Aunt Julia and Assisi Flashcards
What is the Dwarf described as?
“Ruined temple”
“Like a half filled sack”
“Voice as sweet as a child”
What is the dwarf described as having?
“Tiny twisted legs”
“Lopsided mouth”
“Eyes wept pus”
“Hands on backwards”
What is the contrast in stanza 1?
The three tiers of the church and the dwarf sitting by the door.
What can “ruined temple” mean about the dwarf?
This can mean that the dwarf is beyond repair and temple can suggest place of worship and how he’s not getting help from the priest.
What does MacCaig talk about the tourists as?
He talks about them being like chickens scattering after the priest who is feeding them “the word”.
What is the dwarfs voice described as?
As sweet as a child’s voice when she speaks to her mother or a bird when it spoke to St Francis.
What was Aunt Julia like?
Aunt Julia was very practical and hard working. She was also very independent and did everything herself.
Why does MacCaig repeat the start of the poem in stanza 5?
To show that visiting Aunt Julia wasnt just a one time thing and that he visited her multiple times.
Why was MacCaig angry when Aunt Julia passed away?
He had just learned how to speak Gaelic so he could talk to her but now he can’t and there are many questions left unanswered.
What does stanza 1 tell us about Aunt Julia?
Tells us that Aunt Julia spoke Gaelic and that there’s a language barrier between him and her.
