in mrs tilschers class

• “travel up the blue nile”

  metaphor - just as the journey of the nile is long so of is the journey of growing up and going through childhood.
• “chanted”

  word choice - change has denotations of happy and singing suggesting mrs tilschers class as a happy and freeing place to be in.
• “enthralling books”

  word choice - enthralling has denotations of interesting and suggests the children were absorbed by the literature.
• “the classroom glowed like a sweet shop”

  simile - just as sweet shops are bright colourful and tempting so too was mrs tilschers classroom
• “good gold star’

  word choice - good has denotations of positive and happy suggesting the classroom had a happy and positive atmosphere.
• “inky tadpoles changed from comas into exclamation marks“

  metaphor- just as the tadpoles are changing shape so too are the children, the punctuation referring to the learning environment.
• ”feverish july”


  word choice - feverish dentures hot and agitated suggesting illness and heat.
• ”air tasted of electricity”

  metaphor - just as electricity s energetic and dangerous so too is the energy fuelling the children.
• “as the sky split open into a thunderstorm”

  metaphor - just as thunderstorms are dramatic and scary so too is the idea of growing up and leaving school.
• What are the key themes in "In Mrs Tilscher’s Class"?


  Childhood innocence, loss of innocence, growing up
• What tone is used in "In Mrs Tilscher’s Class"?

  Wondrous, joyous, ominous, tense
• What language features are prominent in "In Mrs Tilscher’s Class"?

  • 2nd person
  • Metaphor
  • Simile
  • Word choice
  • Minor sentences
  • Symbolism
  • List
  • Personification
• How does the opening line "You could travel up the Blue Nile" create a sense of wonder?

  It suggests the classroom allows global experiences.
• What does the word "chanted" imply about Mrs Tilscher's teaching style?

  It suggests she is enthusiastic and engaging.
• What does the comparison of the classroom to a "sweet shop" suggest?

  It implies the classroom is bright and full of variety.
• What does the phrase "Brady and Hindley faded" imply in the poem?

  It suggests the joy of the classroom overshadows dark events.
• What does the line "Over the Easter term, the inky tadpoles changed" symbolize?

  It symbolizes the narrator's growing awareness of adulthood.
• What does the phrase "the air tasted of electricity" imply about the narrator's feelings?

  It suggests excitement and danger in growing up.
• How does the narrator's relationship with Mrs Tilscher change throughout the poem?

  It shifts from comfort to uncertainty and doubt.
• What are the key themes in "Originally"?

  Identity, childhood, growing up, family, change