Mid Term Break

Mid Term Break

Form and Structure
1. Autobiographical - 1st person account of young Heaney experiencing the death of his younger brother
2. 7 stanzas, 3 lines per stanza
  1. Last line alone - creates a shocking effect - emphasizes the youth of the young boy - emphasizes the poignancy of the situation
3. Rhyming Scheme
  1. No specific rhythm
  2. 5th Stanza - there are instances of half rhyme (sign/arrived) (corpse/nurses)
  3. 3rd Stanza - quick pace of the line 'The baby cooed and laughed and rocked the pram" shows a moment of light-heartiness then the poem returns to the room of mourners and the lines become slow and heavy
    1. Heaney's skilful use of imabic pentameter emphasizes the family drama
  4. Full Rhyme is found in the final two lines of the poem - clear emphasis on how tragic and shocking the event is - stands out inescapably
    1. Also gives a sense of finality
    2. Reminds us both of the small stature of the child and the brevity of his young life
  5. 1st Stanza - rhythm reinforces the mournful tone
4. Emotive lyric, commemorating a terrible event
The title suggests a holiday of sorts, a time of enjoyment but the poem deals with a time of grief - ironic
Language
1. 1st Stanza
  1. "college sick bay" - immediate suggestion to sickness and perhaps death
  2. Ominous atmosphere - "bells knelling" -Onomatopoeia - hint of the mood - reflective of the idea of funeral bells
2. 2nd Stanza
  1. "Hard blow" - Double meaning - referring to the emotional impact of the death and Heaney uses the language to recall the impact of the car
  2. Heaney uses the language to evoke a feeling of sadness for the reader as we see his "father crying" - we see the effect of this unknown event has on the family members
3. 3rd Stanza
  1. "the baby cooed and laughed and rocked the pram" - contrast - reflects the baby's innocence and the bouncy emphatic rhythm is in direct contrast to the opening stanza's measured pace.
  2. Feeling of awkwardness at being expected to act as the "eldest" - he is the only member of the family not crying - perhaps out of confusion or to support his family
4. 4th Stanza
  1. Sibilant alliteration - "Whispers informed strangers I was the eldest" - captures the hushed atmosphere in the house
  2. Euphemism "Sorry for my trouble" - people are almost afraid to mention the real truth to young Heaney
5. 5th Stanza
  1. "the corpse" - first connection to what the "trouble" is connected with
  2. Assonance - in the repetition of the "a" sound - "At", "Ambulance", "arrived" - emphasising the stopping blood and life
6. 6th Stanza
  1. "Snowdrops and candles" symbolic of life but hey are also ritualistically funereal.
  2. "Soothed" they are placed to comfort the dead boy
  3. Surroundings reflect the quiet atmosphere
7. 7th Stanza (penultimate)
  1. "Poppy Bruise" - creates a sense of frustration and impotence that such a small looking blow could have such a devastating effect
    1. The flower Poppy associated with death and remembrance
  2. Simile - "as in his cot" - used to describe the bed like a child's cot as it is so small and he is so young
  3. Assonance - "A four foot box, a foot for every year" - heart-breaking logic in the statement that reminds us of the age of the child - great tenderness as he is looking at his little brother for the last time

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	Created by Tracy O'Hagan almost 9 years ago