A Minor Role by U A Fanthorpe Flashcards
STRUCTURE
How does the structure show the irregularity of life?
What happens to the rhythm as a result?
STRUCTURE
- structure initially uniform, strange unique forms made as it goes on.
- rhythm noticeably changes, further emphasises unexpected change.
STRUCTURE
How else could the reader consider the structure?
STRUCTURE
- could link to a play or piece of drama which has different elements to a plot
- difference paces of action.
STRUCTURE
What are there numerous appearances of?
What do these show?
STRUCTURE
-frequent caesura
especially with semi-colons in 2nd para
-perhaps people’s thoughts aren’t as free as initially anticipated
STRUCTURE
What type of feeling do the brackets help contribute to in the reader?
STRUCTURE
- overwhelmed with variety of pace and structure
- it is memorable and develops reader’s empathy
STRUCTURE
What is significant about the placing of the last line?
STRUCTURE
The last line is separate from the rest of the lines, the reader may read it as the beginning and consider the poem with a deeper meaning.
STRUCTURE
What the listing in stanza 2 do?
STRUCTURE
- show the speaker’s situation as overwhelming and suffocating
- makes it harder for reader to relate as situation is so difficult
- highlights speaker’s isolation
STRUCTURE
What’s the overall type of structure used?
STRUCTURE
Framed narrative
-we return to the stage which was initially described
-but does not accept their ‘minor role’ or ‘star part’
-shows change in mindset for narrator, less dismissive and more optimistic
POETIC TECHNIQUES
Name the examples and effects of imperatives.
POETIC TECHNIQUES
e.g. “admit it”
“make you believe”
“I am best observed on stage”
sense of certainty and precision, when compared with the wild structure
POETIC TECHNIQUES
What does the ‘sense of conflict’ in the language present?
POETIC TECHNIQUES
the narrator is attempting to exert power and influence
but also conforming to irregular structure and unpredictability of pace/rhythm
POETIC TECHNIQUES
What does the reference to Oedipus stand for?
POETIC TECHNIQUES
Oedipus wishes for death as he had killed his father and married his mother after being separated from them at birth.
Do not wish for death even in the worst situations
POETIC TECHNIQUES
Name the two conflicting semantic fields used.
POETIC TECHNIQUES
1. medical
e.g. “formula”, “consultant”, “illness”, “dosages”
narrator is suffering from a form of illness
- stage and drama
e.g. “roles”, “stage”
they can also be associated with medical descriptions
LANGUAGE TECHNIQUES
What does the line ‘I am best observed on stage’ mean to this poem?
LANGUAGE TECHNIQUES
- First person, more personal and relatable
- First person also highlights how often it is easy to mislead about the emotional sufferers of illness by having a personal account
- ‘stage’ is metaphor to demonstrate the ‘minor role’ that the speaker plays in their own life, constantly listening to others and on the verge of breaking
LANGUAGE TECHNIQUES
What does the line ‘making endless/exits and entrances’ mean to this poem?
LANGUAGE TECHNIQUES
- enjambment and alliteration, mundane and monotonous
- how easy it is to become absorbed in such things and forget the enjoyable things in life
- people in life are fleeting
LANGUAGE TECHNIQUES
What does the line ‘Yes sir. O no, sir’ mean to this poem?
LANGUAGE TECHNIQUES
- the italics produces a realistic effect
- how one can be complacent, portrayed through these monosyllabic responses
- social niceties in society
LANGUAGE TECHNIQUES
What does the line ‘midget moments wrong, the monstrous fabric’ mean to the poem?
LANGUAGE TECHNIQUES
- alliteration and plosive consonants like ‘g’, ‘t’, and ‘d’ create a harsh and abrupt sound
- tired of niceties in society pretence
- manipulated ‘fabric of society’ to ‘monstrous fabric’
- society too unpleasant or rigid
