The woman who shopped

Question 1

Context

Answer 1

Characteristics of living in a capitalist society
Critique of society that defines and values people based on their material worth

Question 2

What does the separation of the stanza into 7 suggest?

Answer 2

Repetition suggests woman’s obsession is 24/7.
Each stanza representing a day of the week.

Question 3

What does the internal rhyme reflect?

Answer 3

Chaotic energy of woman’s obsessive spending habits.

Question 4

Title

Answer 4

Woman defined by her need to shop.

Question 5

Marxists say

Answer 5

‘we are defined by our ownership of product which effects the relationship we have with sign exchange value’

Question 6

‘Bought an apple’ Technique

Answer 6

Religious imagery

Question 7

‘Bought an apple’ Meaning

Answer 7

Alludes to Adam and Eve.
Allowing her temptations to get the best of her.

Question 8

‘Wanted a wedding , a wedding dress, a groom, married him’ Technique

Answer 8

Asyndeton listing

Question 9

‘Wanted a wedding , a wedding dress, a groom, married him’ Meaning

Answer 9

furthers the chaos in the woman’s life. Exemplifying her traits as a shopaholic.

Question 10

‘Shuffle his plastic with hers’ Meaning

Answer 10

Begins to use her husband’s money. Specific use of the word ‘Shuffling’ Implies she has done this without him being aware.

Question 11

‘All over Europe’

Answer 11

Duffy is highlighting the ease of accessing shopping especially now online.

Question 12

‘Curled up with six shopping bags’ Meaning

Answer 12

Shopping and places of expenditure have become her refuge.

Question 13

‘Stone’ Technique

Answer 13

Repetition

Question 14

‘Stone’ Meaning

Answer 14

simultaneously links with the metaphor of her becoming a shop. Evoking empathy.

Question 15

‘Her stockings were moving stairs, her shoes were lifts, going up, going down’ Technique

Answer 15

Euphenism

Question 16

‘Her stockings were moving stairs, her shoes were lifts, going up, going down’ Meaning

Answer 16

Euphemism for prostitute.
Harsh reality of consumerism and precious nature of woman’s bodies.

Question 17

‘Lungs glittered with chandeliers’ Technique

Answer 17

Metaphor

Question 18

‘Lungs glittered with chandeliers’ Meaning

Answer 18

Furthering the extended metaphor of the woman as a shop. She has become a representation of her lavish tastes.

Question 18

‘Birds sheik and voided’ Meaning

Answer 18

Presents world through the lens of capitalism.
Everything is consumed by consumerism.