Valentine

Question 1

Themes

Answer 1

Love and Relationships

Death

Question 2

Themes of Love

Answer 2

He challenges the cliché ideas of Love and what that means to everyone. He compared it to an onion, something seemingly not sentimental but creates an entitle personality around it.

Question 3

Quotes about love

Answer 3

“Not a red rose or a satin heart. I give you an onion”
“It promises light like the careful undressing of Love”
“It will blind you with tears like a lover”
“It will make your reflection a wobbling photo of grief”
“I am trying to be truthful, not a cute card or a kissogram”
“It’s fierce kiss will stay on your lips”
“Possessive and faithful as we are for as long as we are”
“It’s platinum loops shrink to a wedding ring if you like”
“Its scent will cling to your fingers”
“Cling to your knife”

Question 4

Themes of Death

Answer 4

As the poem goes on, we observe a change in the speakers attitudes and emotions. They become more harsh, arguably passionate, but focused around death. The turning point in the middle serves to change the tone.

Question 5

Quotes about Death

Answer 5

“It will make your reflection a wobbling photo of grief”
“I am trying to be truthful not a cute card or a kissogram”
“It’s fierce kiss will stay on your lips”
“Possessive and faithful”
“Take it.”
“Lethal.”
“Its scent will cling to your fingers, cling to your knife.”

Question 6

Language

Answer 6

“Take it.” “Lethal.” “Cling to your knife.” Are all forceful and end with a full stop to show the ending of life.
Use of sibilance “scent will cling to your fingers” to show his hatred.

Question 7

Structure

Answer 7

“I am trying to be truthful
Not a cute card or a kissogram” are separated to their own stanzas and it shows the middle of the onion and he turning point.
As each stanza goes on it shifts perspective from love to death.

Question 8

The onion

Answer 8

The onion connects many aspects and the two themes in the poem.

Question 9

Quotes about the onion

Answer 9

“It’s a moon wrapped in brown paper” links to “it will make your reflection” as the moon reflects light
“Grief” could link to the scent of an onion making people cry
“Loops shrink to a wedding ring” shoes how he is using something ugly to create love from, but the shrinking shows the devaluing
“Scent will cling to your fingers, cling to your knife” the onions smell will attach to you, and will it be the reason for your death? Remember the onion represents love, does love kill?