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‘Walking Away’ Cecil Day-Lewis
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Think! What does this mean?
‘Selfhood begins with a walking away’
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www.Teacher-of-English.com Copyright 2015 Online Teaching Resources
CONTEXT: AO3 C Day-Lewis was born in Ireland in 1904 but the family moved to England only two years later. His mother died when he was only a young boy of 4 years of age and his childhood was dominated by the possessive love of his father. As a poet Day-Lewis was part of a group of writers who used their poetry to challenge politics in the 1930s. Copyright 2015 Online Teaching Resources
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Transition from summer to autumn reflects the transition in the son’s life
He remembers the exact day –important to him It is eighteen years ago, almost to the day — A sunny day with leaves just turning, The touch-lines new-ruled — since I watched you play Your first game of football, then, like a satellite Wrenched from its orbit, go drifting away Reflects the new boundaries between father and son Simile – a satellite isn’t meant to fall out of orbit – makes the son sound helpless and in danger – he has stopped being at the centre of his son’s life The enjambment puts ‘wrenched at the start of the line – the separation is sudden and painful Enjambment- He turns away from his dad to talk to the other boys
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Bird Metaphor-shows the father is worried that his son isn’t ready’
The father is worried that his son won’t survive without protection Behind a scatter of boys. I can see You walking away from me towards the school With the pathos of a half-fledged thing set free Into a wilderness, the gait of one Who finds no path where the path should be. Pathos - something that creates feelings of pity Half-fledged – a young bird that doesn’t have all it’s adult feathers Gait – the way someone walks Repetition of path emphasises that the father is desperate for his son to find the right way in life
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‘eddying’ is a natural image
‘eddying’ is a natural image. It compares the son to water and air – he is uncertain and can’t control Simile – less painful than ‘wrenched’ shows that the father is coming to terms with it That hesitant figure, eddying away Like a winged seed loosened from its parent stem, Has something I never quite grasp to convey About nature’s give-and-take — the small, the scorching Ordeals which fire one’s irresolute clay. Fire turns clay into a pot – turning children into independent people Experiences of growing up are painful Eddying – air or water moving in a circular motion Irresolute - uncertain
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‘Gnaws’ sounds animalistic and vicious – the father is affected by watching his son go through the process of growing up Religious Imagery – In the Bible God let go of Jesus, his only son, when Jesus cam to Earth and crucified. He did this to show humans he loved them – shows it is difficult I have had worse partings, but none that so Gnaws at my mind still. Perhaps it is roughly Saying what God alone could perfectly show — How selfhood begins with a walking away, And love is proved in the letting go. Changes to a steady rhythm – the father has come to an understanding- the son has to walk away from his father to find his own identity, and the father proves his love for his son by letting him go
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Enjambment Simile Protectiveness Loss Reflection Natural imagery Pain First person Sadness Parental love Separation Growing up Independence Enjambment Simile Protectiveness Loss Reflection Natural imagery Pain First person Sadness Parental love Separation Growing up Independence Enjambment Simile Protectiveness Loss Reflection Natural imagery Pain First person Sadness Parental love Separation Growing up Independence Enjambment Simile Protectiveness Loss Reflection Natural imagery Pain First person Sadness Parental love Separation Growing up Independence Natural imagery Protectiveness Independence Enjambment Parental love First person Growing up Separation Reflection Sadness Simile Loss Pain Natural imagery Protectiveness Independence Enjambment Parental love First person Growing up Separation Reflection Sadness Simile Loss Pain Natural imagery Protectiveness Independence Enjambment Parental love First person Growing up Separation Reflection Sadness Simile Loss Pain
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