Aunt Julia

Question 1

What technique is “Gaelic” in stanza 1?

Answer 1

Word Choice- It is an intro to the subject and her cultural background

Question 2

“Very loud and very fast” What technique is used in this quote?

Answer 2

Repetition- Highlights how strange- in-comprehensive she was for the poet- very energetic

Question 3

“I could not answer her-
I could not understand her” What technique is used in this quote?

Answer 3

Repetition- emphasises the language barrier between him and his aunt indicating how isolated he is from her

Question 4

“men’s boots”? What does this suggest about Julia?

Answer 4

It suggests strength and that she is capable of hard work

Question 5

What tense is “I can see her”?

Answer 5

Present tense- the tense throughout the stanza creates a sense of immediately- shows how vividly he remembers her

Question 6

What technique is “strong”?

Answer 6

Word choice- Suggests she is capable of hard work

Question 7

What technique is used in “drew yarn”?

Answer 7

Long vowel- elongates the line which conveys the vision of wool being stretched out

Question 8

What does “marvellously” suggest?

Answer 8

She possessed qualities young MacCaig found fascinating

Question 9

What technique is “hers”?

Answer 9

Word choice- It emphasises how important she was to MacCaig as a child

Question 10

What tense is “was”?

Answer 10

Past- returns to the past- highlights the impact of his reflection and thoughts

Question 11

What technique is absolute darkness?

Answer 11

Metaphor- reference to “absolute darkness”- foreshadows the final stanza and change of tone

Question 12

What technique is “box bed”?

Answer 12

Word Choice- highlights how secure and enclosed he felt when staying with his aunt

Question 13

“She was…She was… She was” is what technique?

Answer 13

Repetition- bombards the senses with a list of statements emphasising Aunt Julia is always moving/working- energetic- like nature she was unstoppable

Question 14

What technique is “water flouncing”?

Answer 14

Transferred Epithet- it gives the impression of a woman in constant motion- the flouncing water gives a description of the deliberate, vigorous way she moved.

Question 15

“Brown eggs, black skirts and a keeper of threepennybits in a teapot” emphasises what”

Answer 15

Her feminine side- not only did she work outside but also inside- words “brown eggs + teapot” emphasise her work in the kitchen - words “black skirts + keeper of threepennybits” emphasises that she was frugal- cannot afford to spend a lot of money

Question 16

What type of structure is “Aunt Julia spoke Gaelic very loud and very fast”?

Answer 16

Full Circle- the final stanza begins with the same way as the first stanza. This brings the poem to a FULL CIRCLE- effective conclusion

Question 17

What technique(s) are “silenced”?

Answer 17

Word Choice + Contrast- contrast between loud and talkative and vibrant Aunt Julia was in life and the absolute quiet of death is emphasised using enjambment- the position of ‘silenced’ in the opening of line 28

Question 18

What does “absolute black” refer to?

Answer 18

It refers to death- poet is accusing death for silencing her.

Question 19

What techniques are “but”?

Answer 19

Word choice + Conjunction- this is a turning point- alerts us to the fact that there is a change in tone + thought

Question 20

What technique is “still”?

Answer 20

Word Choice- the poet feels that death has failed to silence her

Question 21

What technique is “seagull’s voice”?

Answer 21

Metaphor- it is a comparison that again highlights her unity with nature. The emphasis of the great distance emphasises both her strong personality and the location of where she lived and was buried.

Question 22

“Getting angry, getting angry” is what technique?

Answer 22

Repetition- Language is effective because it is ambiguous- we don’t know who is angry the aunt or MacCaig?