In the Snack Bar

Question 1

An example of alliteration and explain what it means?

Answer 1

“A cup capsizes along the formica” sense of harsh setting

Question 2

Explain what “Slowly he levers himself up” emphasizes

Answer 2

The struggle which the man has to go through to lift himself up

Question 3

What does the line “the dismal hump looming over him forces his head down” tell us about the man?

Answer 3

He has bad posture but could also seem quite scary

Question 4

What does the line “like a monstrous animal caught in a tent” show?

Answer 4

That the man is trapped in his own body and can’t escape

Question 5

Which lines in the poem suggest the man having a scary appearance?

Answer 5

“bent down in shadow under his cap”, “stained beltless gabardine”, “hunchback born”, “the dismal hump looming over him forces his head down”

Question 6

How does the Morgan imply that the man is blind?

Answer 6

By describing his white stick “ I notice now his stick, once painted white but scuffed and muddy”

Question 7

Explain the effect of the line “I want-to go to the- toilet”

Answer 7

It depicts the man to be scared and nervous but possible breathless from him trying to stand up

Question 8

How does Morgan explain that public places aren’t suited for the disabled?

Answer 8

By describing the surroundings in lines such as “two flights of stairs” and “like a landscape to be negotiated”,

Question 9

Give some examples of repetition throughout the poem?

Answer 9

“And slowly we go down. And slowly we go down”, “He climbs, we climb he climbs” “ And slowly we go up, And slowly we go up”,” endless yet not endless”

Question 10

How does Morgan describe the café to be intimidating to the man?

Answer 10

By using harsh words that the man either hears or smells, “hiss, slidy, crunch, steaming”

Question 11

Give an example of the man being dependant on the author?

Answer 11

“He clings to me”

Question 12

How does the man contrast with the cleanliness of the toilets?

Answer 12

The man is incredibly dirty where as the toilets are exceptionally clean. “He shambles uncouth into the clinical gleam”

Question 13

In what line to we see the man’s disability more apparent?

Answer 13

“But the trickle of his water is thin and slow”

Question 14

What does the line “Painful ages to close his trousers and coat” show?

Answer 14

It shows the man is physically incapable of doing up his trousers at a reasonable pace.

Question 15

What does the line “can I-wash my hands?” show?

Answer 15

The man is aware of how long he has been holding up the author

Question 16

“He climbs, we climb, he climbs”

Answer 16

Repetition which emphasizes difficulty

Question 17

“persisting patience of the undefeated which is the nature of men when all is said and done”

Answer 17

The man is not going to give up even though the journey to the toilet has been long and hard

Question 18

“The faltering, unfaltering steps”

Answer 18

He falls but keeps trying

Question 19

“The conductor bends to hear where he wants to go”

Answer 19

The indicates the end of the physical journey which the author has had with the man

Question 20

“Wherever he could go it would be dark”

Answer 20

The man is blind but also this is scary and sad

Question 21

“pitiful”

Answer 21

Sympathy

Question 22

“Does he know how frightening he is in his strangeness under his mountainous coat, his hands like wet leaves stuck to the half white stick?”

Answer 22

Emphasizes dehumanisation

Question 23

“Dear Christ to be born for this”

Answer 23

Morgan sees life as not fair and that society is badly adapted for the disabled

Question 24

What are the main themes of the poem?

Answer 24

The resilience of man kind but also how poor society is adapted for the disabled