Aunt Julia

Question 1

What are the main themes of aunt julia

Answer 1

loss ( personal and cultural )
isolation
realstionships

Question 2

Very loud and very fast

Answer 2

gives us a feel of her energy and that she is someone you would enjoy the company of
she’s a real presence not shy not ashamed of her heritage

Question 3

i could not answer her -
i could not understand her.

Answer 3

adds a bit of humour because even if he wanted to answer her he couldn’t because he didn’t understand her.
frustration of not being able to communicate and he blames himself

Question 4

She wore men’s boots

Answer 4

suggests she has a hard life and she ibas to do all of the outdoor chores
she is a grofter - traditional style of farming - she is also down to earth, capable, practical and strong

Question 5

hand drew yarn

Answer 5

long vowels to provide the image of her pulling the yarn out

Question 6

absolute darkness

Answer 6

double meaning - language barrier and real dark
he felt safe despite the usual child fear of the dark despite the lack of communication with his aunt he feels safe

Question 7

crickets being friendly

Answer 7

personification
he is completely at ease

Question 8

winds pouring wetly round house- ends

Answer 8

in your face as if being smacked in the face with winds
metaphors encapsulating the experience of her - energetic, forceful and vigoras

Question 9

she was brown eggs and black skirts

Answer 9

synecdoche
she is very practical and doesn’t care what she looks like
she is not materialistic

Question 10

silenced in the absolute dark

Answer 10

direct contrast from stanza one “ loud” shows how empty it is with the lack of her presence
contrast from darkness where he is comfortable to black symbolising death

Question 11

seagulls voice

Answer 11

seagulls have a screechy voice similar to aunt julia’s loud and fast gaelic
aunt julia lives on in nature where she spent the most time and she was at her happiest