eat me and material Flashcards
1
Q
A-About patience Agabi
A
- performance poet
- lived in London originated from Nigeria
- often focuses on the role of an outsider and differences between people
2
Q
A-key themes for eat me
A
- dominance/ subservience
- transgression
- taboo
- unhealthy relationships
- power
- gender
3
Q
A-Title meaning of eat me
A
- relatively ambiguous
- presented in capitalised letters which can be seen as signifying the growth of constant feeding
- can be physically interpretation with the idea that its mentally devouring her spirituality
- interesting to consider the way the narrator could be seen as encouraging this behaviour with the use of ‘me’
4
Q
A-poem structure for eat me
- structure
- assonance
A
- very rigid with a strict regime imposed by the feeder, and how it has become commonplace.
- ten tercet stanzas - add to regimented mood
- assonance; between each line ie ‘cake’ and ‘weight’ which breaks the traditional idea of using rhyme ( enables variety of language which maintains a sense of conformity and expectations, potentially echoing the expectations of the feeder
5
Q
A-poem structure p2 for eat me
-consonance
A
- consonance; on each corresponding line, for example the first line of each stanza ‘k’ sound, ‘d’ on the second line and ‘t’ on the third. The only point in which this is broken in the poem is at the end of stanza six. These strong sounds once again evoke ideas of force and control- important theme
6
Q
A-poem structure p3 for eat me
- end stop lines
A
- consistent end stop lines; on the final line of each stanza (broken in stanza 6) which reinforces the idea of routine and consistency.
- however there is also a break in this structure too with the final lines of the last stanza both ending with full stops , which signifies the end of the relationship, bringing a dramatic tension bringing a sense of unease with the reader as the rhyme is disrupted
7
Q
A-poetry technique for eat me
- alliteration
- repetition
A
- eg; ‘the bigger the better’ ‘ broad belly wobble’
- help to reaffirm the idea of obesity and being overweight.
- repetition of ‘fat’ throughout the poem helps to ensure that the idea of weight isn’t far from focus , particularly stanza 7
- forceful yet resentful tone is noticeable in stanza 7 with a fast pace change
8
Q
A-poetry technique eat me p2
- possessive language
A
- the possessive language ie) ‘his’ or even further objectifications through likening of objects , such as ‘ jacuzzi’. This would help to make the description much more emotive for a reader who would recognise the strong objectification/ mistreatment —> creates sympathy for the narrator.
- creates a strange mix of emotion by the end of the poem/murder, with readers potentially feeling happy that the woman has been freed but conflicted over the means of this escape
9
Q
A-poetry techniques eat me p3
-semantic field of water
A
- imagery regarding water and oceans are common throughout the poem with the semantic field including examples such as ‘ shipwreck’ ‘beached whale’ and ‘ tidal wave of flesh’. This is very affective technique because it connotes the idea of fat and cellulite with oceans and waves.
- through their association with expanses and depth helps to show how overweight the woman has become. it also can be interpreted as representing a ‘ hidden’ power which the woman has, and isn’t appreciated by the man until he is ‘drowned’ at the end of the poem
10
Q
B- materials
- poet
- summary
A
- ‘Material’ is a poem by Ros Barber which considers the transition between childhood and adulthood, and the narrator’s nostalgia for a less consumer-driven world through the description of a traditional handkerchief.
- The collection ‘Material’ and the poem itself were her response to the death of her mother in 2002,
11
Q
B- title of material
A
- The title of the poem helps to immediately give a reader an indication of what the poem is about, although at the same time it remains relatively ambiguous due to the large amount of possibilities for what might be explored in reference to ‘Material’.
- the title links directly to the end of the poem, helping to make the poem come together as one a key reminder of the poem’s message.
- The four syllables of ‘Material’ also help to lengthen the title in speech but not in its presence on the page, which is interesting for a reader because it could be seem as symbolic of the deeper ideas presented in the poem.
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12
Q
B- materials poem structure
- verse length
- flow of the poem
A
-there are regular verses throughout the poem with the exception of the sixth stanza, which breaks from the typical eight line rule of the poem to have nine lines, and is also the only example of enjambment across stanzas. This slightly disrupts the flow of the poem, and therefore makes it more noticeable to a reader and marks the tonal shift of the poem, as from this point onwards it has the feeling of sadness nostalgia due to the changes in attitude which have occurred throughout society.
13
Q
B- material poem structure p2
- end stop
A
- Each stanza (with the exception of the fifth) ends with an end-stopped line, which can be interpreted as representing the traditional structure of society and the world in times gone by, with the one break in this pattern representing a transition.
- All of the first lines of the three final stanzas are only one line, with the lengthened pause creating a tone of consideration and reflection which is not as apparent earlier on in the poem.
14
Q
B- materials poem structure p3
- visual imagery
A
- Unlike many other poets from the ‘Poems of the Decade’ collection, Barber also makes use of the visual form of the poem with italic phrases to show names or phrases said by others, helping to add further emphasis to them.
- This is very effective for the final two lines of the poem, because it helps to act as a visual reference for a reader in order to remember the message of the poem more successfully, with the reference to “daughter” making the poem end on a very sentimental note. Another poem within the anthology which uses a similar technique is ‘A Minor Role’.
15
Q
B -materials poetic techniques
-symbolism of the handkerchief
A
- symbolism of the handkerchief. While it can be interpreted literally, it can also be understood to represent many ideas and features of a past time in the poet’s childhood with their mother.
- The use of symbolism means that readers can associate their own experiences and ideas with the poem, helping to make the technique and poem as a whole much more memorable and effective.
