The Tenant

Question 1

Who wrote The Tenant?

Answer 1

Na Ncube (1966 - )

Question 2

What is the format of The Tenant?

Answer 2

Free verse, no rhyme scheme.

Question 3

What is the tone of The Tenant?

Answer 3

Melancholic, resigned, rehearsed.

Question 4

What extended metaphor does The Tenant use?

Answer 4

The extended metaphor of a literal tenant in a space. It acts as a metaphor for someone who enters your heart and is there impermanently.

Question 5

What parts of speech and poetic devices are used in The Tenant?

Answer 5

Caesura, extended metaphor, anaphora, enjambment, alliteration, rhetorical question, rhyme.

Question 6

Describe stanza 1

Answer 6

Line 1 & 2 - idiomatic expression ( the poet cannot love anyone else as “there is no room” - there are still some unknown questions as to why the lover left and the speaker is still ‘hung up’ on them)
The heart is treated as a physical space (apartment) - where the lover ‘lived’. (EXTENDED METAPHOR)
There’s an explanation as to why “there is no room” as there has been some “luggage” (psychological & emotional damage) left behind. The lover left some memories and questions behind.
Alliteration (lived there and left some luggage behind)
(content credit to quizlet user Onke_Nzimande)

Question 7

Describe stanza 2

Answer 7

This gives us the idea of how the relationship ended: not a mutual decision. The ‘I’ and ‘her’ suggest distance.
“Even” - adverb usage conveys disbelief and the fact that the speaker is not responsible for the end of the relationship.
“Evict”- removing someone from property (metaphor).
“Simply”- suggests that the ‘tenant’ lacked consideration (didn’t care)
(content credit to quizlet user Onke_Nzimande)

Question 8

Describe stanza 3

Answer 8

Here we see that the speaker still has hope that the lover will come back to either continue the relationship or to provide an explanation of the departure.
“Keep hoping”- -ing suggests continuation and shows that the speaker thinks about this daily.
“Collect the luggage”/ disposal “- the speaker hopes that the ex-lover will come back and give answers & explanations to remove the pain. “Clean out the place”- an idiomatic expression for forgetting “old memories” and the pain associated with them.
(content credit to quizlet user Onke_Nzimande)

Question 9

Describe stanza 4

Answer 9

“Possibly”- suggests that the speaker is considering how to deal with this situation since they know they won’t get answers. “Marks in the walls” - the lover left an imprint of love and memories. “ some are completely indelible” - cannot be removed, have permanently left a mark in the speaker’s heart.
“Some I even like” - the speaker is comfortable with some memories left behind. Although some of the memories may be bad and hurtful, the speaker would rather have these than not love the person at all.
(content credit to quizlet user Onke_Nzimande)

Question 10

Describe stanza 5

Answer 10

“But”- complicating factor (turning point). The speaker is addressing/talking to us about their afraid of moving on (admission). “ what will I do with all that empty space”- (decoration for new homes) Link to extended metaphor - this empty space in the home/heart must be filled. This could either mean that the heart must be opened to the possibility of hurt again or that the speaker must deal with the loneliness - ambiguity
Full stop - not grammatically correct, but provides a sense of finality to the poem and to the speaker ( the speaker is confused on how to answer this question but decided to leave it at that) undecided on whether to clean this heart for new love or to leave it as it is.
(content credit to quizlet user Onke_Nzimande)