Midterm Break Flashcards
Summary
The poem narrates the experience of a young boy who returns home from school after the death of his younger brother. He describes the somber atmosphere surrounding the family as they cope with their loss.
Structure
consists of 12 stanzas with varying lengths, creating a sense of disarray that reflects the speaker’s emotional turmoil.
The use of enjambment helps to maintain a flow that mirrors the speaker’s thoughts and feelings.
The theme of grief and loss
The theme of grief is central to the poem, as it captures the overwhelmin sorrow that accompanies the death of a child. Heaney says “In the porch I met my father crying,” which immediately sets a tone of deep sadness and shock. The stark imagery of a family confronted with the loss of a loved one underscores the profound impact of death; emphasizing how it disrupts the normalcy of life.
The theme of innocence and childhood
Heaney explores the theme of innocence through the tragic lens of childhood. The line, “a four-foot box, a foot for every year,” serves as a heartbreaking reminder of the young boy’s life cut short. This imagery evokes the innocence of childhood, contrasting the joy typically associated with youth against the harsh reality of mortality.
The theme of family dynamics
The dynamics within the family are intricately portrayed throughout the poem. Heaney captures the isolation felt by the speaker amidst the family’s collectiv grief. The line “The baby cooed and laughed” displays the innocence of a younger sibling with the somber atmospher mourning, showcasing how life continues ever in the face tragedy. The father’s tears and the overall silence of the family highlight the strain that such a loss can place on familial relationships, revealing the complexities of how each member copes with grief.
Imagery
Heaney uses vivid imagery to evoke emotions, such as “the corpse, stanched and bandaged” and “poppy bruise on his left temple,” which create a stark visual representation of death.
Symbolism
The ‘four-foot box” symbolizes the child’s life, with each foot representing a year, emphasizing the tragedy of a life cut short.
Alliteration
The repetition of consonant sounds, as seen in phrases like ‘crying” and ‘cooed and laughed,” adds to the poem’s musicality and emotional weight.
Onomatopoeia
“the baby cooedand laughed” - adds to the emotional weight
Pun
enhances the poem by contrasting beauty and pain. “Poppy” evokes remembrance and fragility, while “bruise” signifies injury and emotional suffering. Together, they illustrate how grief can coexist with memories of joy, deepening the emotional impact of the poem.
Run on lines + enjambent
To convey personas disarray
Tone
The tone shifts from detached observation to profound sadness, reflecting the speaker’s journey through grief. The initial calmness of the sick boy transitions into the raw emotions of the funeral scene.
Conclusion
“Mid-Term Break” is a powerful exploration of the impact of death on a family, capturing the complexity of grief and the loss of innocence. Through Heaney’s masterful use of language and imagery, the poem leaves a lasting impression on the reader, inviting them to reflect on their own experiences with loss.
