From Long Distance - Tony Harrison Flashcards
What are the main themes of the poem?
Grief, Death, and Coping
How does the speaker introduce the theme of death in the first line?
The speaker states “Though my mother was already two years dead,” bluntly addressing the theme of death.
What does the use of the word “mother” instead of “Mom” signify?
It implies the speaker’s deep emotional distance or inability to refer to her casually due to the impact of her death.
How does the speaker describe his father’s coping mechanism?
The father keeps his dead wife’s slippers warming by the gas and puts hot water bottles by her side of the bed, showing denial and his reluctance to let go.
What does the phrase “her side of the bed” imply about the father?
It suggests the father has not moved on, keeping the bed ready as if his wife will return.
What does the father do to maintain the illusion that his wife is still alive?
He renews her transport pass, showing his ongoing commitment to the memory of his wife and his refusal to fully accept her death.
How does the father react when someone visits his house?
The father clears away his dead wife’s things and tries to appear “alone,” hiding his grief and love for her.
Why does the father make guests wait before visiting?
The father needs time to clear away reminders of his wife and to “look alone,” as he is self-conscious about his coping mechanisms.
What does the phrase “look alone” suggest about the father’s emotional state?
It implies that the father is not truly alone and is putting on an act, hiding his grief and his ongoing attachment to his wife.
What does the speaker mean by saying the father’s grief was “raw”?
“Raw” metaphorically compares the father’s grief to an open wound, showing how deeply his emotions affect him.
How does the speaker feel about his father’s actions?
The speaker understands and empathizes with his father, recognizing that his grief and the need to maintain his wife’s memory are not crimes.
Why does the father hide his grief from his son?
The father is afraid of being judged for his coping mechanisms, believing that his son’s disbelief would harm their relationship.
What does the word “blight” suggest about the father’s view of his son’s disbelief?
“Blight” suggests that the father sees his son’s disbelief as something potentially harmful or destructive to their relationship.
What does the father believe about his wife’s return?
The father believes that soon he will hear the sound of his wife’s key in the lock, which would end his grief and bring her back.
How does the imagery of the “rusted lock” contribute to the poem’s meaning?
The “rusted lock” symbolizes the long passage of time since the mother’s death, reinforcing the father’s persistent belief that she will return.
What is the significance of the phrase “popped out to get the tea”?
The phrase suggests that the father views his wife’s absence as temporary, as if she has just stepped out for a short time, further indicating his denial of her death.
How does the speaker’s view on death differ from the rest of the poem?
The speaker shifts to a rational view on death, stating, “life ends with death, and that is all,” emphasizing the finality of death.
What does the phrase “You haven’t both gone shopping; just the same” suggest?
It subtly implies that both of the speaker’s parents have passed away, showing the speaker’s grief in a veiled, indirect way.
How does the speaker address the grief of losing his father?
The speaker does not directly mention his father’s death, which contrasts with his more straightforward approach to his mother’s death in the first stanza, indicating how raw and personal the grief is.
What is the significance of the “new black leather phone book”?
The “new” phone book shows that the speaker has moved on in some ways, yet still holds onto his father’s name, symbolizing how grief lingers and continues to affect the speaker.
What is the emotional significance of the speaker still calling his father’s “disconnected number”?
The act of calling the disconnected number symbolizes the speaker’s ongoing connection to his father, despite knowing that his father is gone, highlighting how grief can defy logic and rational beliefs.
