Letters From Yorkshire

• What is the main theme of "Letters from Yorkshire"?

  Relationship between Dooley and her father
• What professions do the two people in the poem represent?

  News work and agriculture
• How do the characters feel about their correspondence?

  They derive great joy from it
• What does the speaker question about their relationship?

  • If the other person lives more authentically
  • The contrast between outdoor and urban life
• What does the speaker describe the man doing in the poem?

  Digging potatoes
• What does the speaker imply about their relationship?

  It is not romantic
• What does the speaker suggest about the man's life compared to hers?

  He may live more authentically outdoors
• What does letter writing symbolize for the characters?

  Connection to another world
• What is the significance of the phrase "his knuckles singing"?

  It shows warmth despite the cold
• What does the use of "icy miles" imply in the poem?

  Distance does not hinder their connection
• How does the structure of the poem reflect the relationship between the characters?

  • First four stanzas focus on separate lives
  • Last stanza shows unity through letter writing
  • Shift in pronouns from "he" to "our"
• What is the form of each stanza in the poem?

  Each stanza consists of three lines
• What does the temporal deixis "In February" signify?

  Strength of their relationship over time
• What does the asyndetic listing in the poem reveal?

  Detailed insight into the man's life
• What is the overall tone of the poem?

  • Joyful tone throughout
  • Use of metaphorical language
  • Positive imagery despite coldness
• How does Dooley use juxtaposition in the poem?

  To contrast warmth and cold in their lives
• What does the metaphor "pouring air and light into an envelope" suggest?

  Joy from their letter writing
• How does the poem depict the impact of urban life on the speaker?

  It suggests she feels trapped in it
• What similarities exist between "Letters from Yorkshire" and "Mother, any distance"?

  • Unconventional means to maintain relationships
  • Successful communication depicted through metaphors
  • Both show love despite distance
• What differences exist between "Letters from Yorkshire" and "Mother, any distance"?

  • "Letters from Yorkshire" shows a gap closing
  • "Mother, any distance" depicts growing apart
  • Different metaphors used to convey relationships