Visiting Hour Textual Analysis Flashcards
“Combs my nostrils” metaphor
Literally would mean that the smell of the hospital can be physically felt. Suggests the smell is so pungent and powerful, it actually impacts his sense of touch.
“Green and yellow” word choice
Connotes vomit and pus. Emphasises discomfort and unpleasantness. It invokes a physical response of uneasiness.
“Trundled” word choice
Connotes carelessness and negligence. Suggests that death is so normalised, there is no point in being attentive towards it. Hopeless.
“Corpse” word choice
Connotes death and decay. Suggests he is in a pessimistic state of mind, and is afraid his relative will die.
“Glass fang”
Metaphor - literally suggests that the fang of a creature such as a vampire is taking blood from her arm. Suggests that it was a horrific sight to see his relative in this state. He doesn’t feel like she is being helped.
“I will not feel” repetition
Suggests that he is saying this to himself to try and calm himself down. He is trying to control himself and deny his feelings as they are too painful.
“Distance of pain that neither she nor I can cross” metaphor
Compares physical distance to the different types of pain they are each experiencing. Emotional and physical. They cannot connect with eachother so it is similar to being an actual distance away from her.
“Clumsily”
Connotes weakness and lack of control. Suggests the speaker’s emotions are too much for him to handle.
“Lightly, swiftly”
Connotes gracefulness and care. Suggests admiration for the nurses who deal with death every day so calmly.
“Miraculously”
Connotes impossible and wonderous. Suggests the speaker’s awe of how nurses are able to face death and suffering everyday.
“Burden”
Connotes difficulty hardship. Suggests the speaker’s struggle trying to handle his loved one’s death. He can not bear the pain.
“Withered hand”
Connotes shrivelled and decaying.
Suggests the weakness and fragility of the patient as she is dying.
“White cave”
Connotes primative and isolating. Suggests patient is disconnected from everyone else. She is only barely surviving.
