In Mrs Tilcher's Class Flashcards
“You could travel up the blue nile”
Introduces a magical atmosphere/feeling by suggesting Mrs Tilcher can physically transport the children to Africa through her lessons
“Tana. Ethiopia. Khartoum. Aswan”
Continues magical atmosphere/feeling. These are all foreign places to her which make them fascinating- almost mystical. She’s looking at these places on the map.
“laugh of a bell”
Personification of the bell suggests the joy and happiness the narrator feels in her environment. Also suggests a feeling of nostalgia.
“glowed like a sweet shop”
Colourful, many things to choose from in school, many opportunities to explore. Positive feeling.
“This was better than home. Enthralling books.”
The narrator likes school more than home. The books she has access to in the school are captivating and delighting- she can’t get these books at home.
“Brady and Hindley”
Duffy breaks the pleasant feeling of the poem by mentioning their names. It is exposing the reality that the world isn’t as happy and colourful as a child sees it. Children are naive.
“faded”
For a child, bad things easily fade.
“uneasy”
Child Duffy still feels unease by this knowledge. She is less innocent than she used to be.
“while Mrs Tilcher chanted the scenery”
Continues the magical atmosphere/feeling. Theres something magical about Mrs Tilcher and the wonders of the world.
“Mrs Tilcher loved you.”
Bold statement suggests that Mrs Tilcher’s love for her pupils is unquestionable (at least to a child Duffy). Contrasting to the last stanza.
“she’d left a gold star by your name.”
Mrs Tilcher was kind to the children and loved them dearly. Duffy is reflecting on positive memories and her relationship with Mrs Tilcher.
“A xylophone’s nonsense”
Personification and transferred epithet. She is transferring the non-sense from the children onto the xylophone. Children have the freedom to express themselves and make mistakes, which is a contrast to high school.
“the ink tadpoles changed from commas into exclamation marks.”
The growth of the tadpoles is explained in terms of punctation marks, which the children would be learning about in class. They are growing in knowledge, as frogs physically grow, and so the frogs are symbolic of the growing children.
“A rough boy/told you how you were born.”
This is the real catalyst for change in the poem, and an important key moment. A boy in her class told her about sex.
“You kicked him, but stared at your parents, appalled, when you got back home.”
The revelation about sexual reproduction may have seemed horrifying to Duffy, but she suspects it might be true.
“feverish July”
Another epithet. Duffy is feeling feverish, not that July, as she is going through puberty.
“the air tasted of electricity.”
Duffy feels frightened but also excited to graduate primary school and begin highschool.
“A tangible alarm”
Growing up is scary but also exciting. Back in the poem, Duffy was horrified at learning about sex, but now she wants to know more.
“untidy, hot”
Describes how Duffy is feeling as she begins puberty.
“how you were born”
Confirms Duffy’s suspicions about sexual reproduction as Mrs Tilcher avoids the question.
“then turned away.”
End of childhood. Mrs Tilcher no longer wanted to teach these young adults as they weren’t innocent anymore.
“Reports were handed out.”
A very impersonal tone here, with no giver and receiver of the reports mentioned, as if their performance in primary school is irrelevant in face of what’s to come.
“the sky split open into a thunderstorm.”
A metaphor from the innocent/naivety of childhood into the knowledge of adulthood. Like a thunderstorm is unpredictable, thrilling and frightening, so too is the journey from adolescence into adulthood.
