Death of a Naturalist

Question 1

Title

Answer 1

-refers to the end of one way of looking at the world after gaining experience

Question 2

Theme

Answer 2

-explores the loss of childhood innocence and the transition to a more complex understanding of the world

Question 3

Structure

Answer 3

-Bipartite (two distinct parts)
-1st section covers memories of the speakers
youth and the innocent exploration of nature
- 2nd section shows a change of perception
-poem structured to show a transformation in the speakers sense of self

Question 4

“Bubbles gargled delicately, bluebottles”

Answer 4

• oxymoronic contrast beetween the guttural/onamatopeic “gargled” and gentle “delicately” conveying that the speaker is not put off by the decay but entranced by it.

Question 5

“Wove a strong gauze of sound around the smell”

Answer 5

-Synathesia (mixing of senses). The sound of the flies is palable- thick and substantial. Gauze has medical connotations a thin fabric to bandage wounds

Question 6

“Miss walls would tell us how./The daddy frog was called a bullfrog”

Answer 6

-Childish language from his primary school teacher, conveying his youth and innocence

Question 7

“The fattening dots burst into nimble swimming tadpoles”

Answer 7

He is fascinated by the life cycle of the frog. “Burst” is dynamic and exiting and “nimble” is also lively and energetic

Question 8

Stanza 1 - quote links

Answer 8

“Bubbles gargled delicately, bluebottles” + “Wove a strong gauze of sound around the smell”

“The fattening dots burst into nimble swimming tadpoles” + “Miss walls would tell us how/The daddy frog was called a bullfrog”

Question 9

“The slap and pop were obscene threats. Some sat”

Answer 9

-onomatopoeic and plosives are powerfully evocative combining with guttural “g” and “k” and assonat “o” sound create a discordant sense of discomfort.

Question 10

“Angry frogs”

Answer 10

Aggressive and militaristic w.c - the frogs now seem threatening and un-desirable

Question 11

“To a coarse croaking i had not heard”

Answer 11

Alliteration and onomatepia are evocative - he recognizes something new and previously un-experienced.

Question 12

“We’re gathered there for vengeance and I knew/That if I dipped my hand the spawn would clutch it”

Answer 12

-no longer “mammy” and “daddy” frog now rules of the damn with viscous intentions
- A fear of what might happen - he no longer enjoys the physical sensation of touching the frogspawn. He is terrified by it.

Question 13

Stanza 2 quote connections

Answer 13

“The slap and plop were obscene threats, some sat”

“Angry Frogs” + “To a coarse croaking that I had not heard”

“We’re gathered there for vengeance and I knew/That if I dipped my hand the spawn would clutch it”