Aunt Julia Flashcards
Aunt Julia spoke Gaelic very loud and very fast
This is a warm childhood memory but also establishes a key point into Aunt Julia and her personality and setting, the Scottish Islands, where they speak Gaelic
I could not answer her - I could not understand
This instantly establishes a key theme within this poem, frustration. Frustration at not being able to communicate with her and frustration at not being able to respond.
Repetition of ‘could not’ reinforces the idea of there being some form of barrier between them.
Despite this, MacCaig was able to create a bond with his Aunt and a clear picture is created of her; a strong capable and passionate women.
The use of a dash effectively creates the impression of an afterthought.
She wore men boots when she wore any. - I can see her strong foot, stained with peat,
Her work is physically demanding, indoors and outside. Often barefoot , but if she has to, she wears mens boots which are practical. Poet admires her capability in her work.
Here the poet reflecting on her hardiness which is made clear by the word choice.
Enjambement employed to emphasises her strength.
her right hand drew yarn Marvellously out of the air
This conveys the magic or illusion of the task. It is almost entrancing to the young boy.
The long vowels elongates the line. This helps convey the impression of the wool being stretched out and made taut. The use of present tense creates a sense of immediacy and shows how vividly and readily he can still access these memories with her.
in absolute darkness of a box bed
Structure/ Repetition: note the reference to absolute darkness foreshadows the final stanza and a change of tone.
As a result pf the one with his aunt, the young boy felt safe and secure in the darkness of her house. It is enclosed and comforting.
crickets being friendly
While a child often associates the night with fear this is not the case in MacCaigs third stanza. Fear is replaced by a sense of harmony that echoes the unity with nature that was referred to in stanza 2.
she was buckets And water flouncing into them
She was brown eggs, black skirts And a keeper of threepennybits
An idea of her being these domestic and everyday objects as if she was sunken into the culture and what she id for a living. It also conveys her as constantly moving.
Metaphors not only describe her but use her as a symbol or representative of the landscape, lifestyle and culture of where she lived.
She epitomises the specific way of life in the Scottish Islands which have unforgiving climate and harsh land yet there is pride and honesty to the life that MacCaig admires.
By the time I had learned
A little, she lay
Silenced
His aunt has passed away before he had a chance to speak to her in her native language, which he learned.
This contrasts between the loud, talkative and vibrant woman that she was. The quiet of death is emphasised using enjambment.
The tone is almost accusatory, blaming death for silencing her.
But I hear her still, welcoming me
With a seagulls voice
Almost as if he is challenging the finality of death. She has left such a strong impression to him the he can still imagine hot welcoming her.
Her voice is still lounge and vivid like a seagull’s cry
The metaphor again compares her to nature.
getting angry, getting angry
With so many questions
Unanswered
Final Word in the poem is in a line by itself to reinforce the speakers frustration and anger.
Ending is somewhat ambiguous and could be interpreted in many ways.
The questions could be ones she would have wanted to ask him yet he didn’t speak Gaelic or it could be questions he wanted to ask her once he learned Gaelic but he was too late. They could also represent the more universal queries about life and the meaning of it.
Repetition of the word angry suggests that he is warning us to hold on a cherish the culture and heritage we have left. He is afraid that if we allow it to die, like Aunt Julia, it will be gone forever.
