TWMMS Flashcards
Give a brief summary on Love & relationship?
Duffy uses the metaphor of a train journey to explore the importance of the speaker’s relationship with her mother. The intimacy of the mother daughter relationship is made clear.
State quotes based on Love & relationship?
- “My Mother” Word Choice, Love, comforting, close relationship with mother.
- “under the shallows of my breath” Metaphor, long to hear familiar words, anxiety
- “The day and ever. The day and ever.” Repetition mimics the movement of the train. emphasises loss and how long negative feelings will last, do not want to forget
Give a brief summary on Isolation/loneliness & childhood?
The speaker is reflecting on her transition from childhood to adulthood. In doing so the persona reveals how this can be an isolating and confusing time for many.
State quotes based on isolation/loneliness & childhood
- “I am happy and sad like a child” Word choice contrasting/confusion more confident and hopeful for the future. Simile - compares the speaker to a child, suggests innocence and hope as moving on to adulthood, connection to past but embracing present to thrive in life.
- “green, erotic pond” word choice - links to growing up and emerging sexually, “pond” new depths of life to explore and excitement.
Give a brief summary on Identity?
(Loss of) Identity is explored here where we see the persona exploring the difficult journey from childhood to adulthood.
State some quotes based on Identity?
- “the way I say things when I think” Highlights the contrasting identities. The the speaker says things and acts are different. Links to roots and background etc.
- “Nothing is silent. Nothing is not silent” Repetition of nothing has negative feelings, loss, hesitancy, and confusion. Sounds in their head are silent but they hear them as if they are real/overwhelming. Does not want to let go of the past.
- “I am happy and sad like a child” Word choice contrasting/confusion more confident and hopeful for the future. Simile - compares speaker to a child, suggests innocence and hope and moving onto adulthood, connection to past but embracing present to thrive in life.
Give a brief summary based on transition?
Here, the persona focuses on the change in direction of life, and the journey to new beginnings
State quotes based on transition
- “browsing for the right sky” Word Choice of ‘browsing’ suggests, they are looking for where they belong, ‘right sky’ suggests there is a place that looks right and suits them.
- “too blue swapped for a cool grey” word choice of “blue” has connotations of warmth, sun and happiness, “grey” has connotations of uncertainty and misery. Focuses on lack of perfection in both places.
- “green, erotic pond” links to growing up and emerging sexually, “pond” new depths of life to explore and excitement.
Give a brief summary based on loss
Here, the persona reflects on her loss of childhood and her move into adulthood, as she travels on a train journey away from home.
State quotes based on Loss
- “under the shallows of my breath” Metaphor connotations of anxiety, longs to hear familiar words
- “Nothing is silent. Nothing is not silent.” Repetition “nothing” negative feelings loss, hesitancy and confusion. Sounds in their head are so silent but they can hear them as if they are real/overwhelming. Double negative shows the realisation they do not need to abandon roots/reluctant to forget past.
- “I am happy and sad like a child” Word choice contrast/confusion, more confident and hopeful for the future. Simile - compares the speaker to a child, suggests innocence and hope as moving into adulthood, connection to past but embracing future to thrive in life.
Give a brief summary based on sentence structure/enjambment
Duffy uses enjambment, where there is a deliberate line break in order to place emphasise on a word for effect. Generally, Duffy uses this technique here to show the significance of transition and strong relationships.
State quotes based on sentence structure/enjambment
- “The day and ever. The day and ever” Repetition mimics movement of the train and how long the negative feelings will last, do not want to forget.
-“I am homesick, free, in love, with the way my mother speaks” List of contradiction of positive and negative feelings, more positive as journey ends, moving forward, link to past and stay in love with roots and memories which will remain with them.
