In Our Tenth Year Flashcards
‘This book, this page, this harebell laid to rest’
What are harebells representative of?
Why does he write ‘laid to rest’?
HAREBELL - like a bluebell - bad luck - a flower associated with witches and devils. It was said that they should be picked at your peril. If the juices were squeezed from the flower, witches use the juice to turn into a hare
LAID TO REST - connotations of death, or perhaps being at peace
‘This book, this page, this harebell laid to rest
Between these sheets, these leaves, if pressed still bleeds’
What metaphor is extended throughout these lines?
He is reflecting on the relationship through the extended metaphor of pressing a flower.
This suggests that there was once something quite magical and beautiful about their relationship but it has faded
‘Between these sheets, the leaves, if pressed still bleeds’
What is the significance of discussing leaves?
What is meant by ‘if pressed, still bleeds’?
LEAVES - part of the extended metaphor of the book, which builds up an image of nature, perhaps questioning how natural their relationship is
IF PRESSED, STILL BLEEDS - something is still there, but only when forced
‘A watercolour of the way we were’
What does watercolour symbolise?
Watercolours are weak, a sense of reduction - beautiful but weak and watered down
‘Those years: the fuss of such and such a day’
What is meant
It was unimportant, no dates, perhaps no longer caring
‘That disagreement and it’s final word’
What is suggested by ‘final word’?
Final word - the final argument, the end - it could no longer be recaptured from this point
‘Your inventory of names and dates and times,
My infantries of tall, dark, handsome lies’
What is literally suggested?
What sort of tone?
What is suggested by infantries?
Handsome lies?
- These two lines hint at affairs and lies within their relationship - from both parties
- The tone is fairly clinical and cold - lacking passion and personality
- Infantries suggests violence and fighting - also, lots of lies - on mass
- ‘Tall, dark, handsome lies’ suggests that the lies are deep and substantial - this is emphasised by an oxymoron
‘This book, this page, this harebell, laid to rest’
What is the significance of ‘this book, this page’
- The shift might suggest that there is becoming less, less to hold onto
- OR… Could mean that it has become more focused
‘A decade on, now we astound ourselves;
Still two, still twinned but doubled now with love
And for a single night apart, alone,
How sure we are, each of the other half.’
What do we learn from this stanza?
- They surprise themselves by the fact that they are still together - emphasised by the repetition of still
- They are now more in love then ever
- They are paired together as one - this is explored in the juxtaposition of ‘two, twinned, doubled’ and ‘single, apart, alone’ - we learn that they feel isolated and lonely when they are not together - they now exist together as one entity
- ‘Sure’ indicates trust
‘This harebell holds it’s own. Let’s give it now’
What is the significance of…
- Harebell?
- Let’s?
HAREBELL - cyclical - returns back to the beginning - suggests that the flower is in tact, capable of survival
However, we know that the Harebell is symbolic of bad luck - perhaps this line could suggest that the bad luck persists?
LETS - approaching it together
‘In air, with light, the chance to fade, to fold’
What does this mean?
Let nature take its course - relation to grow or die
‘Here, take my hand. Now, let it go’
Inviting the other to share the responsibility
