On Her Blindness - "Catastrophic Handicaps are Hell..."

• In 'On Her Blindness', the quote "Catastrophic handicaps are hell... who bear it like a Roman", the lexical choice 'catastrophic' emphasises the extreme and devastating nature of the disability, suggesting that the impact of the handicap is not just severe but life-altering and overwhelming
• In 'On Her Blindness', the quote "Catastrophic handicaps are hell... who bear it like a Roman", the lexical choice 'catastrophic' is a Homonym of Cataracts, which is ironic as this is an eye problem
• In 'On Her Blindness', the quote "Catastrophic handicaps are hell... who bear it like a Roman", this highlights an element of performative, the mother has to fabricate the reality and put on a brave face
• In 'On Her Blindness', the quote "Catastrophic handicaps are hell... who bear it like a Roman", the use of alliteration presents the deep, visceral effects of the disability through the harsh sounding consonants
• In 'On Her Blindness', the quote "Catastrophic handicaps are hell... who bear it like a Roman", the use of alliteration creates a rhythmic effect, this creates a positive image, exemplifying the idea of a façade
• In 'On Her Blindness', the quote "Catastrophic handicaps are hell... who bear it like a Roman", the use of alliteration emphasises the importance of hearing, demonstrating how other senses are over-compensating for the mother's blindness
• In 'On Her Blindness', the quote "Catastrophic handicaps are hell... who bear it like a Roman", the use of juxtaposition explores the brutal reality of living with a catastrophic disability ('hell') with the societal expectation of bearing such suffering with stoicism and dignity ('like a Roman')
• In 'On Her Blindness', the quote "Catastrophic handicaps are hell... who bear it like a Roman", the lexical choice 'hell' carries strong religious connotations, where it represents a place of eternal suffering and punishment - This evokes a sense of relentless torment
• In 'On Her Blindness', the quote "Catastrophic handicaps are hell... who bear it like a Roman", the lexical choice 'hell' has dark connotations of fire, darkness, isolation, and torment - These images evoke a visceral reaction, helping the reader to feel the intensity of the mother’s suffering
• In 'On Her Blindness', the quote "Catastrophic handicaps are hell... who bear it like a Roman", the lexical choice 'hell' can also mean the eternal separation from God, suggesting the mother has atheist beliefs (mirroring Thorpe's anger at why God created Blindness)
• In 'On Her Blindness', the quote "Catastrophic handicaps are hell... who bear it like a Roman", the lexical choice 'hell' parallels John Milton's strong Christian Themes, critiquing the idea of the Virtue of Suffering
• In 'On Her Blindness', the quote "Catastrophic handicaps are hell... who bear it like a Roman", the use of Simile ('like a Roman'), suggests the mother was wearing a suit of armour to protect the true reality inside her
• In 'On Her Blindness', the quote "Catastrophic handicaps are hell... who bear it like a Roman", the use of the Metaphor 'Hell' depicts the visceral reality of the mother's disability
• In 'On Her Blindness', the quote "Catastrophic handicaps are hell... who bear it like a Roman", the use of Simile ('like a Roman') has connotations of Stoicism implying the mother's enduring hardship with silent strength and without outward complaint
• In 'On Her Blindness', the quote "Catastrophic handicaps are hell... who bear it like a Roman", the use of Simile ('like a Roman') is associated with heroism & valour, suggesting the mother was brave in this situation
• In 'On Her Blindness', the quote "Catastrophic handicaps are hell... who bear it like a Roman", the use of Simile ('like a Roman') delineates the societal expectations and how the mother had to endure blindness without complaining
• In 'On Her Blindness', the quote "Catastrophic handicaps are hell... who bear it like a Roman", the use of Simile ('like a Roman') challenges the romanticisation of stoic endurance, advocating instead for a more honest acknowledgment of the pain and struggle involved
• In 'On Her Blindness', the quote "Catastrophic handicaps are hell... who bear it like a Roman", the use of Hyperbole extrapolates the visceral and difficult time the mother endured whilst alive
• In 'On Her Blindness', the quote "Catastrophic handicaps are hell... who bear it like a Roman", the use of Simile ('like a Roman') is reminiscent of warfare and battles, suggesting the mother was fighting a battle with her disability
• In 'On Her Blindness', the quote "Catastrophic handicaps are hell... who bear it like a Roman", the use of Simile ('like a Roman') has imperialistic qualities, suggesting there is an empire of blind people who are strong & resilient