Valentine by Carol Ann Duffy

Question 1

What does CAD use Valentine as a vehicle to?

Answer 1

To criticise the commercialisation of love in the early 21 st century. CAD also criticise the stereotypical views of love, perhaps because she is a homosexual woman and feels as if she does not conform to societal norms

Question 2

Initially point

Answer 2

Through the first person narrator, Duffy presents the allegory of the onion in order to highlight that love is often unconventional and problematic and rarely conforms to social expectations.

Question 3

Initially… (quote 1)

Answer 3

“I give you an onion”

• This allegory challenges stereotypical, often commercialised versions of love, by presenting an alternate, more realistic version of love
• The layers of the onion, shows the depth of true love and the different stages of genuine love

Question 4

Initially… (quote 2)

Answer 4

“It is a moon wrapped in brown paper”

• this metaphor further challenges stereotypical depictions of love by suggesting that it is often plain and uninteresting on the surface but promises much more, through the motif of the moon lit night and light as implied by the “moon”

Question 5

However as the text develops point

Answer 5

Duffy explores the potentially harmful and emotionally damaging nature whilst also exposing that love rarely conforms to cliche depictions of love

Question 6

As the text develops… (quote 1)

Answer 6

“It will make your reflection a wobbling photo of grief”

• This emphasis the fact that love can be upsetting and potentially harmful to the psyche, whilst obscuring vision with negative moments in the relationship, which last forever, just as the photos do.

Question 7

As the text develops… (quote 2)

Answer 7

“Not a cute card or kissogram”

- Duffy highlights that love rarely conform to societal cliches as shown through the negative word “not”

Question 8

As the text develops… (quote 3)

Answer 8

“It’s fierce kiss will stay on your lips”

• The juxtaposition of the fierce kiss exposes that although love can be blissful and transformative, it can also be dangerous and have a long lasting effect on a person as implied through the verb “stay”.

Question 9

Ultimately point

Answer 9

Duffy highlights the Danger of love and the life changing and damaging effects it can have

Question 11

Ultimately… (point 2)

Answer 11

It’s scent will cling to your fingers, cling to your knife”

• The verb “cling” emphasises the long lasting effets of love, emphasising that it is a lethal force just as it is transformative.
• The fatal aspect of love is demonstrated through the reference to the “knife” which suggests that love can easily turn to resentment and hostility

Question 12

Ultimately… (quote 1)

Answer 12

“It’s platinum loops shrink to a wedding-ring”

through the reference of the loops (which is indicative of the onion) Duffy implies that love often transforms into a marriage, which requires more commitment and is perhaps constraining and restrictive as connoted through the verb “shrink”.