The Door - Miroslav Holub

Question 1

Themes? (3)

Answer 1

persuasive, certain, positive,

Question 2

Tones? (2)

Answer 2

Life, choices

Question 3

Context? (1)

Answer 3

• Miroslav Holub is a scientist and
  poet who lived through the
  restrictive Communist era of politics
  in the Czech Republic.

Question 4

Meaning and purpose? (2)

Answer 4

• The poem is about taking risks and
  embracing change.
• The door could be adual symbol of opportunity and barriers..

Question 5

Language? (7)

Answer 5

• Metaphor “hollow wind”- no reason to be worried about taking risks as even it creates uncertainty it is “hollow”. Metaphor of there being a “draught”- there will always be something even if it is small
• Verb “ticking” suggests a sense of
  inevitability of times being uncertain and the fear of the unknown
• Symbolism of “fog” and “darkness” to create a sense of uncertainty – the future may be unknown.
• Imagery of stanza two juxtaposes the mundane “(a dog’s rummaging”) with a sense of endless possibilities (“a picture of a picture”).
• Indefinite article ‘a’ suggests again a
  sense of uncertainty but the excitement created by this: “a magic city”.
• Modal verb ‘maybe’ suggests that we cannot know our future for certain or the result of certain choices
• Symbol of the door- a gateway to
  change but also a barrier

Question 6

Form? (4)

Answer 6

• Direct address suggests an element
  of persuasion and a sense of urgency
  to take action.
• Anaphora of imperative sentences
  “go and open…” to suggest that it is
  necessary to take action and
  embrace change and take risks.
• Declarative and end-stopped line “it
  will clear” to create a comforting
  tone.
• Line indentations – could create a
  sense of uncertainty and lack of a
  rigid structure like life.

Question 7

Structure? (1)

Answer 7

• Free verse poem makes it sound
  conversational.