The Diet

Question 1

What is the main conceit of the poem?

Answer 1

The transmogrification of a woman whose ED literally turns her into a tiny being. This reflects the unrealistic standards set for women and the psychological damage from intense dieting

Question 2

What are the main language methods of the poem?

Answer 2

-Surreal imagery
-death imagery
-asyndetic listing of gorging
contrasted to imagery of frailty
-personification of Anorexia
-imagery of disease

Question 3

What are the structural methods of the poem?

Answer 3

• 8 stanzas of 7 lines
• no rhyme scheme but internal rhyme
• regularity of poem reflects strict naure of fasting
• Final line is always shorter- jolted rhythm that yanks her into a perpetual cycle
• volta found in ‘seed small’

Question 4

What context should we be aware of with The Diet?

Answer 4

• 90s heroine chic- desire and romanticisation of a dangerous and unrealistic body

Question 5

What quotes support the method of: surreal transmogrification conceit?

Answer 5

‘The diet worked like a dream’
‘inside the Fat woman now’

Question 6

What quotes support the method of: death imagery?

Answer 6

‘her skeleton preened’

Question 7

What quotes support the method of: asyndetic listing of gorging contrasted with fragile imagery?

Answer 7

‘carrots, peas, courgettes, potatoes, gravy and meat’
‘away on a breeze’

Question 8

What quotes support the method of: personification of Anorexia?

Answer 8

‘she was Anorexia’s true daughter’

Question 9

What quotes support the method of: disease imagery?

Answer 9

‘wallowing in mud under fingernails’
‘floating into the barman’s eye’