Slate Flashcards
One interesting use of language in Slate is dialect. which words are dialectic and why does Morgan use them?
ben, glen. To allow us to relate to the poem as Scots and to make it sound more ‘Scottish’, as the poem is about Scotland
Which other poems also make use of dialect?
Good Friday, Trio
How do we know the poem is set in Scotland?
Mention of Lewis and Staffa
Which other poems are set in Scotland?
Good Friday, Trio, Winter (NOT SNACK BAR)
Explain in your own words what this poem is about
It is about the geographical formation of Scotland
How is the formation of Scotland made to sound brutal through word choice?
plunder, bruises, poundings, strike, blizzards, kick…
which words personify Scotland? What kind of personality is Scotland suggested to have?
hunger, heels kicked. Scotland is suggested to be tough and ready for change.
How is the opening line effective?
short sentence for impact. It is also ambiguous, which make sus think about our interpretation of it.
why is it odd that Morgan would choose to write this poem in sonnet form? Why is it also fitting?
A sonnet is usually about romantic love over time. However it is fitting as Morgan obviously has love for his country, and the poem is about Scotland’s gradual formation over time.
what is the list “ten of thousands of rains, blizzards and sea poundings” used to emphasise?
that Scotland has been through a vast amount of violent changes to reach our current formation. Also, that Scotland is tough enough to cope with difficult changes
“the ages must streak, surely strike, seldom stroke” - analyse
use of alliteration to draw attention to the phrase. “surely strike, seldom stroke” shows that Scotland expects tough treatment, not soft treatment, over time. It is compared to an animal which receives rough treatment rather than being spoiled and petted
“the sorry glory of a rainbow” - analyse
oxymoron. “glory” suggests wonder and something to be proud of, as a rainbow is normally thought of as a beautiful natural phenomenon. However, “sorry” connotes something pathetic and suggests that the rainbow is nothing compares to the beauty of the mountain landscape, as a rainbow fades quickly but mountains endure for millennia.
“Memory of men! That was to come” - analyse
Scotland the geological country existed for along time before humans did. The shorts sentences create blunt impact to emphasise this, along with alliteration.
what is the rainbow used to symbolise?
rainbows in literature are often used to symbolise hope. Morgan has hope for the future of Scotland. He calls this rainbow a “sorry glory” as the hope for a devolved parliament came to nothing in the 1976 referendum.
which points of comparison could you use for this poem?
set in Scotland, struggle to survive
