Flowers Quotes Flashcards
“They all gabbled to one another in Gaelic, mysterious and hateful to her lowland ears.”
She can’t understand what the other children are saying and may feel quite alone. To her is it just a collection of noise which is unknown and unfamiliar. Margaret loathes the language and everything about it.
“Now, Margaret, I want no more nonsense from you.”
The teacher is issuing Margaret with a warning. This highlights she is a mischievous little girl who is possibly a concern for the teacher. She has a reputation of going against the rules and not doing what she is told. Margaret is singled out by her teacher and warned that there will be consequences if she is disobedient. She is in need of being reminded how to conduct herself.
“She didn’t want to be here in the highlands staying with aunt Sheena. She didn’t want to be safe from bombs.”
The repetition stresses now strongly Margaret feels about the situation. She is unhappy and annoyed and does not understand the seriousness of war. Margaret’s attitude and personality show how naive she is. She would rather be in the middle of a conflict than safe in the country.
“Had to promise solemnly with their hands on their bibles, never to go down to the shore.”
This is effective as “solemnly” suggests that it is not an empty promise and is taken deadly seriously. It is not taken lightly and is definitely not a laughing matter. The fact the children have to promise each day highlights that it is a constant reminder and the repetition stresses the importance. The swear on the bible which implies it is a sacred promise to God. Despite this Margaret sets off and starts making her way to the beach.
“Neatly coiled… Camouflaged against the background of greeny-grey stone.”
The snake is blending into the background and is a danger that is initially hidden. Symbolically this links to Margaret and the war. The dangers of war have been hidden and camouflaged from her. She is unaware of the reality of war. This should have been a sign for Margaret and made her want to turn back as snakes often represent danger, however she attacks the snake and continues on.
“Its beauty, harmlessness and its loneliness there amidst the tall brackens.”
This suggests that the flower is very pretty and nice looking. It cannot hurt anyone or anything and is small and innocent. The bracken is like the alien place and people and Margaret is like the isolated flower. The flower also represents the airmen and soldiers of the war. It highlights that the airmen are valuable people who are keeping the place safe and as a nation we should nurture and support the airmen.
“They gave no sign at all that they knew she was there.”
This implies that the men gave no acknowledgment to the fact that someone was walking towards them. This is strange as usually people are aware of their surroundings and notice them immediately. The men are lying still are are unresponsive.
“She walked a step or two nearer then rigidly halted. Her scalp tingled and her whole body seemed frozen in the cold bright sea.”
We know that Margaret has realised the true horrific nature of the scene in front of her as she comes to a very quick and complete stop. It makes me think that Margaret is standing completely still possibly frozen in shock at what she has discovered. Her head is spinning which highlights how nervous and horrified she is. Margaret may be shaking in shock and fear. “Frozen” and “cold” are significant as they imply and eerie atmosphere. Death is often associated with coldness and the dead bodies would be cold and bleak.
“The fingers of his right hand, fling out in the shallow water, were gleaming bones.”
This also adds to the horrific scene in front of Margaret as she realises that’s the bodies of the men are not complete. The airmen has his hand blown off and his fingers are a considerable distance from his body floating in the water, reflecting in the sun. There is no skin left on the fingers and this would be a truly shocking and disturbing scene for a little girl especially to witness.
“In her hand the yellow flower was crushed to a green and black mess.”
This highlights that the flower has been destroyed beyond repair and is now simply a coloured wreck with no distinctness or tidiness. It is also symbolic of the airmen as they are a mess too. It implies her reaction to the situation; she is repulsed by it. The flower had left colour stained on her hand just like the discovery had left a scar in her mind. This moment is symbolic in the context of ten story as a whole, as Margaret’s innocence and naivety has also been crushed and destroyed.
“Rub it madly on the grass.”
This may be because she is trying to get rid of the memory of the disturbing discovery and the realisation. She maybe thinks that the flower is symbolic of the horrific discovery and getting rid of the flower means erasing the discovery.
