aunt Julia quotes

Question 1

I could not answer her —
I could not understand her.

Answer 1

repetition of ‘could not’ shows his frustration about this

Question 2

Aunt Julia spoke Gaelic
very loud and very fast.

Answer 2

repetition of very, also introduces the subject matter very directly at the beginning of the poem

Question 3

she wore men’s boots when she wore any

Answer 3

word choice of “men’s” suggests she is ver outdoorsy and masculine

Question 4

I can see her strong foot, stained with peat

Answer 4

stained suggests it permanently there and that she is digging her own peat and that she is self sufficient on her everyday life. the strong foot also gives off masculine connotations.

Question 5

while her right hand drew yarn marvellously out of the air

Answer 5

Hyperbole and word choice of “marvellously” suggests he is amazed by her skill, emphasising MacCaigs admiration towards her

Question 6

Here was the only house where i’ve lain at night in the absolute darkness

Answer 6

Absolute darkness emphasises the isolation, ‘only place’ suggest he’s not in touch with his scottish rural heritage as much as he should be

Question 7

Of a box bed, listening to crickets being friendly

Answer 7

Personification of the crickets being friendly shows the isolation of the house and how peaceful things are, there are only friendly crickets outside

Question 8

she was buckets and water flouncing into them

Answer 8

metaphor shows her connection to nature. word choice of flouncing suggests she gets joy out of these simple task.

Question 9

She was brown eggs, black skirts and a keeper of threepennybits in a teapot

Answer 9

Shows shes a bit of an outcast and lives in a very traditional and strict routine lifestyle- the “black skirt” contrasts with the ‘mens boots’ suggesting that even though she seems to be a masculine like character she is still very strict to her true trads

Question 10

By the time i had learned a little she lay silenced in the absolute black of a sandy grave at Luskentyre

Answer 10

Euphemism for her death shows he’s not quite accepting that she is dead and he feels guilty that he never learned Gaelic when she was alive
‘Sandy grave’ emphasis her connection to nature

Question 11

but I hear her still, welcoming me with a seagull’s voice

Answer 11

anthropomorphising of the seagulls voice shoes her connection and oneness of nature

Question 12

and get angry, getting angry with so many questions unanswered

Answer 12

repetition to show frustration about how he was never able to talk to her and never will