Aunt Julia

• What is the poem about?

  MacCaig remembers his Aunt Julia and her way of life. He expresses regret about the barriers to their communication and the grief he feels over her loss and the loss of the Scottish heritage she represents.
• Themes

  Grief and loss; Barriers and isolation
• Very loud and very fast'


  'very loud and very fast' - repetition emphasizes the sense of confusion and frustration felt by the speaker as he did not speak Gaelic.
• I could not answer her -/ I could not understand her


  Repetition of 'I could not' emphasizes the speaker's sense of frustration and helplessness that he was unable to communicate with her due to his lack of Gaelic. Repetition of 'I' suggests that he feels personally responsible.
• She wore men's boots when she wore any'


  • Word choice of 'men's' has connotations of something strong, tough and durable and suggests that Aunt Julia was hard-working and used to manual labour and toil.

  • 'When she wore any' suggests that she was unconventional and was comfrotable with nature as she felt no need to adhere to social conventions of footwear
• I can see her strong foot'


  WC of 'strong' has connotations of tough, determined and practical which suggests that Aunt Julia was an incredibly hard-working woman that MacCaig admired.
• stained with peat'


  WC of 'stained' has connotations of something permanent and enduring. This suggests she often worked outdoors and worked the land, so much so that he work became a part of her.
• While her right hand drew yarn marvellously out of the air'


  WC of 'marvellously' has connotations of something magical and awe-inspiring which suggests MacCaig admired her skill and dexterity.
• Hers was the only house'


  The word choice of 'only' has connotations of something which is unique and special which suggests that no other home could compare to hers or the feelings he felt when he went to visit her. This suggests that, despite their barriers to communication, he still felt close to her.
• absolute darkness of a box bed/ listening to crickets being friendly'


  • The word choice of 'absolute darkness' has connotations of extreme loneliness and fear which would suggest that he was completely alone. However, this is contrasted by the 'crickets being friendly' which follows in the next line and suggests it was not scary at all.

  • Personification compares the crickets to companions. Just as friends can comfort us when we are scared, so too does it suggest that when MacCaig was with Aunt Julia he felt safe and content spending time with her in the open landscape of the Highlands where he could be close to nature.
• She was buckets'


  Metaphor - Just as buckets are strong, durable containers used when working with the land, so too does this suggest that Aunt Julia was practical and hardy or tough. It also links her with the type of work that she did and suggests that she spent much of her time partaking in tasks which involved manual labour.
• She was winds pouring wetly round house ends'


  Metaphor - Just as island winds are strong and powerful, so too does this suggest that Aunt Julia was full of energy and was a forced to be reckoned with.
• Aunt Julia spoke Gaelic/ very loud and very fast'


  The repetition of the first lines of the poem emphasises the speaker's sense of regret that her 'speaking Gaelic' meant he could not get to know her better.
• By the time I had learned/ a little'


  The enjambement and the word choice of 'a little' highlights his regret. Has connotations of something which is lacking and insufficient or not enough. This suggests that he feels it was too late when he did learn something and his is angry at himself for that.
• she lay silenced in the absolute black'


  • Word choice of 'sileneced' has connotations of something forced and final which suggests death has taken away her ability to communicate with MacCaig now. Contrasts Aunt Julia in life and suggests anger at the finality of death/ the speaker's regret. Also suggests that she, and the way of life that she represented, has been lost forever.

  • 'Absolute black' has connotations of bleak loneliness and contrasts the earlier 'absolute darkness'. Suggests that the speaker feels there is no comfort in death as it is final and again shows his regret.
• But I hear her still, welcoming me with a seagulls voice'


  • Present tense 'I hear her still' suggests their close relationship and again highlights the connection between her and the Scottish heritage. He remembers her when he visits the Highlands and it is there where he feels close to her, even in her death.

  • Word choice of 'welcoming' has connotations of a pleasant greeting which brings comfort. This suggests that. Although they could not communicate, he and his Aunt had a close relationship.

  • Metaphor - Just as a 'seagull' sounds loud and sqwaking to us, so too does it suggest that Aunt Julia's conversation was incomprehensible for MacCaig. This is effective as it suggests again the barriers which existed to their communication and how confusing/ overwhelming this was.
• and getting angry, getting angry/ at so many questions/ unanswered'


  'and getting angry, getting angry/ at so many questions/ unanswered' • Repetition 'getting angry, getting angry' emphasises feelings of frustration on both the part of Aunt Julia and MacCaig as he is angry with himself now that she is gone.

  • Word choice of 'unanswered' has connotations of and finality, silence and something which is unfulfilled. This suggests MacCaig's frustration at himself as he realises that now his Aunt is gone, he will never be able to communicate with her and get to know her better. This also conveys the speaker's views on death as he believed there was nothing afterwards which heightens his feelings of regret.