Ancestral Photograph Flashcards
Dead eyes are statue’s
His eyes are described as that of statues - shows that his father had lifeless eyes - could suggest that he’s dead or it is because Victorian photos took a long time to take so it was difficult to stay happy
Jaws puff round and solid as a turnip
‘Turnip’ - looks like a face (bulky)
And the upper lip
Bullies the heavy mouth down to a droop
As if the upper lip is pushing down on the lower lip
A bowler suggests the stage Irishman
‘Bowler’ - shows he was a prosperous middle class man
Whose look has two parts scorn, two parts dead pan
‘Dead pan’ - expressionless
His silver watch chain girds him like a hoop
He has a pocket watch which suggests he was prosperous and the chain is tight around him like a hoop around a barrel - this prepares us for another barrel similie
My father’s uncle, from where he learnt the trade
Only now do we know who H had been talking about
‘He’ - refers to H’s father
Long fixed in serous tints, begins to fade
And must come down
The picture has been there for a long time and it looks awful so H is taking it down - the comma emphasises the finality of it all - stops the process of ideas and rhythm
As if a bandage had been ripped from skin
Like a scar - as if what H has done is wrong and even the house itself is hurt because of it
Empty plaque to a house’s rise and fall
‘Empty plaque’ - the picture was there from the beginning as a plaque is something that is put up with the house
‘House’s’ - could imply his family
Stanza 3 is only 1 sentence. What does this suggest?
The memories are flooding back all of a sudden and H talks about selling cattle which would have been hectic
Until my father won at arguing
His father always won the argument
Who handled rumps, groped teats, stood, paused and then
Lots of commas and one syllable words which makes it feel breathy and excited - gives a sense of how hectic the market was
Bought a round of drinks to clinch the bargain
Repeated sounds sound like the clink of glasses
Uncle and nephew, fifty years ago
Man in photo and H’s father
This barrel of a man penned in the frame
Another metaphor - refers to cattle and suggests that the picture frame is too small because he is too big
Draw thumbs out of his waistcoat, curtly smack
Hands and sell
‘Smack’ - onomatopoeic - done deal - sharp an decisive
Father, I’ve watched you do the same
H has seen his father do a similar thing so he knows his Great uncle gave him the skills, characteristics and looks
And watched you sadden when the fairs were stopped.
No room for dealers if the farmers shopped
This stanza is sadder and duller as H’s ancestors are obsolete (the family trade is no more)
Like housewives at an auction ring
The dealing has gone soft - they’re not real men anymore - not like his father and great uncle
Your stick
Was parked behind the door and stands there still
It was hidden away because it makes H feel sad when he looks at it
‘Still’ - motionless + still in time
Closing this chapter of our chronicle
H is not a cattle dealer anymore - those days are gone
I take your uncle’s portrait to the attic.
The full stop shows the movement of the picture to the attic and the finality of it
