Death Of A Naturalist

Question 1

DOAN- Opener: nature

Answer 1

Heaney uses ‘Death of a Naturalist’ as a vehicle to underscore how experiences of the natural world change
with time, as individuals progress from childhood to adulthood as a result of the inevitable passing of time.
Heaney’s own upbringing in rural Ireland would have most likely informed his own writing as a contemporary
poet.

Question 2

DOAN- Opener: Childhood

Answer 2

Heaney uses ‘Death of Naturalist’ as a vehicle to bring attention to the inevitable transition from childhood to
adulthood, where the loss of childhood innocence is often tinged with a sense of sadness and disgust. Heaney’s own upbringing in rural Ireland would have most likely informed his own writing as a contemporary poet.

Question 3

DOAN- Opener: Time

Answer 3

Heaney uses ‘Death of Naturalist’ as a vehicle to bring attention to the inevitable passing of time which results
in a movement from childhood to adulthood and the eventual loss of innocence. Heaney’s own upbringing in
rural Ireland would have most likely informed his own writing as a contemporary poet

Question 4

DOAN- Opener: Loss

Answer 4

Heaney uses ‘Death of Naturalist’ as a vehicle to bring attention to the loss of innocence owing to the
inevitable transition from childhood to adulthood; an experience which is often tinged with a sense of sadness
and disgust. Heaney’s own upbringing in rural Ireland would have most likely informed his own writing as a
contemporary poet.

Question 5

Quotes?

Answer 5

E B A T A I

Question 6

All year the flax-dam festered in the heart of the town land

Answer 6

childhood: core memory of an event of childhood
time: time cannot change consistency of nature
loss: causes him to reflect on the past
nature: not something beautiful

Question 7

Bubble gargled delicately, blue bottles wove a strong gauze of sound around the smell

Answer 7

nature: merges all senses together, immersive
Loss: remembering times before loss causes him to collapse senses together
Time: senses were able to overcome effects of time/ ora?

Question 8

Every spring I would fill jampotfuls of the jellied specks

Answer 8

nature: anticipation and fascination
Time: continued fascination as a child
Childhood childlike way or measurement, fascinated as a child
loss: wouldn’t have expected the loss of his love for nature

Question 9

He croaked and how the mammy frog laid hundred of little eggs

Answer 9

Nature: outlook of nature as a childhood
Time: view on nature changed with time, found the truth
Childhood: innocence of childhood
Loss: loss of innocence

Question 10

Angry frogs invaded the flax-dam: i ducked through the hedges

Answer 10

nature: truth of nature begins to show
time: same use of words, time progressing shows him the true reality
childhood: hide from nature instead of revering it now
loss: loss of interest for childhood

Question 11

their blunt heads farting. I sickened, turned, and ran.

Answer 11

Nature: grotesque imagery
time: contrast of how he previously viewed, time has brought him a new perspective
Childhood: effects of childhood last, scary experience
loss: loss of love for nature, visceral description of how scared he is, not anticipation anymore