My Rivals House

My Rival's HouseIs peopled with many surfaces,Ormolu and gilt, slipper satin,lush velvet couches,cushions so stiff you can't sink in.Table polished clear enough to see distortions in.We take our shoes off at her door,shuffle stocking-soled, tiptoe - the parquet flooris beautiful and its surface mustbe protected. Dust-cover, drawn shade,won't let the surface colour fade.Silver sugar-tongs and silver salver,my rival serves us tea.She glosses over him and me.I am all edges, a surface, a shelland yet my rival think she means me well.But what squirms beneath her surface I can tell.Soon, my rival capped tooth, polished nailwill fight, fight foul for her survival.Deferential, daughterly, I sipand thank her nicely for each bitter cup.And I have much to thank her for.This son she bore - first blood to her - never, never can escape scot freethe sour potluck of family.And oh how closethis family that furnishes my rival's place.Lady of the house.Queen bee.She is far more unconscious,far more dangerous than me.Listen, I was always my own worst enemy.She has taken even that from me.She dishes up her dreams for breakfast.Dinner, and her salt tears pepper our soup.She won'tgive up.

"Ormolu and gilt"- IMAGERY, these are ornate and elaborate materials. The house increases the formality of the occasion. Suggests the reader is uneasy."so stiff you can't sink in" - TONE, demonstrates that the girlfriend feels tense/uncomfortable. "Tables polished clear enough to see distortions in"- IMAGERY, Suggests a high level of clear and a shiny façade with something darker lurking underneath."shuffle stocking-soled"- ALLITERATIVE TONE, demonstrates how the speaker is nervous."Dust-cover, drawn shade...fade"- ENJAMBMENT, emphasises the level of care the mother puts in to her house. RHYME, helps convey the writers nervousness. She has obsessive critiques for the house."Silver sugar-tongs and silver salver"- ASSONANCE/ALLITERATION, pretentious tone of the mother, excessive for a simple cup of tea, obvious attempt to make the girlfriend uncomfortable = unwelcoming atmosphere."glosses over"- WORD CHOICE, suggests the mother is dismissive and does not value their relationship."I am all edges, a surface, a shell"- METAPHOR, list of 3 conveys how fragile and tense she feels. She cannot show her true self."what squirms beneath her surface I can tell"- WORD CHOICE, suggests slimy, unpleasant things that cannot be said, implies the mother to be two faced."capped tooth, polished nail"- IMAGERY, illustrates both sides of the woman. "never, never can escape"- TONE, dark and menacing."my rival"- WORD CHOICE, refers to her as her enemy/ competitor."Lady of the house. Queen bee."- WORD CHOICE, euphemism depicts her to be the dominant position. Creates a stand-offish tone."far more...far more"- REPETITION, reinforces the importance of not underestimating the influence she exerts over her son/"my own worst enemy" - same as "my rival""unconscious"- WORD CHOICE, underhand means that the mother uses to win back her son."She dishes up her dreams for breakfast"- ALLITERATIVE METAPHOR, her hopes and expectations for her son are being lost. She cares a lot about him."She won't give up"- ENJAMBMENT, slows down the reader and emphasises the battle will continue.