An Easy passage by Julia Copus

Question 1

the poem uses the word ‘halfway’ to describe the girl sneaking back into her house this word shows

Answer 1

the central concern its exploration of the fleeting period between girlhood to womanhood

Question 2

‘friend whom she is half in love’

Answer 2

Friendships between girls of this age are intense. ‘Half in love’ could be sisterly, or could be hinting the erotic, a crush on a girlfriend before embarking on a more mature relationship.

Question 3

Copus uses opposites to create a sense of things being in the cusp

Answer 3

between up and down, indoors and outdoors- symbolizing the stages in her life.
sun is contrasted with shade, the freedom of young girl with the adult world of work,

Question 4

use of tenses in the poems strucure

Answer 4

written in the present tense but talks about astrology and the presence of the older secretary are reminders of what the future might hold in store.

Question 5

the narrator remians unobtrusive for most of the poem however her perspective is important since

Answer 5

we are viewing the world the poem through her perspective, like a film camera zooming in on characters to give us a brief glimpse into their lives

Question 6

the tone of the poem is conversational

Answer 6

with the long enjambed lines providing a naturally easy flow