Originally - Questions Flashcards
Why is the title important
Originally is an inevitable question and people will always wonder where she was born
This suggests that that’s where her identity lies, in between where she was born and where she’s living now. This makes it difficult for her to fully feel a sense of belonging
Who was bawling in stanza one
Her brother
“My brothers cried, one of them bawling”
What is the list in stanza one
“The city, the street, the house, the vacant rooms”
What can you contrast in stanza one
“My brothers cried one of them bawling”
“My mother singing”
Techniques in “Home, Home”
Repetition, italics and emjambment
Why is the toy important in stanza one
It suggests that even in her imagination it can’t give her comfort because so she is craving comfort making her vulnerable
What quote shows her changing in stanza two
“All childhood is an emigration”
How does “Big boys” suggest intimidation
The plosive “B” sound
Who is anxious is stanza two
Her parents
“My parents anxiety stirred like a lose tooth”
In stanza two what quote suggests she’s yearning for a national identity
“I want our country”
What does skelf mean
It’s the scottish word for a splinter
This suggests her disgust is small
What quote in stanza three has sibilance and how is it created
“Seeing your brother swallow a slug”
It’s created by the soft “s” sound
How does referencing a snake suggest change
How a snake sheds its skin when growing like her moving from childhood to adulthood
Also how the hiss sound from a snake makes us think her voice now sounds different
Why is “And I hesitate” important
It emphasises how it isn’t an easy question to answer
How many stanzas are there
Three
