Chainsaw Versus The Pampas Grass

Question 1

What does the title represent?

Answer 1

Man made machine personified to represent toxic masculinity versus the natural world personified to represent passive/decorative femininity

Question 2

What are the themes in this poem?

Answer 2

Gender/masculinity and natural world

Question 3

What device is used in ‘It seemed an unlikely match.’?

Answer 3

End stop to emphasise ‘match’/ poem about relationships

Question 4

What device is used in ‘grinding its teeth’?

Answer 4

Personification of chainsaw and its aggressiveness to perhaps represent pent-up frustration and eagerness to be set free

Question 5

What device is used in ‘the chainsaw swung’?

Answer 5

Phallic imagery to suggest toxic masculinity in modern world has to perhaps be locked away

Question 6

What device is used in ‘it knocked back a quarter-pint of engine oil’?

Answer 6

Colloquialism reference to male drinking culture

Question 7

What device is used in ‘oozed across’?

Answer 7

Visceral imagery to suggest these behaviour lubricate an otherwise ‘dry’ male

Question 8

What device is used in ‘with the weightless wreckage of wasps and flies’?

Answer 8

Alliterative phrase to mimic sound of chainsaw turned on/coming to life

Question 9

What device is used in ‘socket and flicked the switch… saw to the flex’?

Answer 9

Sibliance - aggressive sound mirrors aggressive action