1. Climbing My Grandfather- Waterhouse 4 February, 2019
Sit back to back.
Note down the basic information about them.
Describe their personality.
Mini Starter
Select a person in the room to work with who you think you know quite well.
Eye colour
Hair Colour
Hair cut/length
Height
Nail Varnish Colour
etc…
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Which was easier to describe?
Why?
Traits
Favourites What they had for lunch.
etc…
Background Image:
Must:
Understand and be able to thoughtfully explain the meaning and main themes of the poem.
(AO1)
Should:
Explore and consider multiple interpretations of the poem.
(AO1/AO2)
Could:
Analyse the language, form and structure of the poem.
(AO2)

2. Context:
Andrew Waterhouse ( ) grew up in the north-east of England. He was a poet and musician, and was very passionate about the environment. After winning a prestigious poetry prize in 2000, he gave up his job teaching to devote his time to writing. He was a very private person, who struggled with depression, and the following year he took his own life. This memorable poem is a portrait of his grandfather but from a very unusual perspective.

3. Initial Impressions 3- 2- 1-
Read the below statements, which do you think best describes the writer’s feelings about his grandfather?
He admires his grandfather for his continuing strength.
He loves his grandfather but would like to feel closer to him.
He respects his grandfather for carrying on working physically.
He is concerned about his grandfather’s health and age.
Your own statement… 3-
Key descriptive words/phrases used to describe his grandfather. 2-
Thoughts/feelings the writer has about his grandfather. 1-
Way this poem represents the theme of love.
PAIR
Have you chosen the same statement?
Explain to each other why you chose the statement.

4. Climbing the Mountain
6. Develop your own exam question about this poem.
5. Evaluate the success of the writer’s extended metaphor.
4. Compare how the tone/mood/feelings of the poet change as the poem progresses.
3. Interpret the writer’s choice of verbs. What do they suggest?
Mountain Image:
2. Explain why the writer has focused on these parts of his grandfather.
How far can you climb?
Remember: Detailed responses will make the climb easier.
1. List the different parts of his Grandfather that the writer mentions.

5. What is the poem about?
The narrator imagines climbing his grandfather, using the extended metaphor of himself as a climber and his grandfather as a mountain.
The narrator may be imagining or remembering himself as a child, playing with his grandfather and observing things about him, or he may be using climbing as a metaphor for getting to know him as an adult.

6. Feelings and Attitudes in the poem.
The speaker has a simple, child-like curiosity about his grandfather. This interest is reflected in his adventurous and fascination with small details.
The narrator wants to make the effort to get to know his grandfather and to be close to him – this is shown in the physical nature of the climb and the exhaustion he feels at the end.
The way the narrator affectionately describes exploring his grandfather, and the way the grandfather smiles, show that they feel comfortable with each other. Their physical closeness as he’s climbing reflects their close emotional relationship.

7. He feels confident and comfortable with his grandfather, but there’s also an element of risk. This climbing vocabulary shows the reader that the poem is going to be an extended metaphor of an imagined climb up a mountain.
Present tense – the reader feels like they’re witnessing the climb happening, which creates a sense of adventure.
This adds danger and excitement to the child’s game
I decide to do it free, without a rope or net.
First, the old brogues, dusty and cracked;
an easy scramble onto his trousers,
pushing into the weave, trying to get a grip.
By the overhanging shirt I change
Compares the shoes to the dusty foot hills of the mountain. Also language about age
Enjambment reflects change of direction.
Metaphor for trying to get to know his grandfather.

8. Detail that a child would notice from playing with his grandfather
Detail that a child would notice from playing with his grandfather. It suggests he likes gardening , which hints at a connection with nature – possibly explains why he’s described as a mountain.
This suggests that he’s run into difficulty and is taking a different approach.
direction, traverse along his belt
to an earth-stained hand. The nails
are splintered and give good purchase,
the skin of his finger is smooth and thick
like warm ice. On his arm I discover
Use of oxymoron creates a child-like simile – it’s simple and contradictor. It creates an affectionate image – the grandfather isn’t cold like ice is.
Splintered nails sound ugly, but here they give the climber a good grip. This may reflect treatment of old people generally – people don’t always value them, but they have a lot to offer.
He’s making progress in getting to know him – the scar possibly represents a past that the climber didn’t know about.

