The Gun- Vicki Feaver

Question 1

What can the gun represent?

Answer 1

The gun can be seen as an extension of the man’s own body, representing his desire to dominate and possess others.

Question 2

Enjambment

Answer 2

Prevalent all through stanza two, the first long stanza in the poem, creating a fluidity and naturality within the environment at that point. This changes in stanza two, as it is split by an end stopped line, pinpointing moments of disturbance in the narrative. It creates a focus on individual events, creates a prominence of the death of the first rabbit. This is also reflective of the gunshot and the silence following.
Enjambment continues after, representing a loss of control, and the lack of control over the effects of involvement in guns.

Question 3

Personification of the gun

Answer 3

The gun can be seen as an extension of the man’s own body, representing his desire to dominate and possess others- such as women/ his wife limited to domestic roles. Despite a gun being inanimate, and having to be enabled by a human, it’s power and control emerges once human’s discover ‘satisfying’ nature of a kill.

Question 4

Gender

Answer 4

Lack of specification between genders- no clear divide beyond what we assume from gender expectations. Our assumption informs the societal standards Feaver wishes to comment on.
Guns as a masculine idea against feminine ideas- conflict.

Question 5

Consonant sounds

Answer 5

Conflict between the masculine and feminine corroborated by fricatives against sibilance- harsh and smooth sounds. Could also relate to peace against disruption.