genetics

Question 1

“My father’s in my fingers, but my mother’s in my palms.
I lift them up and look at them with pleasure -
I know my parents made me by my hands.”

Answer 1

• The rhythmic opening line is neatly balanced with syntactic parallels which is reinforced with the nouns “mother” and “father” consonantly rhyming
• The use of pronouns could be symbolic of her blaming herself for the divorce or being constantly reminded of it
• The use of iambic pentameter throughout makes it sound like a heartbeat
• The poem takes the form of a villanelle which could symbolise the passing on genes through the two rhymes throughout
• opening line begins with a statement which sets the theme of the poem, the relationship between daughter and parents and the nature of genetic inheritance that has resulted in her physical features

Question 2

“They may have been repelled to separate lands,
to separate hemispheres, may sleep with other lovers,
but in me they touch where fingers link to palms.”

Answer 2

• “Repelled” ahs negative connotations as it is often used in more extreme circumstances which are physical based, not emotionally
• The extreme distance hints at the breakdown of their relationship
• narrator`s parents have separated and this estrangement cuts deep reflected through the extreme distance of “separate lands”
• she however finds physical comfort with their union in herself

Question 3

“With nothing left of their togetherness but friends
who quarry for their image by a river,
at least I know their marriage by my hands.”

Answer 3

• using “quarry” may initially seem strange but can be seen as sounding similar to “quarrel” displaying the impact of the breakdown of this relationship on others. trying to discover “their image” shows how these people are searching for something that was once present in a relationship but can no longer be found
• The metaphor of a “image” suggests that those who care for them seek the idea of who they use to be and so not accepting these changes
• the river`s reflection is an indication of the passing of time

Question 4

“I shape a chapel where a steeple stands.
And when I turn it over,
my father’s by my fingers, my mother’s by my palms”

Answer 4

• the childlike behaviours create sympathy due to the legacy of the separation lasting
• speaker plays child games of forming her fingers into a “steeple” to represent her parents marriage
• lexical field of religion
• repetition of the union of her parents within her could be seen as a coping mechanism but also could reflect the childlike behaviour as it could symbolise a reluctance to accept they have parted ways
• chapel has connotations of safety and so maybe she creates with her hands a chapel to safely conserve the memories of her parents marriage

Question 5

“demure before a priest reciting psalms.
My body is their marriage register.
I re-enact their wedding with my hands.”

Answer 5

• “demure is the 1st word of the stanza so is given greater emphasis but also has loving and respectful connotations
• rhyming highlights children aren`t carbon copies of their parents
• repeated use of end stop lines creates a even rhythm and pace while these are most noticeable between stanzas which could symbolise the breakdown of their relationship

Question 6

“So take me with you, take up the skin’s demands
for mirroring in bodies of the future.
I’ll bequeath my fingers, if you bequeath your palms.
We know our parents make us by our hands.”

Answer 6

• “mirroring in bodies” repeats the imagery of stanza 3
• change of tone to hope and excitement of seeing her own children and how they look
• repetition of mirror imagery to further emphasis the nature of inheritance