9. The grandson is sensitive and understanding – he doesn’t linger over what might have been painful past experiences for his grandfather.
Just as a ridge is part of a mountain, the scar is part of the grandfather and is something to be explored.
the glassy ridge of a scar, place my feet
gently in the old stitches and move on.
At his still firm shoulder, I rest for a while
in the shade, not looking down,
for climbing has its dangers, then pull
Climbing imagery turns into the familiar image of a child sitting on an adult’s shoulder.

10. Possibly a metaphor for taking in the things his grandfather says
Possibly a metaphor for taking in the things his grandfather says. Also shows that the narrator feels better for talking to him.
The grandfather enjoys playing with his grandson.
Double meaning - he’s also a pupil because he’s learning things about his grandfather.
for climbing has its dangers, then pull
myself up the loose skin of his neck
to a smiling mouth to drink among teeth.
Refreshed, I cross the screed cheek,
to stare into his brown eyes, watch a pupil
slowly open and close. Then up over
Child-like fascination with simple things.

11. The grandfather’s white hair is compared to snow on a mountain top.
His exhaustion shows that it’s been a difficult climb – he’s been making the effort to get to know his grandfather.
the forehead, the wrinkles well-spaced
and easy, to his thick hair (soft and white
at this altitude), reaching for the summit,
where gasping for breath I can only lie
watching clouds and birds circle,
feeling his heat, knowing
the slow pulse of his good heart.
Definite language compared to “trying to get a grip” (line 4) and “discover” (line10) – this emphasises how the narrator has gained knowledge. The short line and enjambment prepares us for some kind of conclusion.
The child may physically feel his grandfather’s heat and heartbeat, but this also hints at the grandfather’s steady and warm love for his grandson. The simple monosyllabic line slows the pace of the poem, imitating the grandfather’s heartbeat.

12. Poem Dictionary Brogues – strong leather shoes
Traverse – travel across something
Purchase – firm foothold
Screed – a mountain slope covered with loose stones.

13. Personal response What do you learn about the grandfather’s character?
Why do you think the narrator chose to make his grandfather the subject of this poem?
How do you think the narrator feels after completing his ‘climb’?
Key Themes:
Family relationships, getting older…
Compare the bond between the speaker and his grandfather with the bond between the speaker and his parents in ‘Eden Rock’. Take a look at ‘Follower’ for another poem where child-like love is present.

14. ANALYSING YOUR POEM Voice Ballad Tone Sonnet Symbolism Free verse
Structure
How is the piece organised on the page?
Can you identify the topic of each stanza?
Are the stanzas equal or unequal?
How many stanzas/verses?
Is there rhythm/repetition/enjambment?
What is the line length/rhyme scheme?
Effect
What effect on the reader is the poet aiming to achieve?
(How is it intended to make you think/feel?)
What opinion is conveyed by the poet?
What is the purpose of the poet’s choice of language/opinion/theme?
Meaning
What is the poem about?
Can you discover more than one meaning of the poem?
What ideas and themes is the poet portraying?
What is the poet’s point of view?
Voice
Tone
Ballad
Sonnet
Free verse
Dramatic monologue
Symbolism
Alliteration
Assonance
Juxtaposition
Oxymoron
S.M.I.L.E
Simile
Extended Metaphor
Personification
Rhyming Couplet
Enjambment
Emotive Language
Repetition
Language
Which words has the poet used to convey meaning?
What are the connotations of the language used?
Is there more than one meaning of the word/phrase?
Has the poet used figurative language? (onomatopoeia, alliteration, assonance…)
How has the poet used language to infer meaning?
Imagery
Which images are conveyed to the reader?
Does the poem contain metaphors, similes or personification?
Why do you think the poet has included the images in the poem?

15. Reflection: SMILE Paragraph
Point:
Topic sentence with an adjective.
Evidence:
Quotation- try to embed it in the sentence.
Explain:
Select a keyword- why does it stand out?
What is the effect on the reader?
Language Analysis-
Analyse what the word suggests &
how it links back to the adjective.
This suggests…
The use of the word… implies that…
This infers… The poet was trying to convey
The writer wanted to suggest…
The connotations of this word are…
Word Bank