Key Quotes In Mrs Tilscher’s Class Poetry Revision Key Quotes In Mrs Tilscher’s Class

For each quote Understanding Where in the poem, what is happening? Analysis Poetic techniques Evaluation Effect on reader Feelings about character Links to other parts of the poem, to major themes

In Mrs Tilscher’s Class

“tracing the route ” U – describes the children learning about the Nile, looking at maps A – use of the sense of touch E – persona remembers it very clearly, reliving the moment, connecting to our own memories of childhood

“a skittle of milk” U – describing the free milk that every student got A – metaphor, similar shape, comparing everything to a toy, child has a immature/playful frame of reference – everything is fun and full of possibility E – we remember the routines of our own childhood, get a sense of how happy the child is

“The laugh of a bell swung by a running child. ” U – even the bell is remembered with fondness A – personification – bell itself seems, child projecting their happiness. Minor sentence – small details returning to her memory, suddenly and randomly E – reader gets a sense of the way her memory sparks off thoughts and emotions, and sees how happy she was

“The classroom glowed like a sweetshop. ” A – simile, bright, cheerful, colourful, best place a child can imagine E – happiness, contentment, vivid memory

“Brady and Hindley faded, like the faint, uneasy smudge of a mistake.” U – moors murderers who killed children, awareness of outside world A – simile, happy experiences can make her forget the fear of B and H, but that fear lingers E – we can compare this to our own childish fears and concerns, fear seems to still be there

“The scent of a pencil slowly, carefully, shaved.” U – another memory, A – use of smell, tiny detail E – persona retreating into comforting memories

“A xylophone's nonsense ” U – end of second stanza, the persona cheering herself with positive thought, A – personification, persona projecting her own carefree enjoyment, sense – hearing: strong memory E – life is still happy despite an awareness of a darker awareness of the world outside

“Over the Easter term ” U – opening words of the third stanza A – choice of the word “over” suggests that the innocence of youth has ended, word is emphasised by its position “Easter” – connotations of rebirth and change. This is the stanza where she begins to change and become an adolescent E – the reader becomes aware of a shift in the poem’s mood, this is a major turning point, the poem deals in more complicated and conflicting emotions

“You kicked him, but stared at your parents, appalled ” U – the persona kicks the boy who tells her about sex A – choice of word “kicked” shows her anger at him for spoiling her innocent view of the world, “appalled” – suggests disgust, “stared” – disbelief, shock E – we get a strong sense of her confusion and unwillingness to grow up

“always untidy, hot, fractious under the heavy, sexy sky ” U – describes her discomfort in the hot, humid summer A – touch, use of words describing her discomfort – “untidy…fractious”. Physical change and emotional changes are both difficult E – we can relate to her uncertainty and anxiety. She is caught between childhood and adolescence

“Reports were handed out” U – Mrs Tilscher does not comfort her or help her, she just acts professionally A – passive sentence suggesting the business-like manner of Mrs T E – We realise that the persona has to face adolescence on her own, it is a shame that she no longer looks up to Mrs T as much but she needs this rejection to face reality

“the sky split open into a thunderstorm” U – a thunderstorm ends the humid weather, end of poem A – pathetic fallacy, she projects her own sense of relief onto the weather E – we feel that she is ready to face the challenges of adolescence, she is not fully grown up but is willing to accept the change