giuseppe Flashcards
‘in the courtyard behind…
…the aquarium, where the bougainvillea grows so well’
What is the AO2? ‘in the courtyard behind the aquarium, where the bougainvillea grows so well’
Opening sequence involves flat, detached language - contrast the horror of what is being described.
‘Bougainvillea’ also does this by depicting beauty and life, contrasted with ugliness and death
‘The only…
…captive mermaid in the world was butchered’
What is the AO2? ‘the only captive mermaid in the world was butchered on the dry and dusty ground’
Conveys how she is previous and unique. The mermaid is symbolic of ‘others’, making the ideas of the poem more universal
‘by a…
…doctor, a fishmonger, and certain others’
What is the AO2? ‘by a doctor, a fishmonger, and certain others’
Contrasting figures of the doctor (preserving life), and the fishmonger (ending life) introduce the duality of the mermaid
What is the AO2? ‘She, it, had never learned to speak’
The use of the indefinite pronoun conveys the desire to remove the mermaid’s human identity
‘but the priest…
…who held one of her hands while her throat was cut’
‘but she screamed…
…like a woman in terrible fear’
What is the AO2? ‘but she screamed like a woman in terrible fear’
The simile undermines the men’s attempts to rationalise their actions
‘took a…
…ripe golden roe from her side’
What is the AO2? ‘took a ripe golden roe from her side’
She is pregnant, the use of colour imagery conveys something precious and valuable
‘an egg…
…is not a child, but refused when some was offered to him’
What is the AO2? ‘an egg is not a child, but refused when some was offered to him’
The final line undercuts the previous justification/rational
‘someone tried…
…to take her wedding ring’
What is the AO2? ‘someone tried to take her wedding ring’
The ring is a metaphor for her humanity, her capacity for love and her devotion
What is the AO2? ‘my uncle, the aquarium keeper’
This acts as the volta of the poem, where we see Giuseppe as having betrayed his role
‘but he couldn’t…
…look me in the eye, for which I thank God’
What is the AO2? ‘but couldn’t look me in the eye, for which I thank God’
The speaker is at least relieved that Giuseppe is aware and ashamed of his wrongdoing
