Aunt Julia Flashcards
very loud and very fast
repetition
emphasises Aunt Julias energetic energy
loud fast
word choice
emphasises how AJ was a very forceful character she was energetic and larger than life
I could not… I could not
repetition
tone of frustration as his communication with her was challenging
-
Caesura
provides a break in the sentence reflecting how broken and challenging communication was due to language barrier
she wore mens boots
word choice
suggests that AJ lead a very hardy and practical life
when she wore any
word choice
she is at one with nature emphasises how tough she is
strong foot stained with peat
word choice
suggests she is very connected to the land she is from
drew yarn marvellously
word choice
sense of wonder at her ability
Hers
every stanza opens with mention of her name highlighting how important she is to him
only
word choice
her house is unique for him
absolute darkness
word choice
darkness is usually associated with fear and nightmares but her presence made him feel secure and safe
crickets being friendly
anthropomorphic imagery
a potentially scary of threatening situations is made comfortable and safe by her
She was buckets
metaphor
emphasises both practical nature of her life but also her sense of fun and playful nature
flouncing
word choice
emphasises her joy and excitable nature also that she is in constant motion and busy
She… She …She
repetition
emphasises her energy and his admiration for her
winds pouring wetly
metaphor
emphasises she is a force of nature she is unstoppable. Also that she is inherently connected to the landscape she is from
brown eggs, black skirts and a keeper of threepennybits
word choice
the language used to describe her are associated with the traditions of the island shows she is fully apart of island life
Aunt Julia spoke Gaelic very loud and very fast
repetition
from the start of the poem draws it to a close
by the tine I had learned a litle
word choice
sense of real sadness as time has passed and AJ has died before he could speak to her
tone of frustration as we realise the realities of life and death which is grief and loss
silenced
word choice
sense of real sadness as the silence contrasts her larger than life personality highlighting the complete quiet of her grave
absolute black
word choice
contrasts the sense of comfort that was found in darkness earlier in the poem, references impenetrability of death
But I hear her still
word choice
tone of morbidity does not last she is always in his heart and mind because she was such a force of nature death could never really silence her
with a seagull’s voice
metahpor
suggests that her voice was extremely loud, forceful, shrill and piercing of her voice and her unintelligable gaelic.
getting angry, getting angry with so many questions
ambiguous ending
emphasis frustration but we are left wondering who’s frustration it is?
Is it his that he lost the opportunity to truly communicate with her as she died before he could speak Gaelic
or hers as she was never able to understand him
