Aunt Julia Flashcards
“Aunt Julia spoke Gaelic”
Aunt Julia was a symbol of the culture by speaking Gaelic.
“Very loud and very fast”
The repetition of ‘very’ acts as an intensifier and emphasises Aunt Julia’s vigour and energy. The word choice of ‘loud and fast’ emphasises that she was bold and fearless. This also highlights how incomprehensible she was.
“I could not answer her / I could not understand her”
The repetition of ‘I could not’ emphasises the frustration caused by the communication barrier. This also shows contrast between engaging Aunt Julia and the powerless/ignorant MacCaig.
“She wore men’s boots / when she wore any”
The ‘men’s boots’ act as a symbol of AJ’s life : the rugged, robust nature of rural life. This also highlights her practicality and eccentric nature, she didn’t care what others thought.
“- I can see her strong foot, / stained with peat”
The use of present tense ‘I can see’, emphasises that Aunt Julia remains alive in his mind.
The word choice of ‘strong’ emphasises that she was tough and hardy. The peat stain highlights how deeply connected she was with the land. This also emphasises the attributes of a strong person (she does the job of a man and a woman).
“Paddling with the treadle of the spinning wheel”
The lengthiness of the line emphasises Aunt Julia’s hard working, active nature. The rhythm of the line imitates the working rhythm, recreating memories of Aunt Julia. She is always moving and engaged. She is very PRACTICAL.
“Marvellously out of the air”
The word choice of ‘marvellously’ emphasises that there is something magical about the way she works. She was skilled and very practical.
‘“Hers was the only house”
The stanza opens with ‘Hers’, emphasising Aunt Julias significance to him.
“In the absolute darkness”
Despite the darkness , MacCaig feels comfort, safety and security at Aunt Julia’s home. This emphasises their affection and bond despite the language barrier.
“Crickets being friendly”
This symbolises the closeness to nature at Aunt Julia’s which, MacCaig wouldn’t have experienced elsewhere.
“She was buckets / and water flouncing into them”
This is a metaphor. Just as water is fast flowing and free, so too Aunt Julia was alive, free and energetic, emphasising the freedom of convention. The transferred epithet of ‘flouncing’ emphasises her deliberate vigour.
“She was winds pouring wetly / round house-ends”
The metaphors of water and wind compare Aunt Julia to natural forces, emphasising her character with lots of energy.
“She was brown eggs, black skirts / and a keeper of threepennybits / in a teapot”
These metaphors compare Aunt Julia to mundane household objects associated with the area, highlighting that she was down to earth. The use of listing emphasises her constant motion.
‘Brown eggs’ - inseparable from nature
‘Black skirts’ - practicality
“Aunt Julia spoke Gaelic / very loud and very fast”
This takes us back to the start of the poem. The way she spoke and how is foregrounded by being placed at the start and end.
“A little, she lay / silenced”
‘A little’ - the enjambment of this emphasises how far apart they became due to the lack of communication.
The contrast of “loud and fast‘“ with “silenced” emphasises the utter and absolute quiet of death. ‘Silenced’ - emphasises her absence felt whereas ‘very loud’ emphasises her strength of presence.
