storm on the island

• written in blank verse
• a community thinking its well prepared for a coming storm
• forceful sounds are used to demonstrate the strength of nature
• uses assonant and sibilant sounds to reflect the noise of the wind and waves
• semantic field of war/violent imagery with similes metaphors and personification to emphasise the anger and effects of the storm
• safety, fear and helplessness are all feelings and attitudes that change in the poem
• “exploding comfortably” is oxymoron juxtaposing the feelings of fear and safety
• "the roof was tearing off like paper" - hyperbole
• ”its a huge nothing that we fear” the storm is invisible there’s nothing solid there which contrasts with the solid rock mentioned in the 2nd line of the poem
• the first 8 letters of the poems name is the name given to northern irelands parliament buildings hinting that the storm could be about some of the political disturbances that ireland has experienced
• the assonant ‘i’ sounds and sibilant in lines 14-17 combine to imitate he hissing and spitting of the sea
• “tragic chorus“ suggests there are no trees to act as a chorus and the islanders are left on their own to face ahd interpret the storm
• at the start of the poem the narrator uses multiple words to do with safety and security
• the tone changes as he sense of danger increases as familiar things become frightening during the storm