guisseppe

Question 1

Caesura significance:

Answer 1

Use of caesura creates pauses in the middle of the phrases- mimics the reluctancy ‘Giuseppe’ feels in recounting his story, perhaps out of guilt, fear or judgement.

Question 2

She, it” “she was only a fish, and fish can’t speak” (4)

Answer 2

• stressed use of pronouns used as a means to dehumanise the mermaid.
• The change between ‘she’ to ‘it’ illustrates the process, as the men don’t see her as a woman anymore- eases the guilt that they may feel.
• This relates to war as we view our enemies/opponents as different to ourselves, as a threat.
• no name= dehumanising but also to protect yourslef

Question 3

“But she screamed like a women in terrible fear” (3)

Answer 3

• Simile used in the second stanza which provokes a very distressing/harrowing image for the reader.
• Despite screaming like a woman, she is ultimately not treated like one.
• Explores the darkest corners of human behaviour/capability.

Question 4

mermaid” (4)

Answer 4

• Extended metaphor- creates a fairytale- like atmosphere which distances both the reader and speaker from the story and its reality. (magical realism)
• This relieves some of the shock and distressing nature of war, as well as suggesting the guilt felt by the uncle.
• By making her a creature of legend, Ford allows us to focus more clearly on the protagonists behaviour.
• mermaid symbolises the unconscious mind= the mind cannot face the truth head on, uses analogies instead

Question 5

indirect speech

Answer 5

• Use of indirect speech again reinstates the sense of distance the speaker/’Giuseppe’ wants to establish between the reader/nephew and the horrific realities of war.

Question 6

dehumanisation of the mermaid (2)

Answer 6

• The men’s strategy is to deny mermaid of humanity- talk of ‘proof’, using physicality and supposed mental incapacity (“because she was simple’) as an excuse.
• In this display Nazi sentiments and many other totalitarian regimes arguments on establishing racial superiority.

Question 7

“tried to take her wedding ring” “and the ring stayed put.” (3)

Answer 7

• Disturbing revelation that she was married, a human ritual, alluding to her capability to express love- a human emotion.
• Might have also expected some form of protection
  because of marriage.
• mountain of jewish wedding rings (humans are raw material to exploit)

Question 8

tone of the poem (3):

Answer 8

• poem creates an eerie effect due to its sense of detachment and the language used is deliberately flat and factual
• report like and matter-of-fact
• conversational

Question 9

“the only captive mermaid in the world was butchered on the dry and dusty ground by a doctor, fishmonger, and certain others” (3)

Answer 9

• plosive consonance “b”, “d”= phonetically brutal
• different levels of society are implicated
  Violence is carried out by key members of the community- most disturbingly by the doctor (saves lives, not takes).
• “certain others”= deliberate ambiguity (safety in numbers)

Question 10

“But he could not look me in the eye, for which I thank God.” (2)

Answer 10

• Implies speaker recognises his uncles remorse for what he has done and is grateful, retains some sense of humanity.
• the poem doesn’t look in the eye (magical realism)

Question 11

“ripe golden roe” (2)
“golden”= just raw material to exploit

Answer 11

• human experimentation, forced reproduction