects

Question 16

not a cute card or a kissogram- word choice

Answer 16

mice words with negative connotations harsh “c” sounds suggests dismissive ideas. love is replaced with performance.

Question 17

i give you an onion

Answer 17

repetition, trying to convince the lover to take the gift, ideas of rejection

Question 18

fierce kiss- imagery

Answer 18

personification suggests reated that the onions kiss is not a feeling of love, unpleasant lingering unwanted love

Question 19

fierce kiss- word choice

Answer 19

real kiss is described as fiery and passionate with word fierce, suggests the lingering nature of love and possession

Question 20

possessive and faithful

Answer 20

impossible to be both
Contrasting depictions of love suggests that there can be two sides to the experience of love. Positives vs negatives.

Question 21

as we are word choice

Answer 21

repetition shows relationship is committed noe, not thinking of the future. relationship is not guaranteed

Question 22

as we are- enjambent

Answer 22

suggests relationship didn’t last forever

Question 23

take it

Answer 23

he has to force it upon the lover because they are unsure how to respond and reluctant to take the ‘gift’. Accepting the gift means harsh truth of relationship

Question 24

platinum

Answer 24

colour of loops like an onion precious metal

Question 25

loops shrink

Answer 25

metaphor, ultimate symbol of life, commitment, constructing marriage feeling trapped in an unfulfilling situation

Question 26

lethal - word choice

Answer 26

associated with killing or harm. deadliness of relationships . not just physically. drain life or happiness from you.

Question 27

lethal- structure

Answer 27

one word sentence. abruptness of the line shows how much violence can be caused by love.

Question 28

will cling - word choice

Answer 28

possessive side of the relationship
not letting go or leave

Question 29

will cling- structure

Answer 29

repetition, reinforces scent of onion, suggest physical intimacy. could also represent smothering and manipulation, lack of escape.

Question 30

your knife.

Answer 30

Violent, suggesting how the love can be dangerous. and has the ability to cut and wound someone threatening tone. ‘Your’ suggests the ending was mutual responsibility not
fully on the speaker.
the knife can destroy the onion.