Aunt Julia Flashcards
“Aunt Julia spoke Gaelic”
she was different, as Gaelic is not a common language he couldn’t understand her showing immediate establishments on the communication barrier.
“very loud and very fast.”
she appears to be very extrovert and not shy
“I could not answer her - I could not understand her.”
Repetition emphasises MacCaig’s helplessness, as due to the barrier of communication. Even so he couldn’t understand it shows that strong bonds can be created.
“She wore men’s boots when she wore any.”
Aunt Julia is quirky and unconventional she was physically demanding and he admired how she was capable to them.
“I can see her strong foot, stained with peat.”
she is burly and shows a sense of power and strength
“While her right hand drew yarn marvellously out of the air”
He is in awe of her and admires.
conveys air of magic or illusion about the task which was entrancing or him to watch
“paddling with the treadle of the spinning wheel”
This serves to accentuate the lengthiness of the spinning process which MacCaig also associates with his aunt.
“Hers was the only house Where I’ve lain at night”
Despite the darkness and primitive accommodation, he feels secure and safe. the opening with her shows the affection he feels for her.
“in the darkness of a box bed”
no punctuation shows excitement
“listening to crickets being friendly”
the ‘darkness and friendly crickets contrast
“She was buckets and water flouncing into them. She was winds pouring wetly round house-ends. She was brown eggs, black skirts and a keeper of threepennybits in a tea pot.”
he compare to a series of metaphors - to do with nature and things of a home (clothing and money).
It is a hard life, she did not have much money but worked very hard.
Aunt Julia combines the strength nature and the security o a domestic home.
MacCaig employs personification to compare his aunt both with the elements he associates with this landscape.
“by the time I had learned a little, she lay silenced in the absolute dark of a sandy grave at luskentyre.”
it is too late by the time he had learnt his aunties language. he cannot communicate with her.
‘absolute black’ death = darkness
shorter lines with more pauses for thought. change of atmosphere - disappointment and sadness
“but I hear her still, welcoming me with a seagull’s voice”
her words are incomprehensible. But she still lives through nature, as he still hears her through the ‘seagull’s voice’.
“and getting angry, getting angry with so many questions unanswered.”
both are getting angry, Aunt Julia is angry because he could not answer her questions. But he is frustrated because he could not get to know her better.
