Valentine Flashcards
Opening line
“Not a red rose or a satin heart”
- “Not” connotes rejection/denial. Duffy rejects traditional ideas about love.
- Positioned at the start of the sentence for emphasis
S1
” I give you an onion”
- Duffy begins extended metaphor comparing love/relationships to onion.
- Deliberately chooses something unusual to challenge what we think about love.
S1
“It is a moon wrapped in brown paper”
- Inside of onion is white like the moon, representing romance & beauty.
- Covered in the ordinary- brow skin of an onion as wrapping paper
- Honest presentation of love, real gifts don’t need embellished
S1
“It promises light”
- ‘Promise’ connotes trust/faith
- ‘Light’ connotes positivity/bright future
S1
“Like the careful undressing of love”
- Compares layers of onion to someone’s character layers
- Also represents the passionate/ sensual side of love
S2
“Here”
- One-word-sentence’s simplicity represents simplicity of gift of an onion.
- Realistic voice as if she was presenting a gift to someone
- Realistic presentation of love
S2
“Blind”
- Connotes disregarding/overlooking something.
- Idea that people don’t notice their partner’s flaws.
- Suggests you become ‘blind’ to everything else as love is overpowering
S2
“It will blind you with tears”
- Extends comparison between onion & love.
- In the same way that onions can make you eyes fill with tears, so can a relationship cause distress & upset
S2
“A wobbling photo of grief”
- ‘Wobbling’ connotes distorted/ blured (looking through tears), emphasising distress relationships can bring
- ‘Wobbling’ also connotes insecurity/ instability. Relationships can be rocky/ unstable
- ‘Grief’ connotes sadness, distress, upset, loss- all negative feelings relationships can bring
Middle lines
“I am trying to be truthful”
“Not a cute card or kissogram”
Structure
Structure of both lines draws attention to most imortant message- honesty/ openness about love & rejection of traditional ideas/symbols
Middle Lines
“Not”
- Repetition from opening line
- Again is placed in stanza by itself to emphasize poem’s main idea- truthful representation of love
Middle lines
“Cute card or Kissogram”
Alliteration of ‘cute card’ & ‘kissogram’ suggests light hearted, relaxed relationship between speaker & reader
S3
“Fierce Kiss”
- Continues extended metaphor
- In the same way an onion has an overpowering taste that can linger, so too can the memory/ effects of a relationship stay with us.
S3
“Fierce kiss will stay on your lips”
- ‘Fierce Kiss’ may also symbolize passion/anger/danger
- ‘Stay on your lips’ may also symbolize a desire to stay together
S3
“Possessive & faithful”
- ‘Possessive’ connotes control & jealousy- both negative aspects of a relationship
- ‘Faithful’ connotes trust & loyalty- showing positivity love can bring
S3
“For as long as we are”
Last line suggests acknowledgement that all relationships come to an end eventually
S4
“Take it”
- A command
- Realistic voice convincing someone
- Perhaps poem’s target is reluctant to accept the gift/love
S4
“It’s platinum loops shrink to a wedding ring”
- ‘Platinum is an expensive/hard metal, suggesting strong relationship
- ‘Wedding’ connotes love & commitment, however ‘shrink’ suggests after marriage, relationships can deteriorate
- Ring shrinking may also suggest feeling trapped
S4
“If you like”
- Contrasts with the idea of commitment & marriage
- As if speaker is hesitant/ about commitment
- Non-commital tone
S4
“Lethal”
- Suggestion that love can be dangerous
- Powerful word that connotes pain & death
S4
“Its scent will cling to your fingers,”
- Again, idea that memory of relationship can last
- ‘Cling’ suggests idea of being unable to let go of someone
S4
“Cling to your knife”
- ‘Knife’ connotes violence & hurt
- May suggest cutting ties at end of relationship, hurt love can cause, or idea of betrayal/revenge
Overall
Central concerns
- Realistic love
- Truth & honesty
- Rejecting stereotypical lovesymbols
