Half Past 2

Question 1

Thoughts and feelings

Answer 1

Recounts a child’s experience of being punished and losing track of conventional time, leading to a sense of timelessness and wonder. It captures the innocence and imagination of childhood.

Question 2

Purpose

Answer 2

To explore how children perceive time differently and to evoke nostalgia for a simpler, more imaginative state of mind.

Question 3

Structure

Answer 3

Free verse with irregular stanzas, mirroring the fragmented, nonlinear thoughts of a child.

Punctuation and layout reflect the rhythm of a child’s inner monologue

Question 4

Language

Answer 4

Childlike expressions (“He did something very wrong”) and invented phrases convey innocence.

Personification of time (“time hides tick-less”) adds a magical quality.

Juxtaposition of adult logic and childlike perception creates gentle humor.

Question 5

Tone and mood

Answer 5

Playful and nostalgic, with an undertone of wistfulness.