Storm On The Island

Question 1

‘We are prepared’

Answer 1

Arrogance in the declarative ‘we are prepared’ - too confident shown by how bold and declarative they are confident in their ability to overpower nature but also betrays their fear - they have completely adapted their lives to the purpose of resisting nature

Question 2

‘wizened earth”

Answer 2

connotes wisdom and respect

Question 3

‘as you see […] you know what I mean’

Answer 3

Heaney relies on conversational colloquialisms to connect the reality of islanders lives to the readers

Question 4

‘no stacks or stocks that can be lost’

Answer 4

no way to judge damage

Question 5

‘blows full blast’

Answer 5

Plosives give sense of violence and aggression, and suggests nature is attacking the island - the plosives also resemble bullets - shows weather is as deadly as a weapon

Question 6

‘tragic chorus’

Answer 6

Continues the theme of community vs isolation in the situation of a natural disaster

Question 7

‘spits like a tame cat turned savage’

Answer 7

Mistaken belief they had tamed nature - then the cat turns against its owner. Replicates how the islanders never owned nature - it was always more powerful than the,. Split the tamed and known nature before from the violent aggressive storm