Walking Away - Quotes + Context Flashcards
Who is the speaker in the poem? Who is the implied listener and what kind of love is portrayed?
The father, is the speaker, the son is the implied listener and the love is paternal love.
Finish the quotation and explain its significance - “A _____ day with _______ just turning.”
Sunny, leaves. The pathetic fallacy used gives a sense of happiness before the ‘walking away’ but indicates that happiness is ending since the leaves turning signals autumn, which is preparing for winter which is symbolic of death.
Finish the quotation and explain its significance- “Like a ________ wrenched from its _____.”
Satellite, orbit. This metaphor portrays the father and son as drifting apart but also signals that the son is reliant on the father and that the father has a very large role in the relationship.
Finish the quotation and explain its significance - “Pathos of a ___-_______ thing set ____.”
Half-fledged, free. This metaphor/zoomorphism indicates that the father realises that the son wasn’t ready and perhaps regrets letting go as retrospectively he understands he made a mistake.
Finish the quotation and explain its significance - “Who finds no ____ where the path should be.”
This quotation suggests that the father feels dissatisfied that the son cannot adapt to his new situation and that perhaps he has very high standards for his son.
Finish the quotation and explain its significance - “Like a ______ seed loosened from its ______ stem.”
Winged, parent. This simile indicates that the speaker feels that the connection with the son has been severed and perhaps he feels regret that he let him go since he knows that retrospectively he was mistaken.
Finish the quotation and explain its significance - “_____ at my mind still.”
Gnaws. The violent imagery indicates how much of an effect the decision has had on his mental health and the lack of self-assurance he feels towards his decision making process. This further implies a potential subconscious guilt in the father’s mind.
Finish the quotation and explain its significance - “Saying what ___ alone could perfectly ____.”
God, show. The usage of religion and authority implies that he needs reassurance that what he is doing is morally correct, as God sent his only son Jesus down to earth and this benefitted mankind. Portraying himself as God the Father gives himself heightened importance in the poem.
In each stanza, lines 1 3 and 5 rhyme whereas 2 and 4 don’t. What could this imply about the poem.
This could imply that 1 3 and 5 is the father who has had a structured life whereas the son is 2 and 4 which aren’t as structured and show how he is more mouldable.
What was Cecil Day-Lewis until his death in 1972?
Poet laureate of the UK.
What is the poem reflecting on?
The sending of his first son to boarding school around the time of his 2nd son’s birth.
What could the reflection of the poem represent contextually?
The moment where he is reflecting on the mistakes of his first son and telling himself not to repeat them with his second son.
How many stanzas is the poem written in? What types of stanzas are used?
The poem is written in 4 stanzas of quintains.
