Valentine

Question 1

Valentine

Answer 1

Title suggests a romantic, idealized, traditional love poem

Question 2

Not a red rose

Answer 2

Idea suggested by title is immediately subverted by the adverb “Not”

Question 3

Red rose… satin heart

Answer 3

Reference to traditional cliches of love tokens

Question 4

I… you

Answer 4

Use of personal pronouns shows very direct and personal narrator

Question 5

I give you an onion.

Answer 5

Contrasts with traditional love tokens

Strange, unconventional gift

Single line demands attention and enforces the direct statement

Question 6

It is a moon wrapped in brown paper

Answer 6

Metaphor

Onion looks like a moon: Only one moon - unique, special, meaningful gift and moon has romantic connotations

Brown paper is not ostentatious, it is simple suggesting the narrator believes that love should be simple. Brown colour contrasts traditional red associated with love.

Question 7

It promises light

Answer 7

Love can be seen as a promise, not a right or unconditional feeling

Light extends metaphor of moon and also symbolises the hope and optimism of a new relationship

Question 8

Like the careful undressing of love

Answer 8

Simile continues the imagery of love in its infancy and word choice of “careful”

Metaphorically peeling away the layers of personality

Literally physical undressing

Question 9

Here.

Answer 9

Single word

Imperative command

Suggests gift is unwanted or misunderstood

Question 10

It will blind you with tears

Answer 10

Negative connotations of the pain that can be inflicted by a lover

Question 11

It will make your reflection

A wobbling photo of grief

Answer 11

Wobbling suggests pain and a physical and emotional response

Grief suggests the death of the initial romantic and carefree love

Question 12

I am trying to be truthful

Answer 12

Single line emphasises statement

Alliteration

Desperation to save reationship

Question 13

Not a cute card or a kissogram

Answer 13

Alliteration

The rejection of the cliche gifts a second time emphasises that she is beyond mere love tokens as they are meaningless

Question 14

I give you and oninion

Answer 14

Repeated Sentence suggests that the recipient still is not acknowledging the significance of the onion

Question 15

Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips

Answer 15

Word choice “fierce” - Connotations of passion at the beginning of the relationship but also of aggression and anger at being rejected

Question 16

possessive and faithful

Answer 16

Contrast between conventionally positive and negative traits by someone in a relationship

Question 17

as we are,

for as long as we are

Answer 17

Introduces an element of doubt

Tone changes in this stanza as there is added tension and despair through word choice

Question 18

Take it

Answer 18

Imperative command

Element of despair and insistance

Question 19

Shrink to a wedding ring

Answer 19

Depsperation

Question 20

Lethal

Answer 20

Word choice - end of relationship, aggressive, angry connoations

Question 21

Its scent will cling to your fingers

Cling to your knife

Answer 21

Repetition of cling emphasises not wanting to let go

Possessive pronouns “your” suggests the poet persona blames the other person for the end of the relationship

Final word “knife” suggests hurt and violence