VH Word Choice Flashcards
“Combs my nostrils”
Gives a sense of the pervasive power of the smell, and his feeling of being invaded, showing his discomfort
“Green and yellow corridors”
Colours have connotations of sickness, which further stresses the poet’s discomfort in these surroundings
“Corpse”
Holds little relation to life, suggesting the finality of death. The harshness of the sound (with a guttural ‘c’ and plosive ‘p’) shows the poet’s distress and the painful emotions he is facing
“Heavenward”
Incongruous with the poet’s beliefs (or lack thereof). Simply an example of the narrator using humour to avoid his emotions
“Miraculously”
Suggests the narrator’s admiration for the nurses’ abilities, while showing his own worry about the way he will cope with his emotions
“Farewells”
The ending of the verse on this word draws attention to it, which underlines the purpose of his visit. Defined as “good wishes on parting”, the word is suggestive of the possibility the people will meet again, and that those departing are going on some kind of journey. This, perhaps, shows the narrator’s desire to believe in an afterlife, especially at such troubling times
“White cave”
Holds connotations of isolation through confusion or sensory blankness (e.g. ‘white noise)
“Not guzzling but giving”
The horror of the “glass fang” image is continued in the word “guzzling”, but is then reversed by the positive word “giving”. The use of the guttural ‘g’ sound in the alliteration conveys the harshness of the narrator’s interpretation; he clearly sees the process as intrusive and pointless
“Clumsily…dizzily”
Shows the narrator is overcome by his emotions, leaving him dazed and confused
“Fainter”
Showing the woman’s vision is blurred; the patient can see the narrator getting fainter with distance. Also a pun, since the narrator may be so upset he is starting to feel faint
“Fruitless Fruits”
The final words are an oxymoron: how can fruit be fruitless? This captures the narrator’s despair at the pointlessness of the woman’s death being prolonged, as well as at his inability to help: bringing the fruit has been “fruitless” (pointless)
