Storm On The Island Flashcards
Who wrote storm on the island and when
Seamus Heaney, 1966
Context of storm on the island
-the storm is representative of the political storm that raged across northern island at the time however it was written before the struggle in Ireland ( he predicted it )
-the conflict was about whether to remain part of the uk or not
Structure and form of storm on the island
-autobiography (use of the word ‘we’)
-dramatic monologue which is like a one way conversation which imitates the position of the islanders who have no one to help them
-cyclical structure that connects the preparation of the storm at the start to the fear at the end
-no consistent rhyme scheme which shows how order cannot be enforced upon nature
Key quotes of storm on the island
‘We are prepared ‘
‘You know what I mean ‘
‘Spits like a tame cat turned savage ‘
‘Blows full blast ‘
‘It is a huge nothing we fear’
Summary of storm on the island
About a community of islanders preparing for a storm, there is the battle between nature and man. The people are powerless and scared
Analyse quote : ‘we are prepared’
-arrogance (too confident), they are confident in their ability to overpower nature
-however it also betrays their fear as they have adapted their lives to the purpose of resisting nature
-‘we’ as a community
Analyse quote ‘blows full blast ‘
-plosive sounds give sense of violence and agression
-suggests nature is attacking island
-plosives also resembles bullets showing weather is as deadly as a weapon that can kill
Analyse quote ‘spits like a tame cat turned savage ‘
-Mistaken belief they had tamed nature then the cat turns against owner
-replicates how the islanders never owned nature and it will always be more powerful than them
-sibilant sounds imitate hissing and spitting of the sea
Analyse quote ‘you know what I mean ‘
-conversational colloquialisms to connect reality of the islanders lives to the readers
