effects

Question 1

effects

• author
• key ideas
• quick summary

Answer 1

• ‘Effects’ is a poem by Alan Jenkins which explores the idea of loss, and the lasting impact it can have on an individual both physically and emotionally. Jenkins was born in London and went to the University of Sussex.
• He has also worked for The Times Literary Supplement as deputy editor, and for The Observer and Sunday Independent as a poetry critic. Loss is a concept which he has explored across a wide range of his poetry, along with the idea of reminiscence, with the two themes often being strongly linked.

Question 2

effects title

• connotations of change
• transition

Answer 2

• The title is a somewhat informative choice because it has connotations of change, development and impact.
• As such, a reader is likely to infer that there will be a transition of some kind described in the poem, with particular attention to how the change has affected something or someone.
• The pronunciation of ‘Effects’ may be interesting to a reader for the way in which it is a relatively ‘drawn out’ word, due to the double ‘f’ and the ‘s’ to form a plural, which could be interpreted and indicating the idea of lasting effects and impact.

Question 3

Effects poem structure p1

- long stanzas

Answer 3

• A reader’s initial impression when they first see the poem is potentially one of intimidation, or a sense of being overwhelmed, as a result of the long single stanza which makes up the poem. As such, a reader may interpret this as a representation of the huge range of ‘Effects’ that occur and need to be considered, potentially coming to this viewpoint before even reading a single word from the poem.
• Alternatively they may develop this viewpoint part way through the poem, which is likely to be even more effective because it can be related directly to the descriptions in order to create more empathy.

Question 4

Effects poem structure p2

-varied punctuation- how will this make the story read

Answer 4

• Various forms of punctuation are also used in the poem, with more variety than most in the Poems of the Decade Anthology, with caesura in the form of commas and full stops along with hyphens, brackets and inverted commas. This mix of punctuation may make a reader consider how it is arguably more ‘story-like’ and descriptive than a typical poem, with lists of objects and a more natural sense of speech and opinion communicated.
• This would be particularly noticeable for text in inverted commas, as this indicates a different tone of voices, which would help to emphasise the terms being used, even more so if the poem is read aloud.
• A similar effect would also be achieved with the use of hyphens, with the extended pause also helping to place emphasis on the items such as “the scotch”.
• Despite this range of punctuation, there are only two full stops, which would be very effective at building on the existing ‘overwhelming’ feeling that a reader may have as a result of the single stanza.

Question 5

effects poem structure p3

- sense of confusion

Answer 5

• Some readers may also feel a sense of confusion from the poem due to the wide range of descriptions, which would be further emphasised by the lack of consistent rhyme scheme.
• If a rhyme pattern were to be used then this would have brought a more predictable rhythm and greater sense of order to the poem, so the fact that the poem lacks one would encourage a reader to consider the reasoning behind this.
• One interpretation could be that this perhaps represents a confused mental state of the mother (inferred from the inclusion of “before I was born”), or alternatively the confusion that can come with grief.
• It is also important to notice how the rhyme scheme does become more consistent towards the end of the poem, which can be interpreted as showing the greater sense of clarity which the narrator is achieving.

Question 6

effects poetic techniques

- repetition

Answer 6

• Repetition plays an important role in adding extra emphasis to specific descriptions and aspects in ‘Effects’ – in particular the way in which diacope is used (when repetition of a word is broken by another word), for example, “drink after drink” and “night after night”.
• This is a very effective use of repetition because some readers are likely to feel a sense of hopelessness or despondence, particularly as both “night” and “drink” can have negative connotations. As such, a reader is likely to have a much more emotional connection with the poem, making it more memorable and effective.