1_Touloper

1_Touloper

Lines 1-7:
1. The speaker (a teenager) walks cautiously on a tightrope while being blamed for something they did wrong
  1. "weer" (back) implies the 'storms' have happened before/happen frequently
  2. 'storms' is a metaphor for the conflict in the house between family members
  3. Speaker is positioned as being courageous for braving the 'storm'
  4. "voetjie vir voetjie" (foot by foot) & "skuifel" (slowly shuffling) show the speaker is walking cautiously on the tightrope and concentrating a lot
  5. The "verwyt-winde" (winds of reproach) are explained
    1. Lines in italics: things being said between speaker's parents/speaker's parents to speaker
Lines 8-14:
1. 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.
  1. "gekwelde oe" (troubled eyes) explain position of speaker's family members
    1. E.g. of personification
  2. There's great distance between the speaker & their family members
    1. Family members are far below speaker on the tightrope
    2. Gives speaker feeling of safety as they're far away from the conflict
  3. 'Kollig-balanseertruuk' (spotlight balancing act)
    1. The speaker's a tightrope walker performing in front of an audience
      1. Under great pressure & being watched
    2. 'Kollig' (spotlight) implies outsiders can see the speaker's challenges
      1. Outsiders could be friends, other family members & teachers
  4. "Web" used unusually as a verb
    1. To web the speaker's rope together (making it themselves)
  5. "deurhandvatsels" (door handles) & "tuinhek" (garden gate) imply the speaker wants to escape
    1. Ironic, as your parents' home should be a safe place
  6. The flashing lights of the TV are like flashes of lightning in the 'storm'
Lines 15-21:
1. The speaker walks high above the ground & feels removed from the conflict. The speaker focuses on the tightrope & moves forward with more certainty.
  1. We see the distance between the speaker & their family
    1. Speaker feels safe in spite of conflict raging below
  2. 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
2. "lewe" (life) brings movement & progression to last lines
3. "Voetjie vir voetjie" changed to "voet vir voet" & "skuifel" changed to "skuif"
  1. Doesn't mean speaker is less cautious on the rightrope
    1. Means he/she's become more comfortable with the balancing act
      1. His/her feet are more steady & he/she moves with more confidence
        We see clear progression
'Tou' (rope) 'Loper' (walker)
A metaphor
1. The speaker is a conflict-filled situation, but uses coping mechanisms to deal with & get through the situation
Key words:
1. 'Afstand' (distance)
2. 'Dapper' (brave)
3. 'Hanteer' (handle)
4. 'Gekwelde' (troubled)
5. 'Balanseertruuk' (balancing act)
6. 'Verwyder uit' (removed from)
7. 'Vorentoe' (forward)
Structure:
1. Free verse & no rhyme scheme
2. Long & short lines
3. Normal use of capital letters & punctuation
4. Sentence structure sometimes abnormal to emphasize certain things
Poetic devices:
1. Alliteration: "woed weer" & "verby die verwyt-winde"
2. Enjambement
  1. Used to bind lines

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