history

Question 1

Setting

Answer 1

• Romantic genre - connecting with nature
• Beach, escape, edge of society

Question 2

“as we flew the kites”

Answer 2

Depicts an ordinary family day out

Question 3

“gasoline smell of Leuchars”

Answer 3

family day out is overshadowed by the catastrophic historic event on the other side of the world, in the form of WAR
- symbolism of history as a destructive force, “gasoline”, “war planes”

Question 4

“Muffled dread”

Answer 4

symbolism of History as a source of fear

Question 5

“evidence of life”

Answer 5

Natural wreckage is filled with life
- nature as a source of hope/life

Question 6

“gathering shells and pebbles”

Answer 6

Contrasts history with imagery of a child
- child exploring the natural world
- nature as a source of hope/life
- Romantic view of life
- innocent picture

Question 7

“shreds of razorfish”
“flesh on tide worn stone”

Answer 7

• Image of the wreckage of the twin towers?
• Human history as destructive, contrasts the idea that nature is a source of hope and life

Question 8

“I think that makes us who we are”

Answer 8

Theme of identity

Question 9

“Our lines raised in the wind our bodies fixed and anchored to the shore”

Answer 9

Still trapped by the historical forces, unable to escape

Question 10

“Reading from the book of silt and tides”

Answer 10

Motif of tides
- Childs curiosity, learning from nature - nature in opposition to history?

Question 11

“a child’s first nakedness”

Answer 11

• Highlights the child’s innocence
• Child is closer with nature - innocence
• Associated with the innocence of the natural world, nature as innocent and nature outside of history?

Question 12

“i am dizzy with the fear of losing everything”

Answer 12

History as a source of fear

Question 13

“the fish lodged in the tide”
“ornamental carp in public parks”
“goldfish carried home”

Answer 13

Imagery of confinement or entrapment
- Theme of identity - asks the overarching question as to whether we are products of society and the historical forces that have shaped society
- we are, like the fish, trapped by History as our identities are so shaped by society and society is so shaped by history

Question 14

“a kite plugged into the sky”

Answer 14

a symbol of freedom from historical forces, moments of escape

Question 15

closing lines

Answer 15

Suggest that there are moments of freedom from society and forces of history

Question 16

“irredeemable”

Answer 16

Biblical connotations
- suggests that nothing (natural or human) can ultimately be saved from history or time
- BUT, paying attention to the moment may at least bring us to a deeper appreciation

Question 17

tides as a motif

Answer 17

• speaker finds comfort in tides
• cycle of tides, cycle of time, cycle of nature
• tides are a part of nature
• nature has its own laws and cycles
• natural cycles are very different to human history
  CONTRAST between nature and human history

Question 18

Form

Answer 18

• Broken pentameter lines
• Lines are less broken as thoughts of dread appear - reflects the speaker gradually trying to make sense of history, not just dread and fear