Filling Station Flashcards
Judgemental opening line. Exasperated by the filth of the filling station
Oh, but it is dirty!
Oil is coating absolutely everything. You can’t get away from the oil, and it is evident that it disgusts Bishop.
oil-soaked, oil-permeated
A possible metaphor for the filling station as a whole. Although it seems totally filthy on top, the harder you look you can see through the facade and see the love and attention to detail underneath
black translucency
Dry humour, a warning that it could go up in flames at any moment because there is so much oil. Punctuation aids the exasperation
Be careful with that match!
Even the clothes of the family working there are covered in oil. Still very judgemental tone.
Father wears a dirty,
oil-soaked monkey suit
Sibilance & use of 3. Seems to have little respect for the sons that seem quite vulgar.
several quick and saucy
and greasy sons
Once again reiterating the dirt within the station
all quite thoroughly dirty
Rhetorical question laced with disbelief. How could anyone possibly live in this place of filth? Still exasperated
Do they live in the station?
Everything seems to lack colour and is not in good working condition. Still covered in oil.
crushed and grease-
impregnated wickerwork
Even the animals in the place are covered in dirt. Nothing goes untouched from the filth. Yet they all seem happy with their lives
a dirty dog, quite comfy
Only one thing in the whole place has colour and that is the comic books. Possibly some of the few things taken care of totally. Seems to give Bishop a littl relif at the fact that something isn’t covered in dirt or oil
Some comic books provide
the only note of colour
Once Bishop sees the care in the comic books, she realises that there is more to the filling station. She can see where there has been some care taken in the appearance of the station
They lie
upon a big dim doily
Bishop seems totally confused and questions why someone would put effort into such a horrific place. It seems out of place to her. Rhetorical questioning exemplifies her exasperation and puzzlement
Why the extraneous plant?
Why the taboret?
Why, oh why, the doily?
(Embroidered in daisy stitch)
A moment of epiphany. Bishop realises that someone still must care for this place and the people in it. Warmer tone than before as she realises that love is present, but still portrayed through humour
Somebody embroidered the doily.
Somebody waters the plant,
or oils it, maybe. Somebody
arranges the rows of cans.
A comforting end with a sign of hope that there is always going to be someone who loves us. If someone can love the filthy filling station, then someone can love you. Moving ending
Somebody loves us all.
