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Derek mahon
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Grandfather meaning | Depicts Mahons grandfather - reserved but hard working. Cannot escape death but remains in control of his life |
| Grandfather Q1 | “They brought him in on a stretcher from the world, wounded but humorous” - introduces him as a survivor, “wounded but humorous” - Shows physical decline but mental resilience |
| Grandfather Q2 | “boiler rooms, row upon row of gantries rolled away to reveal the landscape of childhood” - look into his past, boiler rooms and gantries refer to shipyards, linking him to working class manual labour |
| Grandfather Q3 | “Even on cold mornings he’s up at six with a block of wood or a box of nails” - maintains a strict routine despite his age, highlights discipline and determination |
| Grandfather Q4 | “Each night, his shrewd eyes bolt the door and wind the clock against the future” - winding the clock symbolizes a resilience to death, whilst shrewd Shows he’s still sharp. |
| Grandfather Q5 | “Nothing escapes him, he escapees us all” - despite being observant he still dies, reflecting themes of mortality and detachment |
| After the titanic meaning | Tells story of Bruce is may, publicly shamed and filled with guilt and trauma. Explores themes of shame and psychological damage |
| After the titanic Q1 | “I sank as far that night as any hero” - his emotional and mental collapse is as deep as the ocean. Despite surviving, he feels as lost as those who died. Referring to them as Hero’s suggests he’s putting himself down |
| After the titanic Q2 | “I turned to ice to hear my costly life go thundering down” - physically numb (turning to ice) as his life washes away. “Costly” indicates the once luxurious life he lived |
| After the titanic Q3 | “The shower of April, flowers of may mean Nothing to me” - the beauty of nature and changing seasons cannot pull him out of his depression - trauma has ruined him. |
| After the titanic Q4 | “Now I hide in a lonely house behind the sea” - he’s become a recluse, avoiding people and living in isolation and fear. “Behind the sea” suggests he’s trying to hide from society. |
| After the titanic Q5 | “Include me in your commemorations” - final emotional plea, wants to be remembered not as selfish or a coward but as someone who suffered too. |
| Rathlin meaning | explores tension between peace and historical violence, focusing on the island of Rathlin as a place of haunting beauty and dark memory - 1575 massacre |
| Rathlin Q1 | “A long time since the last scream cut short” - Opens with a chilling image — the memory of past violence, likely referencing the massacre. “Cut short” signals death |
| Rathlin Q2 | “The bleak reminder of a metaphysical wind” - Nature itself seems to carry invisible memories. “Metaphysical” suggests the island holds deeper meaning |
| Rathlin Q3 | “The whole island a sanctuary” - Contrasts with earlier violence. The island today is peaceful and natural - “Sanctuary” implies safety and spiritual calm. |
| Rathlin Q4 | “we leave here the infancy of the race” - hints that human civilisation is still young, perhaps foolish. There’s a sense of uncertainty about progress. |
| Rathlin Q5 | “Whether the future lies before us or behind” - The final thought is deeply uncertain. Mahon questions if we're truly moving forward, or if we're stuck repeating mistakes. |
| Antartica meaning | based on the true story of Captain Lawrence Oates Knowing he is slowing the group down due to frostbite and injury, deliberately walks out into a blizzard to die, to increase the others’ chances of survival. |
| Antartica Q1 | “I am just going outside and may be some time.” - hides the fact that this is a deliberate act of sacrifice, a choice to die so others might live. |
| Antartica Q2 | “At the heart of the ridiculous, the sublime.” - Oates’ death may seem absurd — walking into a blizzard — but it is also deeply noble. |
| Antartica Q3 | “Goading his ghost into the howling snow” half-dead, The harsh “g” and “h” sounds create a sense of cold and struggle, highlighting the brutal reality of what he’s doing. |
| Antartica Q4 | “The tent recedes beneath its crust of rime” -As he walks away, the tent, a symbol of warmth & safety, disappears behind frost. The image emphasizes his isolation |
| Antartica Q5 | “He takes leave of the earthly pantomime / Quietly, knowing it is time to go.” - Oates leaves calmly, without drama. This line strips shows the quiet bravery of accepting death. |
| Kinsale meaning | short but hopeful poem in which Mahon reflects on the contrast between Ireland’s dark, stormy past and its emerging, bright, open future. |
| Kinsale Q1 | “The kind of rain we knew is a thing of the past” - Mahon opens by suggesting that the hardship and gloom is now behind them. “Rain” symbolizes past struggles, violence, |
| Kinsale Q2 | “Our sky-blue slates are steaming in the sun” - A clear image of warmth and sunshine replacing gloom. “Steaming slates” suggests that even buildings once drenched in rain are now drying off and warming up - a metaphor for healing and change. |
| Kinsale Q3 | “Our yachts tinkling and dancing in the bay / like race-horses.” - A joyful image. The yachts suggest freedom, and comparing them to race-horses adds energy and excitement |
| Kinsale Q4 | “A future forbidden to no-one.” - it envisions a future that is inclusive open and hopeful for everyone, suggesting we are moving toward a future where opportunities are available to all, |
Created by:
LukeM1