In Mrs Tilscher's Class Flashcards
S1
“You”
- Direct address
- Engages reader & gives sense of experiencing the lesson
S1
“Travel up”
- ‘travel’ connote change, excitement. Metaphor for pupils learning/ growing.
- Also, long opening sentence represents long journey of childhood.
S1
“The blue Nile with your finger”
Lesson is a sensory, engaging, vibrant experience for pupils
S1
“Mrs Tilscher chanted the scenery”
- ‘chanted’ – connotations of singing, rhythmically together.
- Suggests ‘togetherness’ of class – safety/ that lessons are engaging/ enjoyable.
S1
“Tana. Ethiopia. Khartoum. Aswân”
- List of one word sentences – reflects the ‘chanting’ rhythm of the words.
- Perhaps Mrs T saying the words slowly and patiently.
- Also, places are exotic/ foreign from Duffy’s UK upbringing – sense of wonder/ excitement
S1
“That for an hour”
Introduction of time passing – slowly at first but speeds up during poem – represents speed at which childhood goes by.
S1
“A skittle of Milk”
- ‘skittle’ connotations of fun games (lesson).
- ‘milk’ – connotations of comfort/ maternal figure of Mrs T/ safety of class.
- Also shape of bottles
S1
“Chalky Pyramids rubbed into dust”
Symbolic of time passing/ things left behind/ forgotten childhood
S1
“Laugh of a Bell”
- Personification
- Creates fun, vibrant atmosphere- a carefree world where children are free to grow & find themselves in a nurturing setting
S1
“Running Child”
Connotes freedom & fun
S2
“This was better than Home”
- ‘Home’ connotes safety/ belonging
- Comparison emphasises enjoyment of class/lesson
S2
“Enthralling books”
- Connotes absorbtion/ captivation
- Suggests pupils drawn in by the lessons
S2
“The classroom glowed like a sweetshop”
Simile- just as a sweetshop is filled with wonder/temptations/excitement for a child, so too is the classroom a place of wonder & fun
S2
“Glowed”
Connotes warmth/appeal
S2
“Sugar paper. Coloured shapes”
- Short sentences
- List emphasizes variety of colour/vibrant appearance of classroom
S2
“Brady & Hindley”
Juxtaposition of class security with murderers
S2
“like the faint uneasy smudge of a mistake”
Simile- just as a mistake can be erased, so too can fear of the outside world
S2
“Mrs Tilscher loved you”
‘Loved’ connotes nurture/ safety/protection/care
S2
“Good gold star”
‘Gold’ connotes achievement/ awards/positivity
S2
“The scent of a pencil slowly, carefully, shaved”
- Sensory description (scent)
- List of adverbs
- Describe activity with universal appeal/ memory of childhood.
S2
“A xylophone’s nonsense”
- Personification – brings the scene to life – gives the environment a sense of energy/ fun.
- ‘Nonsense’ implies instrument is yet to be mastered
S3
“Over the easter term”
- Turning point in the poem
- Time of growth
- Symbolizes the speaker maturing.
S3
“The inky tadpoles changed from commas into exclamation marks”
- Represents children growing up.
- ‘commas into exclamation marks’ represents new learning taking place.
S3
“Three frogs hopped”
Connotes fun/ games/ enjoyment.
S3
“Freed by a dunce”
- ‘Dunce’ connotes stupidity/ lacking intelligence
- Ideas of name calling/ bullying/ silly behaviour
- Speaker is no longer in safety of classroom.
S3
“A rough boy told you how you were born”
- Again suggests being exposed to more grown up ideas outside the classroom.
- ‘Rough’ – bully? Snobbishness?
S3
“You kicked him”
Suggests violence/ not ready for more mature ideas.
S3
“Appaled”
- Connotes disbelief
- Again, not ready for more mature ideas. Idea of losing innocence
- View of parents changes.
S4
“That feverish July”
- ‘feverish’ connotes being agitated/ nervous.
- Anxiety over growing up/ perhaps excitement about freedom of maturity.
S4
“Air tasted of electricity”
Connotations of both danger and excitement of growing up/ adulthood
S4
“Tangible Alarm”
- Links back to ‘laughing bell’.
- ‘tangible’ suggests clarity/ something real
- ‘alarm’ suggests warning/ danger – the dangers presented by adulthood are a reality.
S4
“Untidy, hot, fractuous”
- List suggests restlessness – ready to be free/ make own decisions.
- Also suggests uncomfortable stage of life/ puberty
S4
“Heavy, sexy sky”
- Pathetic fallacy suggests storm is building
- ‘heavy’ suggests the burden/ serious nature of new information.
- ‘sexy’ suggests sexual awakening.
S4
“You asked her how you were born”
- Disgust has turned to curiosity
- Suggests maturity.
S4
“Mrs Tilscher smiled, then turned away”
Lack of answer from Mrs T symbolises that security of teacher is no longer there.
S4
“Reports”
- Connotes something serious/ factual
- In contrast with the fun & excitement of stanza 1 and 2.
S4
“Impatien to be grown”
‘impatient’ suggests eagerness to experience adult world
S4
“Sky split open”
- Metaphor for unsettled/ troubled times ahead
- Loss of childhood innocence
Overall
Central concerns
- Maturity
- Growing up
