Living Space - About Flashcards
what is the poem about
poem opens by describing a building - it’s badly built and falling apart. the speaker reveals that someone lives in the building and also notices a basket of eggs which could represent hope for the future
what is the form of the poem
has an irregular form with stanzas of different lengths, mirroring the building.
what is the structure of the poem
split into 2 parts, first stanza is the description of a building, in the 2nd and 3rd stanzas, the mood changes as the speaker hints towards optimism and hope for the future
what is used in the poem
language of disorder, symbolism and light and dark
why is language of disorder used
the building’s chaos is shown through which suggest instability
how is symbolism used
the eggs in the poem symbolise faith, even though they’re considered fragile, they can also symbolise a new life which could make the inhabitants lives better in the future
how and why is light and dark used
white eggs stand out against the dark edge which could represent the dangerous living conditions
the colour white is often associated with innocence and neither the inhabitants or the eggs are to blame for the situation
what feelings and attitudes are present throughout the poem
detachment, awe and tentative hope
how is detachment presented
the poet starts of the poem with a factual explanation to show the physical features of the building without being overly emotional
how is awe presented
the speaker is amazed that someone could live here, hanging eggs outside is a defiant act - someone has dared to put something so fragile in a dangerous place
how is tentative hope presented
optimism for the future is presented through eggs and the speakers admiration for the space. The structure is “living” which means there’s hope for the future
