Aunt Julia TQ version Flashcards
How the poet uses poetic
technique to create
- Repetition of “very” establishes strong/extrovert/ eccentric personality (1)
- Repetition of “I could not” establishes extent to which MacCaig did not know her/could not get to know her/lack of closeness between them (1)
- Direct statement of fact about Aunt Julia establishes at outset she is central to poem/her strong personality (1)
• Aunt Julia placed as first phrase
establishes her as central concern(1)
How MacCaig uses contrast to explore theme in his work?
• Up to 2 marks can be achieved for identifying elements of commonality as identified in the question, ie MacCaig‟s use of contrast to develop theme.
• A further 2 marks can be achieved for reference to the extract given.
• 6 additional marks can be awarded for discussion of similar references to at least one other poem by the poet.
• In practice this means: Identification of commonality (2) (eg: theme, characterisation, use of imagery, setting,or any other key element…)from the extract:
• 1 x relevant reference to technique/idea/feature (1)
• 1 x appropriate comment (1)
• (maximum of 2 marks only for discussion of extract)from at least one other text/part of the text:as above (x3) for up to 6 marks
OR
• more detailed comment x2 for up to 6 marks
•Thus, the final 6 marks can be gained by a combination of 3, 2 and 1 marks depending on the level of depth/detail/insight. The aim would be to encourage quality of comment, rather than quantity of references.
“She wore men’s boots”
• Word choice “She wore men’s boots” – strong, doing “male” tasks, worked outdoors, hardworking (1)
“when she wore any”
• Word choice “when she wore any” – used to working outdoors, “at one” with nature/earth (1)
“her strong foot stained with peat”
• Word choice “her strong foot stained with peat”- working outdoors, over many years (1)
while her right hand drew yarn marvellously out of the air”
• Word choice “while her right hand drew yarn marvellously out of the air” - idea of magical,(1)
“She was buckets and water flouncing into them”
• Metaphor “She was buckets and water flouncing into them” suggests her tasks were part of her/her life,energetic, at one with nature, tough/ hardworking/ energetic (1)
“She was winds pouring wetly roundhouse-ends”
• Metaphor “She was winds pouring wetly roundhouse-ends” – suggests her tasks were part of her/, at one with nature/climate, tough/hardworking/energetic (1)
“She was brown eggs, black skirts and a keeper of threepenny bits in a teapot”
• Metaphor “She was brown eggs, black skirts and a keeper of threepenny bits in a teapot” suggests her tasks were part of her/her life, “dull”/earthy colours, thrifty/self-sufficient, focus on setting/the home (1)
“silenced”/“absolute black”
• Word choice - “silenced”/“absolute black”/finality of death means he cannot now develop his relationship with her/that he has missed opportunity (1)
“But I hear her still”
• Word choice “But I hear her still”/he imagines her in the present/her voice haunts him suggests he is nostalgic about the past/is still influenced by her (1)
“many questions unanswered”
• Word choice “many questions unanswered” (1) suggests a sense of futility/lack of resolution (1)
