5267089
Description
Flashcards by Calum Mooney, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by Calum Mooney
about 8 years ago
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| Question | Answer |
| 'The river in January is fast and high' | 'January' creates a sense of time and of crossroads; a time for reflection and a fresh start The girlfriend is determined to try and mend the relationship The cold and bleak weather is suggestive of their emotional state Word choice of 'fast and high' suggests the power of the river. Both its pace and volume create a sense of threat, as though things are changing rapidly, like the relationship |
| 'Gathering police-horses twitch and fret' | Reference to the police implies a risk of violence or criminal behaviour The word choice of 'twitch and fret' describes the unrest of the horses in the crowded city centre. It also represents the uneasiness of the couple's relationship Suggests nervousness and unease, which adds to the uncomfortable envrionment |
| 'ugly losers getting ready to let fly' | 'ugly losers' – ambiguity leads to the suggestion of anger/ill-feeling caused by the team's loss. As a result, this implies a potential threat of aggression sparked by the bubbling animosity The idiom of 'getting...fly' refers directly to the potential for violence or aggression that is brewing |
| 'January, and we're looking back, looking forward, don't know which way' | By isolating these lines into one verse, it is contrasted with the atmospheric previous stanza Lochhead did not punctuate the line and give it grammatical sense in order to run on to the subject of the next verse, highlighting her uncertainty of the relationship January is a time for reflection, where we look back on the previous year, and a time of anticipation, where we look ahead into the coming year The narrator appears to considering the past history of the relationship and what it implies for their future and as a result, there is uncertainty of the continuation of the relationship |
| 'boy...beautiful Bakelite Bush radios' | Alliteration and plosive sounds creates a feeling of liveliness and energy This contrasts with the threatening and imposing feeling engendered in verse one Word choice of 'boy' and 'beautiful' reflects innocence and suggests the charm and appeal of this location; contrasts to the 'ugly losers' |
| 'buttonhopping stationhopping' | Neologism and assonance creates a sense of excitement and 'newness'. This exciting environment contrasts with the sense of threat and intimidation developed earlier ('twitch and fret') |
| 'doesn't miss a beat sing along it's easy to every changing tune' | Spacing creates a 'jumpy' rhythm which reflects the dancing and musical sales pitch The stallholder is speaking in time to the rhythm of the music There is a more welcoming and friendly mood compared to the somewhat scary and intimidating feeling at the start ('fast and high') |
| 'Yes today we're in love aren't we?' | The word choice of 'today' highlights that there are days when the couple is not in love It becomes apparent that the girlfriend is indeed in love and that she is swept up by the happiness of romance, although her partner seems more aloof and uninterested The rhetorical question hints at the discrepancy between the couple, as though she is trying to convince herself that her feelings are reciprocated |
| 'splintering...wintry bridges...brazen black Victorian heart' | Word choice of 'splintering' implies a breaking up, shattering or something hurtful Pathetic fallacy of 'wintry bridges' implies that in the market, there is a cold atmosphere, and in the relationship there is a lack of emotional warmth, reflecting the emotions of the couple Word choice of 'black' and 'heart' suggests a death of emotions These metaphors reflect the coldness and harshness that the narrator is feeling, both in the Barrows market, and in the relationship |
| 'So what if every other tenement wears its hearth on its gable end?' | Metaphor rhetorical question reflects the narrator's awareness that this couple are not being entirely honest with one another The rhetorical question seems somewhat defensive – as though she is trying to mask her unhappiness Lochhead puns on the phrase 'to wear your heart on your sleeve', implying that she loves without reservation and sometimes leaves herself vulnerable to being hurt |
| 'All I want is for my glad eye to catch a glint in your flinty Northern face again just once' | Word order of 'All I want' creates an impression of the girl begging to her partner to reciprocate her feelings Word choice of 'glad' reveals happiness and therefore affection and romance Word choice of 'glint' is a light associated with happiness, but it is only fleeting, suggesting that the girl is very eager to spot even a trace of affection |
| 'All I want is my glad eye to catch a glint in your flinty Northern face again just once' | 'Metaphor of 'flinty Northern face' implies coldness but also sharpness given the nature of flint rock. Also a hint of anger or power in him which could suggest both the attractive yet austere nature of her partner and thus hint that she feels more affection than he does Word choice of 'flinty' could also suggest strength and wisdom – a rock that can support, that is ageless Enjambment of 'just once' helps to emphasise her strong desire and thus suggest the lack of emotion experienced generally |
| 'stank too much today the usual wetdog reek rising' | Word choice of 'stank...wetdog' creates a negative impression of the Barrows, despite the lively and enthusiastic stall owners Creates a sense of confusion as to why the couple are in this particular setting whilst trying to rekindle their romantic relationship |
| 'sweet warm wine' | Word choice of 'sweet' suggests that the liquid is pleasant and easy to drink Word choice of 'warmth' suggests that the wine is not served well and that it is only a method of getting drunk Creates sympathy for the man |
| 'but three bent forks a torn calendar (last year's) and a broken plastic sandal' | These items in the list are completely useless Word choice of 'bent...torn...broken' suggests that they are unwanted, pointless and damaged The spacing illustrates an impression of speech, the way we talk Parenthesis puts emphasis on its uselessness These items are incongruous: they don't go well together, like the couple |
| 'squats in a puddle' | Word choice of 'squats' implies that the man is both literally kneeling into dirty water, desperate to sell his merchandise, and that he lives in very poor accommodation, struggling to make ends meet Draws attention away from the couple and makes the reader sympathise with the seller |
| 'we hadn't the stomach for it today. We don't deserve a bargain then!' | This line has a double meaning It suggests that the couple is not in the mood for the market at the present moment but also implies that they are despondent about their future together Exclamation mark illustrates the girl's repressed anger about the fact that her feelings about the relationship are not reciprocated |
| 'No connoisseur can afford to be too scrupulous about keeping his hands clean' | This line also has a double meaning Literally it means that a real bargain hunter needs to be prepared to root around for something precious Symbolically, for a relationship to be sustained, hard work and effort must be put into it |
| 'flabbergasted at the bargain' | Creates an upbeat mood Word play suggests that in spite of her worries, the speaker is enjoying the atmosphere and characters that bring the market to life Word choice of 'flabbergasted' implies that the seller is shocked at the deal he is offering them; suggests a chatty and informal tone in order to sell them merchandise |
| 'a rarity you'll pay through your nose for' | Metaphor suggests that the seller is saying that if you buy the merchandise elsewhere, it will be very expensive Displays the funny nature and haggling abilities of the salesman |
| 'All the couples we know either fall apart of have kids' | In the girl's mind, there are only two paths available to her and her partner: break up or start a family Since the boy has expressed no desire to have children, the girlfriend assumes that the relationship will end Creates a sombre tone |
| 'we've never shouldered much. We'll stick to small ikons for our home' | Sense of bitterness in these lines Word choice of 'shouldered' implies that they have rarely been romantically involved with one another She is suggesting that there is something artificial about their relationship - that maybe, without the responsibility of raising a family, their bond is somehow less legitimate and less valid Word choice of 'ikons' suggests that the items that they buy at the market are all that represent the relationship |
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