BlackBerry Picking

Question 1

“it’s flesh was sweet / Like thickened wine.”

Answer 1

“it’s flesh was sweet / Like thickened wine:”
Sensory language ‘flesh’ links the fruit with the body/sexuality.
WC ‘thickened’ suggests intensity and condensed - wine is intoxicating like the experience.

Question 2

“Then red ones inked up”

Answer 2

“Then red ones inked up”
WC of ‘inked’ - suggestive of being stained, tainted, marked leaving a very prominent memory for the speaker.

Question 3

“heavy rain and sun”

Answer 3

“heavy rain and sun”
Immediate contrast between the time of year (August) and the weather. Weather seeming confused and conflicted, foreshadowing the speaker’s conflict between hope, and the certainty of disappointment.

Question 4

“A ray-grey fungus”

Answer 4

“A rat-grey fungus”
Imagery - vermin/predator.
The image compares the fungus with a disgusting intensity.

Question 5

“The fruit fermented”

Answer 5

“The fruit fermented”
Sibilance emphasises that the fruit has turned. Suggesting that as the berries age and begin to decay, so does the speaker as he gets older and more mature.

Question 6

“the sweet flesh would turn sour”

Answer 6

“the sweet flesh would turn sour”
The contrasting statements of ‘sweet’ to ‘sour’ symbolises a dramatic change in appearance, circumstances, and personality of the berries. Example of human situations as we get older.