The way my mother speaks

    Cards (23)

    • Stanza 1
    • “In my head”
      short sentence - emphasises the personal connection and closeness she feels with her mother. This suggests her mother is part of her and integrated within her.
    • “Shallows of my breath“
      The word choice of ‘shallow’ breath suggests her breathing is rapid this suggests and highlights her nervousness of not wanting to be heard which reinforces her feelings of isolation.
    • “Restful shapes moving”
      Oxymoron, contradiction feeling between calm/reflective and confused/filled with anxiety. This conveys her confusion and uncertainty as she moves away to a place she isn’t used to
    • What technique is used when the writer says “restful shapes moving”
      Oxymoron
    • “The day and ever. The day and ever.”
      Repetition mimics the rhythm of the train, the italics show this is one of her mothers phrases, she is remembering and repeating in her head which gives her comfort and reassurance.
      (She’s thinking of the past but also the future)

      • emphasises the loss and how these negative feelings will continue to last as she remembers and repeats her mothers phrases in her head as she doesn’t want to forget her. Repetition also used to mimic the movement of the train.
    • Stanza 2
    • “The train this slow evening“
      Transferred epithet ‘slow’ refers to the train rather than the evening. This suggests that the train journey is tedious as the speaker is made to reflect on her past and what she’s left behind.
    • What technique is used when the speaker states “the train this slow evening“
      Transferred epithet
    • “goes down England
      Word choice suggests the slowness of the train journey. This highlights that she has been left with the opportunity to reflect
    • “browsing for the right sky”
      word choice of ‘browsing’ has connotations of slow movement, with no sense of urgency. This suggests the uncertainty of what kind of adult life she wants.
    • “Too blue swapped for a cool grey”
      word choice of ’too blue’ suggests her happy and sunny life at home which is being swapped for the ‘cool grey’.
      word choice of ‘cool grey’ has connotations of dull, misery or darkness. 
      This suggests
    • “For miles”
      Word choice 'miles' emphasises the distance travelled and perhaps how long her thoughts have been bugging her.
    • “The way I say things when I think”
      alliteration, emphasizes that the phases are now not just her mothers, but they have become her own.  This suggests that her mothers influence is clearly at the speakers sense of herself and this comes alive especially when she is at her most thoughtful.
    • “Nothing is silent. Nothing is not silent”
      repetition/Contradiction, emphasises how confused  her thoughts as she still hears her old home life in the present as the repetition also captures the rhythm of the train which seems to echo the rhythm of her thoughts, always with her.
    • Stanza 3
    • “I am happy and sad”
      Contradiction/ contrast, emphasises her mixed as she moved away from her mother. This suggests that she doesn’t know weather to be upset or exited.  
    • “Like a child”
      simile compares the speaker to a child just as a child feels emotions deeply, feeling both joy and sadness at once, so to does the speaker feel mixed emotions during this moment of change. This highlights her connection to her past but also embracing the present, thriving in it as she still feels a sense vulnerability while still being exited at the idea of moving forward.
    • “End of summer”
      Metaphor, compares the end of summer to the end of childhood, just as the end of summer marks the beginning of change into a darker season, so too does the speaker feel she is moving to a new uncertain place in her life.
    • “Dipped”
      word choice has connotations of cautious and wary. This suggests the speaker is wary about entering the adult world and growing out of childhood into adolescence.
    • “Green, erotic pond.”
      Metaphor, compares the speakers emotional state to a pond. ‘Green’ has connotations of growth and innocence while ‘erotic’ has connotations of sexual desire and maturity. This suggests that the move into adolescence is a lot to take in however there is a lot of excitement for what’s to come as innocence fades.
    • “The day and ever the day and ever.”
      Repetition
    • “I am homesick, free, in love”
       List emphasises her contradictive feelings as she is confused as she feels as though she wants to return to the safety of childhood, however on the other hand she wants to embrace new opportunities. This suggests that she feels free to create her own future but remain connected to her past,
       
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