living space themes

Question 1

what are the three feelings and attitudes in the poem

Answer 1

detachment
awe
tentative hope

Question 2

explain how detachment is expressed in the poem

Answer 2

The poem opens with a factual explanation of the situation. The speaker describes the physical features of the building to show that the place is like without being overly emotional.

Question 3

explain how awe is expressed in the poem

Answer 3

The speaker is amazed that someone could live here. Hanging the eggs outside is seen as a defiant act — someone has ‘dared’ to place something fragile in a dangerous place.

Question 4

explain how tentative hope is expressed in the poem

Answer 4

Optimism for the future is presented through the eggs and the speaker’s admiration for the space. The fact that the structure is ‘living’ also means there’s hope for improvement.

Question 5

what is the poem about

Answer 5

• the poem opens by describing a building — it’s badly built and falling apart
• the speaker reveals that someone lives in the building despite how dangerous it is
• the speaker notices there’s a basket of eggs hanging outside, they describe how fragile the eggs are but also suggest that they represent some hope for the future

Question 6

what other poems include ideas of fragility

Answer 6

Dulce et Decorum Est
The Manhunt

Question 7

what other poems include a sense of place

Answer 7

London