The Way My Mother Speaks Flashcards
What’s your first quote for ‘Love’?
“in love - with the way my mother speaks.”
Explain, “in love - with the way my mother speaks.”
The repetition of the title creates a conclusion, it sounds like the speaker has just realised this, and the line break emphasises the adoration the speaker has for their mother
What’s your first quote for ‘Change’?
“restful shapes, moving”
Explain, “restful shapes, moving”
The phrase refers to the landscape moving past the speaker as she rides the train, but also tells us that things that used not to change are now changing as she gets older
What’s your second quote for ‘Change’?
“like a child - who stood at the end of summer”
Explain, “like a child - who stood at the end of summer”
The ‘end of summer’ reflects the beginning of something new, and the ‘like a child’ shows her excitement and fear at the idea of growing up
What’s your third quote for ‘Change’?
“dipped a net - in a green, erotic pond.”
Explain, “dipped a net - in a green, erotic pond.”
The word choice of ‘dipped’ shows hesitancy and uncertainty, the green suggest renewal, and ‘erotic’ hints at the adulthood the speaker is stepping into
What’s your first quote for ‘Contrast’?
“too blue swapped for a cool grey.”
Explain, “too blue swapped for a cool grey.”
The phrase refers to time passing on the train, in Scotland it’s sunny and bright, but in England it’s bleak and grey
What’s your second quote for ‘Contrast’?
“Nothing is silent. Nothing is not silent.”
Explain, “Nothing is silent. Nothing is not silent.”
The two conflicting statements tell us about the speaker’s uncertainty about her future and her stepping into her independence
What’s your third quote for ‘Contrast’?
“I’m happy and sad”
Explain, “I’m happy and sad”
The word choice of ‘happy’ and ‘sad’ displays the speaker’s conflicting emotions about her future as she is both excited and scared
What’s your fourth quote for ‘Contrast’?
“I am homesick, free, in love”
Explain, “I am homesick, free, in love”
The list of contrasting emotions displays the complex emotions of the speaker and highlights her missing home as well as her excited for freedom
What’s your first quote for ‘Identity’?
“I say her phrases to myself”
Explain, “I say her phrases to myself”
This tells us that the speaker finds her mother’s words comforting and she says them privately to herself to calm down
What’s your second quote for ‘Identity’?
“under the shallows of my breath”
Explain, “under the shallows of my breath”
This tells us that the speaker finds her mother’s words comforting, and the speaker doesn’t want others to hear, so she whispers them to herself
What’s your third quote for ‘Identity’?
“the way I say things when I think”
Explain, “the way I say things when I think”
The speaker thinks in her mother’s accent, even though the speaker sounds different when she speaks, and this emphasises how her mother’s Scottish accent is essential to her
What’s your first quote for ‘Emotional Conflict’?
“browsing for the right sky”
Explain, “browsing for the right sky”
The word choice of ‘browsing’ suggests searching for something in a peaceful manner, and the ‘right sky’ refers to the speaker looking for the right space for her
