Touloper

Touloper

1. Lines 1-7:

   • The speaker (a teenager) walks cautiously on a tightrope while being blamed for something they did wrong
     • "weer" (back) implies the 'storms' have happened before/happen frequently
     • 'storms' is a metaphor for the conflict in the house between family members
     • Speaker is positioned as being courageous for braving the 'storm'
     • "voetjie vir voetjie" (foot by foot) & "skuifel" (slowly shuffling) show the speaker is walking cautiously on the tightrope and concentrating a lot
     • The "verwyt-winde" (winds of reproach) are explained
       • Lines in italics: things being said between speaker's parents/speaker's parents to speaker

2. Lines 8-14:

   • The worried eyes of the speaker's mom & dad look at the speaker from below, but the speaker feels safe & removed. The speaker runs their tightrope through the house to the garden gate.
     • "gekwelde oe" (troubled eyes) explain position of speaker's family members
       • E.g. of personification
     • There's great distance between the speaker & their family members
       • Family members are far below speaker on the tightrope
       • Gives speaker feeling of safety as they're far away from the conflict
     • 'Kollig-balanseertruuk' (spotlight balancing act)
       • The speaker's a tightrope walker performing in front of an audience
         • Under great pressure & being watched
       • 'Kollig' (spotlight) implies outsiders can see the speaker's challenges
         • Outsiders could be friends, other family members & teachers
     • "Web" used unusually as a verb
       • To web the speaker's rope together (making it themselves)
     • "deurhandvatsels" (door handles) & "tuinhek" (garden gate) imply the speaker wants to escape
       • Ironic, as your parents' home should be a safe place
     • The flashing lights of the TV are like flashes of lightning in the 'storm'

3. Lines 15-21:

   • The speaker walks high above the ground & feels removed from the conflict. The speaker focuses on the tightrope & moves forward with more certainty.
     • We see the distance between the speaker & their family
       • Speaker feels safe in spite of conflict raging below
     • There are reproaching winds that bother the speaker, but the speaker doesn't pay attention to them & only focuses on trying to 'balance' his/her life
   • "lewe" (life) brings movement & progression to last lines
   • "Voetjie vir voetjie" changed to "voet vir voet" & "skuifel" changed to "skuif"
     • Doesn't mean speaker is less cautious on the rightrope
       • Means he/she's become more comfortable with the balancing act
         • His/her feet are more steady & he/she moves with more confidence
           • We see clear progression

4. 'Tou' (rope) 'Loper' (walker)

5. A metaphor

   • The speaker is a conflict-filled situation, but uses coping mechanisms to deal with & get through the situation

6. Key words:

   • 'Afstand' (distance)
   • 'Dapper' (brave)
   • 'Hanteer' (handle)
   • 'Gekwelde' (troubled)
   • 'Balanseertruuk' (balancing act)
   • 'Verwyder uit' (removed from)
   • 'Vorentoe' (forward)

7. Structure:

   • Free verse & no rhyme scheme
   • Long & short lines
   • Normal use of capital letters & punctuation
   • Sentence structure sometimes abnormal to emphasize certain things

8. Poetic devices:

   • Alliteration: "woed weer" & "verby die verwyt-winde"
   • Enjambement
     • Used to bind lines