My Polish Teacher's Tie, Helen Dunmore (SS)

Question 1

Exposition

“part-time catering staff,that’s me, £3.89 per hour”

Answer 1

A01
Carla feels defined by her low salary as she struggles with acknowledging self worth

A02
Self deprecating tone perhaps she feels she should make herself less important because she isn’t a teacher and only works “part time” this could link to her feeling almost part time Polish part time British
resentful monetary language, she feels inadequate due to her low pay and finds her salary more embarrassing.

A03
Perhaps this emphasises the hierarchy between full time paid teachers and low paid part-time staff.

Question 2

Mid-point

“I’d like to write to a Polish teacher”

Answer 2

A01
Carla is finding more of a voice and decides to reconnect with her Polish roots via a penpal scheme

A02
The shift to direct speech emphasises her newfound confidence and her ability to choose what she wants for herself regardless of other’s opinions
**The empowering pronoun “I” **shows she finally feels entitled to something after her father cruelly “put a stop” to her younger self reaching for a connection with her homeland.

A03
the writer wants us to feel empowered alongside Carla as she becomes able to voice her own feelings and rebel against her previous childhood trauma and punishment for reaching out. She is becoming less of an outsider.

Question 3

Denouement

“And then I was singing, stumbling after him”

Answer 3

A01
After seeing her Polish Penpal Stefan in real life Carla she is inspired by his self-confidence and she experiences a character shift as the poem draws to a fulfilling close

A02
“Energised dynamic verbs” are child-like and reflects her newly rekindled relationship to her birth country of Poland
“melodic, euphoric sibilance” is a joyful auditory device the writer uses to display Carla’s joy IAAI Stefan has been the catalyst for the return of Carla’s mother tongue.

A03
Celebrating cultural diversity and bilingual indentity as she accepts bith her British and Polish side