a walk to the jetty Flashcards
“My name is Annie John.”
The directness of this short sentence explores the theme of identity and emphasizes Annie’s introspection about herself as she prepares to leave the only home she has ever known behind.
'’The bed I am lying in my father built with his own hands. If I get up and sit in a chair, it is a chair my father built with his own hands. The sheets on my bed my mother made with her own hands. The curtains hanging at the window my mother made with her own hands’
“I never wanted to lie in bed and hear her gargling again.”
This quote highlights the pain and yet excitement of being separated from family for the first time, and emphasizes the mundane and deeply personal aspects of home life that Annie is both eager and yet hesitant to leave behind.
“I shall never see this again.”
The poignancy of this short sentence, and the powerful emotions it evokes, reflect the realization of leaving behind everything familiar and the emotional complexity of departing from loved ones and one’s homeland.
“The sun was bright; the sky was blue…”
This description of the weather and imagery signifies a moment of transition, juxtaposing the clarity and beauty of the sky and sun with the murky uncertainty of Annie’s future. The brightness of the sun and the blueness of the sky symbolize hope and the potential for a new beginning, amidst the sorrow of departure.
“My heart swelled with great gladness.”
This quote explores the theme of freedom. The complex emotional response captures Annie’s ambivalence towards leaving, and the paradox of feeling a ‘great gladness’ towards the thought of departure highlights her desire for a fresh new start and liberation from her past, while also acknowledging the pain of separation from the familiar. It exemplifies the author’s use of internal monologue to explore the multifaceted nature of leaving home.
The launch left a wide path that looked like a road.”
The description of the launch cutting through the water and leaving a ‘road’ behind serves as a metaphor for Annie’s journey and her future. This imagery suggests that although the path will be difficult and uncertain, it is hers to navigate and her destiny to carve. The use of this metaphor highlights the inevitability of moving forward and Annie’s desire to plough ahead, despite the uncertainty and challenges.
“Then I remembered it was customary to stand on deck and wave to your relatives who were returning to shore.”
This reflection on tradition within a deeply personal moment of departure from family emphasizes the role of societal expectations in the experiences of saying goodbye. Annie’s adherence to this custom, even in a state of emotional turmoil, highlights the conflict between individual desires and cultural practices, as well as emphasizing the strength of influence such practices have on people.
“My heart now beat fast, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t keep my mouth from falling open…”
This use of sensory language serve as physical manifestations of anxiety and represent, in the form of a metaphor, the overwhelming nature of change. This illustrates Annie’s visceral response to her imminent departure.
“The dark-green water where the dark-green eels lived.”
This use of vivid imagery symbolizes the unknown challenges that lie ahead. The repetition of the adjective ‘dark-green’ emphasizes the depth and mystery of the future, mirroring Annie’s personal fear of the unknown and unfamiliar. The eels may serve to symbolize the ‘monsters’, or ‘difficulties’ that lie as obstacles ahead, emphasizing the pitfalls life can have.
She said in a voice that rakes across my skin ‘It doesn’t matter what you do or where you go, I’ll always be your mother and this will always be your home’
We both said, at the very same moment, ‘Well.”
The simultaneous utterance of the word ‘well’ by Annie and her mother symbolizes the emotional understanding and a connection that runs deep, whilst also underscoring the emotional distance that has grown between them. This moment of non-verbal communication highlights the changes in their relationship as Annie embarks on a journey that will emphasize this physical and emotional separation.
