Assisi Flashcards
“Reveal to the illiterate”
Word choice of “illiterate” connotes being unable to read or write
This leads to the moral question as to whether to money spend on the churches should have been spent on other things such as education or helping the beggar
“A priest explained how clever it was of Giotto”
Word choice of “priest” connotes someone that should embody gods teachings
However this priest has become more of a tour guide, explaining paintings and giottos artistic skills rather than teaching the bible
He also ignores the bible teachings by ignoring the beggar in desperate need of help
“Advantage of not being dead yet”
Word choice of “advantage” connotes superiority and having the upper hand
This highlights how futile the beggars life is as the only advantage he has is still being alive
This life is just existence and he is not really living life at all
“Outside the three tiers of churches”
Word choice of “outside” connotes left out of society and unwelcome
This suggests how isolated the beggar is and how he is not welcomed into the church despite being homeless and in desperate need of help
Word choice of “three tiers” connotes grand and large which contrasts to the small disabled man outside
The churches were clearly very expensive however which highlights the hypocrisy of the church as they have increased their own wealth but fail to help more in need members of the community out of poverty and hardship
“Hands on backwards”
word choice of “backwards” suggests incorrect and in reverse
This is an ambiguous phrase that may suggest the beggars physical deformities or that his hands are locked in a begging pose
metaphor
literally if something is backwards it means it is in reverse or in the wrong direction
effective in this context as it suggests the beggar may have physical deformities making him look different from others or suggests his hands are locked in a begging pose
“Sat slumped like a half filled sack”
Simile compares the beggar to a sack which is an inanimate object
This dehumanises him and highlights his deformities as it suggests he doesn’t look human
Word choice of “slumped” connotes weak and limp
This suggests the beggar is powerless and is not strong enough to support his own weight highlighting he is in need of help
Key themes of Assisi
Suffering
Hypocrisy of the church
Poverty
“The explanation and the cleverness”
Word choice of “cleverness” connotes smart and intelligent. This introduces a new cynical tone as MacCaig is critical towards how the priests act and go about their jobs daily
MacCaig sees what the priests and tourists fail to see and understands that they may know the teachings of the bible however fail to practice them
“Said Grazie in a voice as sweet as a child’s”
Simile compares beggars voice to the sweetness of a child’s voice
Just as a child’s voice highlights their innocence and goodness, so too does the beggars voice make him sound kind and pure
This changes our view of the beggar as he was once made to sound ugly however his voice highlights his inner beauty
“The ruined temple outside”
Word choice of “ruined” connotes something wrecked or neglected
This reminds us of the beggars deformities suggesting he doesn’t look like he has been cared for or looked after. This is further contrast to the grand church that surrounds the beggar
Metaphor
Just as a temple should be looked after and protected, so too should the beggar have been looked after and not left to rot
“Scattered the grain of the word”
Extended metaphor where the tourists and priests are compared to chickens and farmers
This metaphor is a corruption of a biblical phrase which implies the message the priest is spreading to the tourists to be incorrect. Highlights the hypocrisy of the church as in order for the priest to have attention he is making up lies and spreading false messages
“ a rush of tourists clucking contentedly, fluttered after him”
Extended metaphor comparing tourists to chickens and priests to farmers
Just as chickens follow a farmer feeding them, so to do tourists blindly follow the priests and take in whatever information is given to them
Word choice of “contentedly” connotes satisfied and unbothered
This suggests the tourists are blinding ignoring the beggar around the, and don’t care that he is in desperate need as they are too focused on other things such as the priests
“Tiny twisted legs from which sawdust might run”
Metaphor
Comparing his legs to something constructed like furniture. This dehumanises him and suggests his legs are so impossibly deformed that they seem carved
“Twisted” connotes tangled or warped
Highlights extent of deformities
